Renovation Work List for a Full Home Upgrade

A full home upgrade is really a dozen smaller jobs that have to happen in the right order. Get the order wrong and the tiler lays a floor that the electrician has to lift a week later, or the painter finishes a wall the joiner then drills into.

This work list covers the full sequence for a full villa renovation or a complete apartment upgrade in Abu Dhabi, from the first survey to the final walkthrough. Use it to check quotes, plan your budget and see what your contractor should be doing each week.

The Full Home Renovation Work List at a Glance

1. Survey, scope and fixed quote
2. Community NOC, building NOC and permits
3. Protection, strip-out and debris removal
4. Structural and layout changes
5. Electrical, plumbing and AC first fix
6. Waterproofing and floor screeds
7. Gypsum ceilings and wall plastering
8. Tiling and flooring
9. Joinery, kitchen and wardrobes
10. Painting and decorating
11. Second fix: sockets, lights, sanitary ware and appliances
12. External works, snagging and handover

Step 1: Survey, Budget and Approvals

The work list starts before any wall comes down. An engineer should survey the home, test the services and write every known problem into the quote as a line item.

In Abu Dhabi, villas built fifteen or more years ago often hide the same faults: bathroom waterproofing that stops at floor level, distribution boards sized before split ACs were added, and hollow floor tiles. Pricing these at survey stage stops the budget drifting later.

Approvals come next. Cosmetic work rarely needs a permit, but structural changes, wet-area relocation and major MEP work usually do. Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport has urged owners, landlords and contractors to follow the licensing procedures for modification and renovation work on residential properties (see the source at the end of this article). Apartment towers on Al Reem Island or Al Raha Beach also need a building NOC, and villa communities in Khalifa City or Saadiyat often set their own working hours and access rules.

Step 2: Strip-Out and Structural Changes

Strip-out removes everything being replaced: old tiles, sanitary ware, kitchen units, ceilings and damaged plaster. Furniture you're keeping should be moved out or wrapped, and floors and stairs protected.

Wall removals, new openings and structural repairs happen now, while the home is open. It's also the moment to fix cracks, rusted lintels or spalling concrete that the survey found.

Step 3: Services First, Finishes Second

The services behind the walls go in before any finish, because they're the most expensive part to redo.

• Full or partial re-wiring and re-piping, with a distribution board sized for today's loads
• New circuits for the kitchen, water heaters and every AC unit
• Isolation valves for each bathroom and the kitchen
• AC duct and condensate line checks while ceilings are open
• Data, TV and smart home cabling run now, not later

Wet areas are then waterproofed, with the membrane taken up the walls and flood tested for 24 hours before any tile goes down. Floor screeds are laid to the right falls at the same stage.

Step 4: Ceilings, Floors, Joinery and Paint

Once the services are tested and signed off, the visible finishes go in, roughly from the top of the room down.

Gypsum ceilings come first, hiding new ducts and cables and adding cove lighting. Wall and floor tiling follow, then built-in wardrobes, the kitchen, vanities and doors.

Painting comes near the end, with the final coat applied after the second fix so marks from fitting sockets and lights are covered.

Step 5: Second Fix, Outside Works and Handover

Second fix brings the home back to life. Sockets, switches, light fittings, taps, WCs, showers and appliances are connected and tested.

For villas, the outside belongs on the work list too. External painting, boundary walls, car porches, landscaping tie-ins and pool refurbishment are best scheduled alongside the interior so the whole property finishes together.

The last item is a joint snag walkthrough. Every defect is written down and fixed before the final payment, and you should receive a written workmanship warranty, which at ALHUD runs for 12 months.

How Long Does a Full Home Upgrade Take?

Most villas take four to ten weeks on site, and most apartments take three to six weeks. A cosmetic refresh sits at the short end, while structural changes, full re-wiring and imported joinery push the programme longer.

Approvals and material lead times sit outside those weeks, so plan for them early. Our guide to how long apartment renovation takes in Abu Dhabi breaks each phase down.

The same work list applies to an apartment renovation, with a few extra steps for tower rules such as booking service lifts and keeping noisy work to permitted hours.

After the Renovation

A renovated home stays in shape when it's looked after. A maintenance contract covers planned AC servicing, drain cleaning and electrical checks, so small problems are caught before they damage the new finishes.

Frequently Asked Questions