A major renovation runs in two stages, and most people only budget time for the second one.
Stage one. Design, approvals and pricing.
This is where the concept is developed, the scope is settled, the engineer and certifier do their work, and the job gets properly priced. The duration for the design and approvals stage is 4 to 5 months.
People are often surprised this takes as long as it does. It is also the stage where rushing costs the most, because every decision deferred here becomes a variation later.
Stage two. Construction.
The construction duration for a typical major renovation is 5 to 8 months.
Within that, the sequence matters more than the total. Demolition and structural work first, then the house is opened up and made weathertight again, then services, then linings, then fit off and finishes. The middle of that sequence is where a renovation looks worst and feels slowest, and it is normal.
We are currently booking 5 months in advance to keep our quotes accurate.
What actually causes delays
In our experience it is rarely the building. It is four things.
Decisions not made in time. Selections have lead times. A tile chosen in week two is on site when it is needed. The same tile chosen in week eight holds up three trades.
Scope changes mid build. Every change has a knock on effect through the trade sequence, and the time cost is usually larger than the dollar cost.
Things found inside the house that were not investigated before pricing. This is why the feasibility stage matters.
A builder running too many jobs at once. If your trades are shared across five sites, your build waits whenever another site has a problem.
The on time commitment
We commit to a completion date and we back it. Your completion date is set out in your construction contract, and if we miss it because of something on our end, we pay you for every day we run over. The only exception is a delay you’ve caused, like changes you ask for partway through the build.
Very few builders will put a date in writing, and the reason is straightforward. Committing to a date means committing to the systems and capacity that make the date achievable. It is easier to stay vague.
Ask any builder you are considering what happens if the date is missed. The quality of the answer tells you how seriously the date was meant.
