Project Order for Rehabs

[Mark Beekman]

Alright. You just bought a house that needs some TLC in just about every aspect. Carpets need ripped out, walls need painted, windows need replaced, wood floors need refinished, kitchen and bathroom need updating, etc, etc.

What order do you begin to tackle each project? Do the vets here have a specific order for fixes? For example, do you paint the walls before you rip up the carpet since paint splatter on the ratty carpet doesn't matter?

[J Scott]

Originally posted by Mark Beekman:

What order do you begin to tackle each project? Do the vets here have a specific order for fixes? For example, do you paint the walls before you rip up the carpet since paint splatter on the ratty carpet doesn't matter?

There are some things you need to do in order, and some things that are project/investor specific.

Here is the high level list of things to consider:

0. Very first thing is any structure repair and/or waterproofing, as those thing can impact the viability of the rest of the project, and without those done, nothing else can be safely completed.

1. Exterior and interior can generally be done independently at the same time. That said, if I had to choose, I will often do the exterior first, for a couple reasons:

- I want to ensure that the exterior is not compromised, which can allow water/rodents/etc to hurt the inside;

- I want to begin to build curb appeal to create buzz in the neighborhood and start attracting potential buyers.

2. In terms of the order of the exterior, it doesn't matter too much, but this is what I tend to do:

- Termite and Pest Control
- Roof
- Siding/Trim/Sill Repair and Replacement
- Soffit/Fascia Board Repair and Replacement
- Gutters
- Grading
- Concrete Work
- Decks/Porches
- Landscaping
- Fencing
- Crawl Space
- Garage Doors/Openers

3. As for the interior, here is the high-level order:

- Demo
- Mold Remediation
- Framing
- Rough HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing (any order)
- Drywall
- Carpentry (Doors, Windows, Subfloor Repair, etc)
- Major Concrete/Tile Work (Fireplaces, Showers, etc)
- Painting
- Flooring in the Kitchen and Baths
- Cabinets/Countertops
- Sinks
- Finish HVAC, Plumbing
- Finish Electrical
- Additional Tile Work (Backsplash, etc)
- Appliances
- Flooring in Rest of House
- Trim
- Outlets/Switches/Registers/Smoke Alarms
- Mirrors/Towelbars/Other Finishing Details
- Cleaning

Some things can be done in a different order. For example, it's up to you (and your contractors) if you want to install the kitchen/bath flooring before or after you install the cabinets. If you install the flooring before, you make the flooring contractors job easier, but you'll spend more on flooring. If you install the cabinets first, you'll make the flooring contractors job a bit harder, you might spend a bit less, and you run the risk of the detail work not being perfect.

Likewise, with the painting. Some people like to do it early in the project (before the flooring, cabinets, finishings, etc) and some like to do it at the end. Personally, I do it as early as possible; because my painters also sub-contract a lot of the finishing work, they'd rather paint with the house empty and then touch up the paint after all the rest of the work is done than to have to paint around finishings.

I know a lot of people will lay flooring before paint, but I think that's crazy. I want my buyers to get pristine flooring, so I will generally put that in last if at all possible.

Keep in mind that you need to plan ahead for some things. For example, if you install flooring before cabinets in the kitchen, but it wasn't done that way previously, your cabinets can be raised up to 2" (depending on what type of flooring you use). If you have electrical outlets right above the countertops, you may have to move them up a bit to accommodate the higher counters (from the flooring underneath).

Also, make sure you finish your rough work before you start doing any tile work. Some people like to tile their fireplaces/showers/floors early, but it's pretty tough to move rough plumbing, electrical and HVAC around tile that has already been laid.

Hope that helps...feel free to check out my blog for more tips and strategies...