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Room-by-room renovation basics checklist
Most costly changes happen because a decision was made late, not because it was made badly. Use this room-by-room list to lock the decisions that are expensive to reverse before the trades start.
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- Decide anything that lives inside the walls before 'rough-in'
- Choose long-lead items early, some take 8 to 14 weeks
- Settle finishes against each other, not one at a time
- Sort approvals and services before the room-level detail
01
Before any room, the whole-home basics
5 decisions to lock
- Confirm the approval pathway and any permits for your scope
- Set the budget with a 10 to 20% 'contingency'
- Agree the 'order of works' and the trade sequence
- Lock heating, cooling, hot water, and any solar or battery provisions
- Settle the whole-home paint palette and flooring before room detail
02
Kitchen
5 decisions to lock
- Layout and the 'work triangle' between sink, cooktop, and fridge
- Appliances chosen, with lead times and any 'dedicated circuit' confirmed
- Benchtop material, splashback, and cabinetry, drawers over doors for bases
- A double 'GPO' for roughly every metre of bench
- Sink, tap, waste, and dishwasher positions
03
Bathroom
5 decisions to lock
- Layout, door swing, and the wet and dry zones
- Fixtures chosen: vanity, toilet, shower, and screen
- Waterproofing and 'falls to waste' specified and certified
- Exhaust ventilation and any heating
- Niches, mirror cabinet, and tapware positions
04
Bedrooms and living
5 decisions to lock
- Built-in robes fitted out with hanging, shelving, and drawers
- A power point each side of the bed, plus data and television points in living
- Lighting layers and switch positions decided before 'rough-in'
- Flooring and window furnishings
- Furniture footprints marked out before ordering big pieces
05
Laundry and storage
4 decisions to lock
- Layout around the sort, wash, dry, fold, store workflow
- Bench to fold on, sink, and tall cupboard for broom and vacuum
- Floor waste, taps, and dryer venting
- Dead space claimed: understairs, corners, above doors, and toe kicks
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Important notice: This content provides general guidance only and does not constitute legal, financial, structural, or building advice. Requirements, regulations, approval processes, and building standards vary significantly between Australian states and territories and change over time. Verify all requirements with your state authority and engage licensed professionals for all certified works.
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