Heading tips for apartment renovation. How to make cosmetic repairs in the apartment, depending on its area

For a person in life, an apartment is the place where he goes after a hard day, where he raises children, lives with hope for the future and just relaxes, and each of us wants the apartment to be cozy and comfortable, like in a country house. The time comes when it is necessary to make repairs: it can be not only capital, but also budget inexpensive. In order not to hire a construction company, you can start repairing an apartment with your own hands. At the family council, decide on the design of the apartment (both in each of the rooms and in general with the style), invite your child for this. To do this, you can see photos of the apartment renovation on our website. Once the design is approved, it's a good idea to make a list of materials and tools needed. It is better to always take the material with a small margin. If you live in an apartment being renovated and the furniture cannot be completely removed from the apartment, then do it in parts, first making repairs in one room of the apartment, then in another. Starting to prepare the walls and ceiling, it is necessary to consider whether the wiring in the apartment will change. This stage is best entrusted to an experienced electrician. The correct operation of electrical appliances depends on the wiring.
Then we move on to the walls and ceiling: level, if necessary, apply a layer of putty and primer. The drying time of the plaster or putty depends on the applied layer, this should not be forgotten. After this stage, we go to the floors, open them, set them according to the level, if necessary - we change the old boards that have become unusable for new ones or we cover the floor with plywood. When renovating a bathroom, start renovating from the ceiling - just like in all rooms in your apartment. Facing, on the contrary, is carried out from the floor. With humidity in the bathroom, you can install a heater. Be sure to check the waterproofing: if it is old and cracked, it is better to replace it.
When repairing an apartment with your own hands, the main thing is to be calm and take your time, otherwise you can “break wood”. The walls in the kitchen can be covered with wallpaper, tiles or MDF panels can be installed. Near the gas stove and sink, it is desirable to tile the wall with tiles. It is all possible to do it on your own, as in the photographs in our articles. It is better to entrust the dismantling and installation of window blocks and double-glazed windows to a company specializing in this type of work. If the repair takes place in frosty weather, then the installation of the blocks is carried out within two hours, so the heating system will not be able to defrost.
As you understand, this is only a brief and superficial overview of do-it-yourself apartment renovation. Each stage of self-repair should be prepared very carefully and step by step, you will find more detailed tips with photos and videos in thematic articles on our website. The choice is yours, do the repair of the apartment with your own hands or hire a construction team.

A good renovation can make even the smallest apartment more comfortable and attractive. It is more convenient to order repairs from a company, but not all apartment owners have the necessary funds to contact professionals. Moreover, the work with their own hands attracts many people because it allows them to creatively approach the arrangement of space in the house.

Repair types

Repair can be of two types:

• cosmetic;
• capital.

Cosmetic repairs include replacing wallpaper, installing a new floor, painting surfaces. This also includes the application of decorative plaster. Most apartment owners do just such a finish. Major overhaul is more difficult to perform. The owner will have to replace not only wall, floor and ceiling coverings, but also pay attention to the quality of plumbing, pipes, double-glazed windows and interior doors. As part of the overhaul, it is also convenient to redevelop the apartment. Sometimes such redevelopment can completely change the appearance of the premises.

Where to begin

Before you make repairs in the apartment, you must, of course, decide what type of repair to carry out. In new buildings, for example, it is often necessary to make major repairs. The same applies to very old apartments, where communications, doors and windows leave much to be desired. As for the average apartment, where pipes have already been replaced and new windows have been installed, then the usual cosmetic repairs will most likely be appropriate.

After the type of repair is selected, you need to write down all the necessary work that will have to be carried out. This must be done in order to calculate the amount of materials that will have to be purchased. Experts recommend purchasing materials in advance. This will allow the owner of the apartment to save. After all, if he buys all the materials in one store, then he will certainly be given a discount. Yes, and during transportation you do not have to constantly spend money on a car.

Some types of materials are better to buy with a margin. For example, this applies to wallpaper, tiles and laminate. Laminate should be purchased exactly one pack more than you need. Otherwise, the material may not be enough, and then it is not always possible to buy exactly the same.

Beginning of work

Repair work begins with the dismantling of old coatings and communications. Beforehand, it is better to take out all things from the apartment. However, if the family plans to live in the apartment during the renovation, then you should consider how to make life during work more convenient. If the apartment has several rooms, then repairs can be carried out in turn in each of them.

The most difficult types of work during major repairs are the replacement of pipes and wiring. These works require a certain competence, because improper installation of plumbing, for example, can lead to a real disaster. Such errors during repair may not immediately appear. But after a while they are able to destroy the whole work.

Some masters think about what type of work to start with. There are often disputes about whether to lay the wiring first or repair the pipes. In fact, you can start with any job. The main thing is that these processes always go before decorative finishing. If redevelopment is planned in the house, then it is necessary to start the process from it, and only then take up the installation of communications.

Stages

1. At the first stage, redevelopment works are carried out. The whole process is carried out according to preliminary drawings. By the way, the master should have drawings of different stages made in advance.
2. After the redevelopment has been carried out, you can begin to replace pipes and electrical wiring. Also at this stage, the walls are insulated and soundproofed.
3. When communications are laid, the house often looks like after a pogrom. Because the strobes in the walls, the destruction in the floor and the unevenness of all surfaces immediately catch your eye. Before proceeding with the cosmetic part of the repair, it is necessary to level the surfaces. If desired, windows and doors are also replaced at this time.
4. Decorative repairs start from top to bottom. This is necessary in order not to spoil the already finished surfaces. Therefore, in the first place, either painting the ceiling or finishing the walls is often carried out. If you plan to make a stretch ceiling, then the repair begins with the walls.
5. After the wallpaper is pasted, and the decorative plaster on the walls has dried, you can lay a new floor. It must be remembered that a new floor, especially if it is self-leveling, needs rest. He can't be disturbed for a while. The owner would be better off moving somewhere else.

Some novice craftsmen are wondering from which room to start repair work. Cosmetic repairs can be started from any room. For example, you can conduct it in each room separately. After the master can proceed to such premises as the kitchen and bathroom. True, this method may seem inconvenient to someone. After all, it is much more customary to first paste over all the rooms with wallpaper, albeit different ones, and then take up the flooring.

If the owner is going to live in the apartment during the renovation process, it is better for him to work on each room separately. Some types of work are best left to professionals. We are talking about installing windows, installing electrical wiring and installing interior doors. Separately, it should be said about the bathroom. Renovation in this room is much more difficult than anywhere else. Specialists, by the way, charge more for finishing the bathroom than for finishing the shower or kitchen. Because the process itself is very laborious.

Another point where a professional may be required is related to the design of the apartment design. Not every owner is able to create a professional design. A well-crafted design project often allows you to expand the rooms and make them more spacious, and not only visually. Also, high-quality interior design makes the atmosphere in the premises harmonious. If the owner is confident in his abilities, then the design part should also be planned in advance.

• do-it-yourself plasterboard ceiling (step by step instructions);

Video

See how you can renovate an apartment with the whole family:

Thanks to this video, you will know how to make repairs in the apartment so that the money remains:

Do you associate repair with a difficult, costly and long process? Our site "Remontik" will prove you the opposite! You don’t believe it yet, but the repair process can be a real pleasure if you turn a rather boring and difficult task into a simple and exciting process.

If you are thinking about how to make repairs in the apartment with your own hands, then the first thing to follow is the sequence of all actions, and all stages should be completed one after the other, according to a pre-prepared plan.

So, if you are in the mood and seriously thinking about doing repairs in the apartment with your own hands, then you should adhere to the following steps:

	Global preparation.
	Replacement of double-glazed windows.
	Plastering works.
	Wiring electrical communications, plumbing work.
	Floor preparation.
	Finishing.

Indeed, you can make an apartment renovation with your own hands, without resorting to the help of professionals, if you follow a clear scheme and carefully study each of the stages, which we will discuss in more detail below.

List of tools needed for do-it-yourself apartment renovation

1. Ladder. It may seem to someone that it is not the most necessary tool on the list, but it is not.
2. Special marking tools:

• tape measure 10 or 2-3 meters;
• square;
• metal ruler for one meter;
• carpenter's hydraulic level - use for more accurate marking of horizontal surfaces;
• cord - beacons are installed along a stretched cord for alignment;
• plumb - ensures the evenness of the walls during plastering - the surface is hung.

1. Hand tools (you can buy them in whole sets or separately):

• a hammer;
• ax - pay special attention to the sharpening of the blade (for the left or right hand) and the ax itself, which should sit as tightly as possible on the butt;
• hacksaw - blade thickness from 1 mm with a well-polished plane;
• chisel - up to 10 mm (needed in woodworking);
• log cabin;
• chisel 20 mm wide (used for woodworking);
• metal scissors;
• cutters.

1. Power tools:

• an electric drill with a hammer drill (necessary both during repair and after its completion);
• angle grinder, can be used when grinding surfaces and corners, as well as when cutting stone and metal;
• screw cutter (for this you can use a drill at low speeds);
• electric jigsaw.

1. Tools for other jobs:

• paint bath (capacity for paint, glue, primer, etc.);
• scrapers, spatulas (for applying plaster, putty, putty and removing old wallpaper and paint);
• rollers (large furry, small foam rubber) and a “rod” for them;
• brushes (round and flat);
• skin (of different grain sizes) - designed to smooth surfaces;
• a syringe gun (for squeezing out various adhesive mixtures) plus a gun cleaner;
• masking tape (used for neat painting).

This is the minimum list of necessary tools for those who plan to renovate an apartment on their own.

Preparation for apartment renovation: video, photo

Each repair, whether major or cosmetic, begins with a global preparation. First of all, you will need to perform all dismantling work: removing plaster, whitewashing, wallpaper, door blocks, flooring and, if necessary, you will need to dismantle the partitions, as well as rearrange them.

Situations often arise when, upon completion of repairs and finishing, you will find that you forgot to dismantle something. In this case, you have to redo a considerable part of the work, and do it carefully, slowly, in order to minimize new damage.

For this reason, having completed the dismantling of everything old, unnecessary and not subject to replacement, carefully inspect and analyze the results of your work. Think about whether you did everything right.

Replacement of double-glazed windows in the apartment

This is quite a dirty job, especially its first part, when you have to dismantle the old window blocks. Upon completion of the installation of the window and window sill, cover them with plastic wrap so as not to smear or scratch during further work.

Plaster work in the apartment: video, photo

When performing plastering work, it is necessary to follow the following sequence of actions: marking for beacon profiles, priming walls, installation of beacon profile, plastering walls, slopes. Moreover, plasterboard walls are not subject to plastering. Ceiling plastering, installation and installation of suspended and tension structures should be done after you complete the wiring on the ceiling of electrical cables, ventilation and other communications.

Electrical wiring and plumbing work

All activities at this stage come down to one - responsible action: installation or replacement of heating radiators, laying and wiring of electrical cables, low-current profiles (grounding cables, telephone, Internet, alarm, TV).

Before you start laying cables, mark the output of switches and sockets on the walls. Then proceed to grooving grooves and holes for cables, junction boxes, socket boxes, take care of installing the built-in electrical unit.

Be sure to draw a diagram of the electrical wiring: you will need it in order to prevent in the future from getting into the places where the wire is laid, where you will drill a hole, and also hammer in nails. It is important in the toilet, kitchen, bathroom, before laying the electrical wiring, to lay out the pipes, as well as all the work that is associated with them.

Preparing the floor in the apartment: photo, video

Underfloor heating, screed and leveling. Once the screed is laid, leveled, you need to wait until it is completely dry. Different materials offer different drying times, which means you should carefully read the description on the packaging or instructions.

Finishing work

Once the floor is prepared, you can install the doors and then proceed with the finishing. Moreover, the sequence of all finishing works directly depends on the materials used and the choice of technologies. So, painting and whitewashing the ceiling is done first, and the suspended ceiling is best mounted when the walls are finished. Laying the flooring, whether it be tiles, linoleum or parquet, is done when both the ceiling and the walls are ready.

Attention! If possible, it is better to repair the entire apartment at once. Similar stages of work are, first of all, relevant for “dirty” ones, which include the removal of old whitewash, the installation of windows, not to mention the dismantling and rearrangement of partitions, if it makes sense to perform in different rooms at the same time in order to prevent this when in the same room a carpet has been laid, and in the neighboring one you have just begun to remove the old whitewash from the ceiling.

If you are unable to repair the entire apartment as a whole, you can start it from the farthest room and gradually approach the exit. Repair of the corridor and hallway is carried out last. This is a fairly obvious rule: it is clear that carrying bags of construction waste and buckets of mortar around newly renovated rooms is not the best solution. But be that as it may, in practice this rule is violated very often.

It is also worth moving from the room farthest from the hallway when repairing the entire apartment. First of all, this concerns the last stage of do-it-yourself apartment renovation - finishing.

We have provided instructions for repairing an apartment on our own. Those who prefer watching videos, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the videos presented above, where all the processes are clearly considered.

How can you save money on home renovations?

If you want to make repairs to your home, but do not spend a lot of money, then do not think that you can save only on materials and services of specialists. In fact, there are not so many secrets of budget repairs.

• Start renovations in winter. You will be able to hire experienced workers at a lower cost, since they don't have much work during the off season. Sometimes discounts can reach up to 40%. But at the same time, do not forget that winter climatic conditions are unfavorable for repair and construction work, and most people decide to repair in the summer.

• You can also save on the materials used by replacing expensive imported ones with cheaper domestic counterparts. Imported materials do not always live up to expectations, but are much more expensive than domestically produced materials.

• Most of the costs are for materials. If you replace vinyl wallpaper with paper wallpaper, which today can be no less beautiful, you will save two or three times on wall decoration. Well, instead of a suspended or plasterboard ceiling, you can use paint, which will cost you much less. Of course, in cases where it is necessary to level the ceiling, it is not worth saving and it is better to do it from drywall.

• Sometimes the services of specialists are more expensive than the materials they work with. For this reason, before choosing a construction team, look at a few offers and do not rush to contact the first specialists that come across.

• For a cheap kitchen renovation, use vinyl wallpaper or fiberglass wallpaper. They need to be glued to the very ceiling and finish the kitchen apron area with ceramic tiles. If you want to save even more, replace ceramic tiles with plastic panels imitating tiles, and cover the kitchen work area with self-adhesive film.

• If there is not enough money for expensive bathroom tiles, then the walls in this room can be pasted over with washable vinyl wallpaper or acrylic paint. PVC wall panels for the bathroom also look very nice, the cost of which will pleasantly surprise you.

• When planning an inexpensive do-it-yourself apartment renovation, you can’t afford to buy expensive plumbing. Therefore, if old plumbing fixtures look bad, then you can clean or paint them. However, if the plumbing has cracked, then only their replacement remains. You can also save on the removal of construction waste if you organize it on your own.

What is not worth saving by doing repairs on your own?

In no case do not skimp on the laying of pipes or electrical wiring. Engineering communications must be of high quality and must be installed by specialists. When it comes to finishing, even the most expensive decorative finish will look bad if you lay it out with gaps or ugly.

The only stage of the repair, which will be difficult to handle on your own, is the alteration of the electrical wiring. For those who plan to save money, a way out is also offered here - arrange with an electrician who services your home. Such a master will be interested in the high quality of his work, as he will have to serve your house further. It is not worth saving on the wiring itself, since the safety of your family directly depends on its quality. Well, you can easily install the sockets yourself, saving money.

If you do not have repair tools, you will have to buy or rent them. However, a more economical option is to ask friends or neighbors. We recommend that you make a list of all the necessary tools in advance so that you do not remain without improvised means during the repair process.

How to make repairs in the apartment? Step by step workflow. Those who decide to overhaul an apartment need to solve many questions: where to start, when to change doors and windows, glue wallpaper, lay tiles, etc. How to avoid mistakes when carrying out repair work yourself? Choose correctly.

The sequence of repairs in the apartment includes finishing the ceiling, walls, tiles are laid in the bathroom, kitchen, toilet, flooring is laid and cashers are mounted. Only after that the outer parts of the sockets and switches are installed.

Where to start the repair?

1. Dismantling

What is the right way to start repairs in the apartment? It will be correct to remove all elements of the old repair, remove wallpaper, facing tiles, elements of decorative plaster, remove unnecessary plasterboard structures. It is necessary to dismantle the flooring last, and if it does not change, then you should cover the floor with a thick oilcloth, and put cardboard on top.

2. Wiring communications

At this stage, the engineering systems are being replaced. Starting from:

• sewerage;
• cold and hot water supply;
• heating and ventilation systems;
• welding works;
• displacement of heating risers;
• replacement of electrical wiring.

And ending with the installation of new plumbing equipment.

The features of the repair at this stage are that sockets need 20-80 cm from the floor, switches - 1-1.5 meters (individual measurements are also possible, depending on the wishes of the residents), in the bathroom only with double insulation and protection. Wires are laid strictly vertically or horizontally in order to understand their location in the future. It is advisable to place in special corrugations.

It is not necessary to lay a television cable with a telephone cable in the same pipe, there may be interference and other errors in sound reproduction. Only an experienced TV technician can guarantee correct cable installation.

When installing plumbing, it is important that all joints and connections are firmly fixed, it is better to check a hundred times than to eliminate the consequences of the flood later.

3. Carrying out draft and installation work

The complex of draft works includes:

• alignment of walls and ceilings;
• installation of windows and doors;
• floor screed.

First, the base for the flooring is leveled. After the final drying of the screed, you can take care of mounting the structure for installation, and then it is installed. The most commonly used cement-sand screed or self-leveling floors. The strap is very strong and durable. Calculate the amount of material for the screed will help.

Remember that the floor after pouring must be completely dry for subsequent work.

4. White, paint and draw

With The most time-consuming and lengthy are plastering and painting works, which are immediately carried out in all rooms. The duration of this stage of apartment renovation in a new building is explained by the peculiarities of the technological process. The putty should dry well, and this is a day or two for each room. The application of decorative materials requires.

Perform subsequent stages such as priming, puttying, painting, wallpapering, only after the base has dried.

5. Arrangement of the kitchen and bathroom

This stage includes welding, chasing, installation of brackets, installation of taps and wiring for the heated towel rail. Crimping heating system. When installing electrical wiring, grounding is performed. We do checks and fittings.

6. Laying tiles in the bathroom

It is better to start repairing the bath after dirty work in the apartment. At this stage, the tiles are installed on a leveled, plastered, primed surface, and the surface is waterproofed. This improves adhesion and saves tile adhesive. Upon completion, the installation of a false ceiling is carried out.

During construction work, use old plumbing.

7. Laying the floor

Installation of the flooring is carried out after the previous stage is fully completed. After this stage, you can safely or perform various. Next, the door is installed on the prepared hinges, skirting boards are placed, sockets and additional accessories are put on.

Be sure to monitor the humidity and ventilation in the apartment, in order to avoid cracks in the plasterboard ceiling.

You can arrange furniture and celebrate the completion of repairs, a pleasant housewarming!

Features of room-by-room repair. What should you pay attention to?

From which room to start repairs in the apartment? It is important to allocate a certain order for each room. If you follow the logic, then the principle is as follows - first a bathroom, a toilet, a kitchen, and then a bedroom and a living room. The corridor is left in the end, because this space usually serves as a warehouse for building materials.

A significant disadvantage of such a repair is that dirt and dust will enter the already finished premises, and therefore you will have to wash and tidy up new elements of the room decor all the time.

Attention: when arranging residential premises, it is important not to forget about. This is important for both the bedroom, the nursery, and the living room, where noisy gatherings will take place.

You should not save on parquet, windows, doors and finishing materials, because the quality of the work performed will depend on this.

How to make cosmetic repairs in the apartment, depending on its area?

A few principles of proper repair:

• work should be carried out from top to bottom, from ceiling to floor;
• sequence from dirty to clean;
• redecoration in a two-room apartment is done from the far room, moving towards the front door, the finish is a balcony or loggia;
• in a one-room apartment, it is better to start repairs from the kitchen, because it is here that the bulk of the repair work will need to be done.

If you bought an apartment and don’t know where to start repairing, then the first step should be to rid the premises of everything unnecessary, including furniture, wallpaper, and facing materials. All those with defects, cracks, potholes must be brought into proper form and only after that proceed with the decoration of the room.

Now it has become fashionable to paint walls, which allows you to update all rooms in a short time, the mixture is applied easily and simply, and if you add a drawing or graphic image, then you will get a real masterpiece, from which you will not take your eyes off. You can calculate the required amount of materials for free by ours.

DIY room design

When all the repair work is completed, it's time to think about home improvement, pick up furniture, designer decorations and various fixtures. In a small room, it will be correct to use built-in furniture, folding beds if possible, in order to free up more space.

Visually enlarge the room mirrors that can be placed on the walls, ceiling, make interesting combinations with light. The more massive the decorative fixtures, the apartment will look larger and more spacious.

But in a large apartment, you can experiment, combine styles, choose different colors for painting and decorating the room, design various lighting solutions. Shelves for books, shelves for dishes, stools can be made independently using improvised colors.

Artistic painting on the wall, or suspended ceilings with photos or other interesting ornaments will look unusual. Your apartment is the embodiment of the inner world, individuality, creativity and riot of fantasy. Let each room be for you not only a household item, but a reminder of the wonderful moments of every day, to give coziness, comfort and bliss.

Hurry up to make repairs with your own hands and please your family and friends. Yes, this is a complicated matter, but if everything is done gradually, guided by the advice of professionals, then all the trouble will be within your reach. Dare, everything is in your hands!