Thinking about renovating your home… the RIGHT way?
Few things scare homeowners more than jumping into a home renovation services project. After all, that’s what projects get delayed and go over budget.
Each room of your home requires specialized skills, trades and tasks. Depending on your renovation plan, anywhere from a handful to hundreds of people may need to come through your house.
The bright side?
If you know what each room requires, you can plan it out.
Here’s the Ultimate Home Reno Checklist for services in every room:
What you’ll uncover:
- Why Home Renovation Services Are More Popular Than Ever
- Kitchen Reno Checklist
- Bathroom Reno Checklist
- Living Room & Bedroom Checklist
- Structural & Exterior Checklist
- Inside Systems Checklist
Why Home Renovation Services Are More Popular Than Ever
Home renovation services have never been busier.
US homeowners spent roughly $603 billion on remodeling services in 2024. Spend is only expected to increase as housing prices encourage homeowners to renovate instead of moving.
This is exactly why hiring the right help is important.
Areté Renovators provide comprehensive home renovation services for every room. It’s the perfect starting point for homeowners that want the job done right.
However.
Houzz found that 90% of homeowners working on a renovation project hired a professional in 2024. This tells me two things. First, DIY will work for the smallest of jobs. Second, once you start renovating an entire room, expect to pay for help.
Kitchen Reno Checklist
Kitchens take the crown for the room renovated most often in homes. It makes sense — kitchens are heavily used and set the tone for the rest of the property.
If you’re renovating a kitchen from top to bottom, here are the services you need to know about:
- Layout & planning — Are you happy with the existing footprint? Do you need to move walls?
- Cabinets — Will you go custom? Fully assembled or donate doors and reface?
- Countertops — Choose materials and finish
- Plumbing — Where does the sink go? Do you need a garbage disposal? Connected to dishwasher?
- Electrical work — Power outlets, switching, under cabinet lights, hood wiring
- Appliances — Built in oven/cooktop? Where does the fridge go?
- Flooring — Tile? Wood? Vinyl?
- Splashback — Tiles, glass, paint?
Quick Pro Tip…
Kitchen ventilation is one area homeowners often forget. Don’t skimp on your rangehood or ducting.
Why are kitchens so expensive? Because skilled trades overlap. You’ll usually have your plumber, electrician, and cabinet maker there all at once. Manage this well, or your schedule will suffer.
Bathroom Reno Checklist
Second only to kitchens, bathrooms are extremely costly to renovate.
Bathroom renovations can also offer a huge return on investment. Renovate correctly and the majority of your spend can come back when it’s time to sell.
Home renovation services for bathrooms include:
- Waterproofing
- Tiling
- Vanity & storage
- Shower/bath
- Toilet
- Tapware & fixtures
- Exhaust fan
- Lighting
One thing people often miss with bathroom renovations:
There’s no room for error when it comes to waterproofing. Double check your contractor is licensed, and waterproofing is installed before tiling starts. Done incorrectly and you’ll spend double on repairs down the track.
Living Room & Bedroom Reno Checklist
Typically bedroom and living room renovations get brushed over. However, they make up most of the living space in your home. Paying attention to the details will improve your day-to-day comfort.
Home renovation services specific to living rooms include:
- Flooring
- Feature Walls
- Lighting
- Built-in cabinets
- Ceilings
While bedrooms will focus on:
- Wardrobes
- Flooring
- Lighting
- Windows
These rooms are pretty straightforward. However, the biggest fail I see with living room and bedroom renovations is not planning out the sequence of trades.
Paint goes on before skirting boards. Appliances come in before cabinets get installed. Flooring is always the last thing to happen. Make sure your contractors know the schedule.
Structural & Exterior Reno Checklist
Full property renovations aren’t just cosmetics. I hate when homeowners focus too much attention on bedrooms, kitchens, and baths without looking under the hood.
Checklist for exterior home renovation services:
- Roofing
- Fascia/Gutters/downpipes
- Cladding
- Driveways & paving
- Fencing
- Decks/pools/spas
Systems specific to your home:
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- HVAC
- Security
Home renovation services get significantly cheaper when you include structural and external work. Yet most people skip it. Don’t be this person.
Interior Systems Reno Checklist
Unless you’re upgrading electrical, plumbing, or HVAC, most homeowners don’t think about inside systems.
Another huge mistake.
These are the things that make a home comfortable to live in. If you’re renovating, now’s the time to pull wires and replace piping. Trust me.
Specialized services include:
Electrical
- Switchboard upgrades
- Power points
- Light fittings
- Light circuits
- Safety switches
Plumbing
- Hot water service
- Pipe routing
- Drains, waterproofing
- Fixtures/toilets/sinks
HVAC
- Ceiling insulation
- Split system air conditioners
- Ducted heating/cooling
Security
- Alarm system
- CCTV
- Smart locks
If money is tight, focus on the systems inside your home before cosmetic finishes.
Timing Is Everything
There’s method to the madness when it comes to renovation.
First things first, owners should focus on structure, then home systems, then interiors and finishes. Renovating your house in the wrong order is a great way to spend more money.
Here’s an example of a correct sequence:
- Demo & structure
- Rough in plumbing/electrics
- Insulation and wall proofing
- Plaster/ceilings
- Tiling/Flooring
- Cabinets & joinery
- Fix up plumbing and electric
- Paint
- Fixtures and finishes
Follow this schedule (with some room for flexibility) and your renovation will be a breeze. Change the order and you’ll be frustrated by delays.
That’s the Full Rundown
And that’s home renovation services covered. You now know what happens in every room of your house during a renovation.
Kitchens, bathrooms, structure, exterior work, and inside systems.
If you had to remember just three things from this guide:
- Plan out what each room requires before hiring trades
- Structural and services upgrades should be done first
- Sequencing your renovation will save you time and money
- Don’t go cheap on professionals. Kitchen & bathroom waterproofing requires licenses.
- Use this checklist as a starting point to renovation your home.
There’s no substitute for experience when renovating a home. Prepare as best you can, and learn from those that did it before you. Good luck!