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How long does it take to renovate a living room?

A simple lounge refresh can be done in 1-2 weeks, while a major overhaul will take 3-4 weeks. With living rooms, advance planning is key.

Guest Author
Words by: Matilda Battersby

Contributor

The living room is the heart of any home and no one enjoys being without one for too long.

Because they're usually one of the larger rooms in a house or apartment, living rooms can take slightly longer to redecorate.

But it is still possible to revamp one over a couple of weekends.

As with any room, it’s all about good wall and ceiling prep before finessing the look.

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If your lounge hasn't been redecorated for many years, you may find yourself needing to steam off several layers of wallpaper and paint first, which is hard graft and can take up to a week.

Here's what's involved:

Simple lounge refresh 1-2 weeks

JobTimescale
Removing old wallpaper2-7 days
Sanding down skirting boards and door frames1-2 days
Filling and sanding walls and ceiling2-3 days
Painting 2-3 days
Installing new wooden flooring2 days
Installing new carpet0.5 days

Major lounge overhaul - 3-4 weeks

If you're planning major changes to your living room, sit down and think about how you use it, draw out the position of furniture and consider any problems you might want to solve with your current lounge.

Things you might want to think about:

  • New fireplace

  • New radiators

  • New plug points and lighting

  • New flooring

  • New cabinetry or bookshelves

Remember you'll need to order new sofas well in advance, as they can take 8-12 weeks to arrive.

Any carpentry work will need to be planned well in advance too, as cabinets and shelves are often built offsite over several weeks before installation can take place.

The same goes for new shutters, blinds or curtains. Speak to specialists several weeks before the job begins and set up delivery dates for when you'll be ready.

Here's how a major living room renovation timescale might look:

JobTimescale
Removing old wallpaper2-7 days
Sanding down skirting boards and door frames1-2 days
First-fix electrics1-2 days
New radiator plumbing and installation1-2 days
New fireplace installation1-2 days
Plastering1-2 days
Second-fix electrics1-2 days
Shelf installation1-2 days
New floor installation1-2 days
Painting3-4 days

The key to making sure your lounge renovation goes as quickly and smoothly as possible is bringing in the right specialists at the right times.


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