Renovating a flat: how to plan it properly
Renovating a flat? How to plan the layout, bathroom, electrics and sound – and what to check with your freeholder before any builder starts.
Reading time about 8 minutes
Short answer: how to renovate a flat without costly mistakes
Start by finding out what you are allowed to do, not by choosing tiles. Most leases require the freeholder's consent (a licence to alter) for structural work, plumbing, new flooring or moving rooms. Then finish your new layout drawing before you ask for quotes.
A finished drawing gives you comparable quotes, fewer changes on site and a clear basis for consent. Plan for what makes flats different: neighbours who hear everything, limited working hours, narrow stairs and little storage.
What can you change in a leasehold flat?
Decorating is usually fine. Anything affecting the structure, services, flooring or neighbours tends to need consent under the lease [CHECK]. Read the lease and speak to the freeholder or managing agent before you commit, and get the answer in writing.
Work on a wall shared with a neighbour may fall under the Party Wall Act in England and Wales [CHECK]. Structural changes need Building Regulations approval.
- Read the alterations clause in your lease.
- Ask what drawings and fees the freeholder needs.
- Check rules on flooring, working hours and contractors.
- Ask whether major works to the block are planned.
Load-bearing walls and structure
Opening up kitchen and living room is the most common wish and the most common trap. If the wall carries load you need a structural engineer, Building Regulations approval and the freeholder's consent [CHECK]. Wall thickness alone does not tell you.
MyRoomCraft helps you draw and compare options, but it cannot tell whether a wall is load-bearing or replace structural calculations.
Renovating a bathroom in a flat
The bathroom is where damage gets expensive – for you and the flat below. Use qualified trades and keep certificates; they are needed when you sell. Moving the WC or shower far from the soil stack can be difficult, so draw the stack first and plan around it.
Ventilation, electrics and plumbing
Electrical work must comply with Part P and is best done by a registered electrician [CHECK]. Extract fans should vent to the outside without affecting shared ducts. Moving the kitchen means water, waste, power and extraction all have to follow – that is where costs grow.
Noise, neighbours and working hours
Many leases require carpet or acoustic underlay, and swapping to hard floors can breach the lease [CHECK]. Noisy work is usually limited to set hours. Do the loud jobs early and tell your neighbours in advance.
Deliveries, lifts and access
Measure the lift and stairs, agree where a skip can go and how trades get in. A one-piece worktop that does not fit the lift is an expensive surprise. Protect communal areas – damage is usually your responsibility.
Plan the layout before you call builders
Measure the flat and draw it as it is. Then draw two or three options and furnish them at real size, so you see whether the sofa fits and the bed can be made. Don't forget storage and daylight – a new wall can create a wardrobe but darken the hall.
Common mistakes when renovating a flat
- Starting work before consent – you may have to reinstate.
- Assuming a thin wall isn't load-bearing.
- Using unqualified trades in the bathroom.
- Laying hard floors without acoustic underlay.
- Forgetting the lift size for big deliveries.
- Getting quotes without a drawing – they can't be compared.
- Removing cupboards without planning new storage.
Checklist before you renovate
Save this list and tick it off before work starts.
- Lease and alterations clause read.
- Existing and new layout drawn to scale.
- Written licence to alter where required.
- Structural engineer appointed if structure is affected.
- Qualified electrician and plumber chosen.
- Flooring and acoustic underlay agreed.
- Working hours, deliveries, lift and waste planned.
- Neighbours informed.
Draw your flat before you decide
In MyRoomCraft you draw the flat as it is and try new layouts to exact size. Furnish in 3D and print before/after drawings at 1:50 for your freeholder and builders.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need permission to renovate my flat?
Decorating rarely needs consent, but most leases require the freeholder's licence for structural work, plumbing, flooring changes or moving rooms. Structural work also needs Building Regulations approval. Read your lease and ask the freeholder or managing agent in writing before you start.
Can I knock down a wall in my flat?
It depends on whether it is load-bearing and what your lease allows. A light partition can often go with consent. A load-bearing wall needs a structural engineer, Building Regulations approval and the freeholder's licence. Thickness alone won't tell you, so ask for structural drawings.
Who should renovate my bathroom?
Use qualified trades, and make sure electrical work is certified. A leak into the flat below is expensive and can lead to disputes. Keep every certificate and invoice – buyers' solicitors usually ask for them when you sell.
How do I avoid complaints from neighbours?
Stick to permitted working hours, tell neighbours beforehand and check the lease rules on flooring and acoustic underlay. Group the loudest jobs early in the project, protect communal areas and don't leave waste in the hallway.
Why draw the layout before getting quotes?
With a scale drawing every builder prices the same job, so quotes can be compared. You also spot problems early – a sofa that won't fit or storage that disappears – and the freeholder gets a clear basis for consent.
Rules change and are applied locally. Always check with your local planning authority and Building Control before you build.