How long does it take to renovate an apartment?

Size and scope

The area to be worked on and the number of spaces involved are the obvious starting point, but scope matters as much as, or more than, size. A renovation limited to a kitchen and a bathroom follows a different execution logic to a project covering the whole apartment, even if the total area is similar.

Demolition and structural work

Removing walls, flooring or old installations introduces an initial phase whose duration depends on the actual condition of the building, often only visible once demolition begins. Work involving structural elements adds a further layer of complexity, requiring technical assessment before proceeding.

Permits, when required

Not every renovation requires council permits, but when it applies — for example, changes to the structure or the façade — the response time of the relevant authority is not under the direct control of the project. This is one of the factors most likely to extend an initial schedule.

Material lead times

Materials and equipment that aren't available off the shelf — such as certain finishes, made-to-measure furniture or specific kitchen and bathroom fittings — have their own lead times, set by the respective suppliers. These lead times should be confirmed before committing to a completion date.

Trade coordination

A renovation usually involves several trades — electrics, plumbing, carpentry, painting, among others — that need to be sequenced logically. When this coordination is done well, downtime between interventions decreases. On this topic, see also our guide on what to check before hiring a renovation company.

The unexpected

In existing buildings, it's common to find things that weren't visible before work started — for example, old installations in poor condition. Realistic planning sets aside some margin for these situations, rather than assuming everything will go exactly as expected.

Client decisions

Choices about materials, finishes or layout left undecided during the project tend to create pauses in execution. The more decisions are settled before work starts, the more predictable the schedule tends to be.

Inspections

Joint checks throughout the project, and especially at the end, are part of the process and should be built into the schedule, rather than treated as a last-minute surprise.

Why prior planning is decisive

The sum of these variables explains why it isn't responsible to promise a fixed timeline without knowing the project in detail. What genuinely reduces uncertainty is planning carried out before work starts, identifying the scope, the trades involved and the decisions still outstanding. The price only changes when the scope changes — and the same logic applies to the timeline: any change to the agreed scope should be recorded in writing, with its impact on the schedule.

To learn about the scope of this service and how each project is assessed, visit our apartment renovations page. To understand how we structure this planning phase, see the Rigor Method.