Sort the Scope, Save the Stress: A Pre-Start Refurb Checklist for UK Homes

Most refurbishments do not go wrong in a dramatic way. They drift. A socket moves, a wall turns out to be hiding something unpleasant, a decision gets delayed, and suddenly the programme has slipped and the invoice has grown. The ‘it’ll be fine’ approach is understandable — you want the work done, not a second job managing it — but it is usually the most expensive way to start.

Before anyone lifts a hammer, have the grown-up conversation. Here is the pre-start checklist JDP Contracting would rather every homeowner worked through first.

Start with the scope, not the mood board

Write down what the job includes and, just as importantly, what it excludes. Room by room. ‘Renovate the kitchen’ is not a scope. Is it new units only, or a layout change? Does it include electrics, plastering, flooring and decorating? Are you moving the boiler? Removing a chimney breast? Replacing the back door? Put it in plain words and attach it to the contract.

Then list the exclusions. If the garden is not included, say so. If the loft is staying untouched, say so. This gives everyone a baseline. Anything added after that is a variation, and variations should be priced and timed in writing before the work happens.

The mood board can come later. The scope pays the bills.

Who is doing what — and who is paying

Confirm who is arranging building control, any party wall award, an asbestos survey, structural engineer input, skips, scaffolding and site facilities. If your contractor is managing those, get it in writing. If you are, know the dates and the costs.

Payment terms need the same treatment. A stage payment schedule tied to actual progress is better than random dates. Agree the deposit, any retention, how materials are bought and what happens if your chosen tiles are discontinued halfway through. Decide who is responsible for protecting furniture, floors and shared access.

Also agree decision deadlines. A contractor cannot order the bathroom suite if you have not picked it. A fitter cannot start if the tiles are still in a van somewhere. Set dates for your choices and stick to them.

The paperwork that stops arguments

You do not need a 40-page contract for a domestic refurb, but you do need something written down. Scope, price, programme, payment terms, variation process, defects period and insurance details should all be clear.

Ask for proof of public liability insurance and, where relevant, employer’s liability cover. If the contractor uses subcontractors, ask how they are checked. Confirm who is notifying building control and what approvals are needed. If you live in a flat or leasehold property, check the head lease and get freeholder consent before work starts. If the work is near a party wall, check whether notices are needed. These are boring questions until they are not.

Keep one email thread or shared folder for decisions. ‘I thought you said’ is not a defence, and a WhatsApp message buried under three months of chat is not a project record.

Compliance questions to ask early

Building Regulations are not a box-ticking exercise invented to ruin your week. They cover electrical safety, fire, ventilation, insulation and structural alterations. Ask early who is signing off what, and whether competent person schemes are being used for gas and electrical work.

Older properties may need an asbestos survey before destructive work. If more than one contractor is involved, CDM 2015 duties may apply — domestic clients have responsibilities, though the contractor usually manages them in practice. Waste needs a paper trail too: who holds the waste carrier licence, and will you get waste transfer notes?

If the property is rented, there may be additional requirements around alarms, electrical safety and fire risk. Raise them at the start, not at practical completion when everyone is tired and the van is loaded.

Money and time buffers

Set a contingency of 10–15%. Refurbs reveal things. That is not pessimism; it is basic project planning. Agree how surprises will be handled — who prices them, who approves them and how long they might add.

Build lead times and drying times into the programme. Do not book the kitchen fitter before the plaster has dried. Do not assume the bathroom will be usable on day three. And decide where you will live if the kitchen or bathroom is out of action for a stretch.

The pre-start sit-down

Meet on site before work begins. Walk the scope. Confirm access, parking, toilet arrangements, power, dust control, working hours and neighbour considerations. Agree how you will communicate and when the weekly check-in happens. Record decisions as you go.

Confirm the start date, first payment and contact list. Then sign off the checklist. It feels formal for about five minutes and saves hours later.

A refurb is not a personality test. It is a project. The more you settle before day one, the less you pay for guesswork later. JDP Contracting would always rather have the awkward conversation now than the awkward invoice halfway through.