Renovating a resale flat: what to check and where to start

How a resale flat differs from a new build

In a new build you take over new utilities and bare walls from the developer. In a resale flat someone has already done everything before you: the pipes may be old, the wiring aluminum, the walls hidden under loose plaster, and the layout may not match the documents. That's why in the app route for resale flats the first stage is not “Apartment handover” but “Apartment inspection”, and after demolition there is a stage of its own - “Riser and service line replacement”.

After that the order is the same as in a new build: partitions, plumbing, electrical, rough finishing, screed, waterproofing, tiling, walls, floors, final installation. The whole route stage by stage is in Renovation stages in order.

What to check before renovating: the inspection item by item

The “Apartment inspection” stage in the app has 12 items. It's worth going through them before you agree a price with the crew: the scope of work depends on the results.

Documents

Check the apartment documents. Compare the title extract (EGRN) and the BTI technical passport with what you see on site. If previous owners moved a wall or a bathroom without approval, it becomes your problem when you sell. What you can change and what needs approval is in Alterations: what you can do without approval.

Utilities

• Water and sewer risers. Find out what they are made of - steel, cast iron or plastic - and look for corrosion and signs of leaks. Photograph the risers: their condition decides whether to replace them before finishing.
• Wiring. Find out whether it's aluminum or copper, whether there is grounding, and what state the panel is in. Aluminum wiring in old buildings is replaced entirely, not in sections.
• Allocated power. Ask building management how much power is allocated to the apartment and the size of the service cable. An oven, cooktop and air conditioners together may exceed the old limit.
• Ventilation. Hold a sheet of paper to the grilles in the kitchen and bathroom. Weak draft is fixed before renovating: cleaning a duct soils fresh finishes.
• Heating. Inspect the radiators and their pipes: leaks, corrosion, whether there are shut-off valves. Radiator replacement is agreed with building management and planned outside the heating season.

Structure and finishes

• Windows and balcony. Frames, reveals, drip caps, the balcony slab: cracks, drafts, signs of leaks. Photograph cracks in the balcony slab separately - that's building management's responsibility.
• Walls and floor slabs. Tap the plaster, look for cracks, delamination and damp, measure how far the walls are out of plumb. Large deviations mean more plaster - allow for it in the estimate.
• Floors. Measure level differences in every room and assess the old screed and flooring. The route hint says a difference of more than 3 cm usually means a new screed.

Neighbors and building management

• The downstairs neighbors' ceiling. Arrange it with the neighbors and photograph their ceiling and walls before work starts. Dated photos are the best defense against “you flooded us” claims.
• Notify building management. Report the start of the renovation and check the rules for waste removal, elevator use and noisy work hours. Quiet hours are set by regional law - check which apply to you.

Inspection result

List the must-do replacements: what has to be replaced - risers, wiring, windows, radiators. This list is the basis of the estimate; the rest can be planned to the budget. How to lay out work and costs is in How to draw up a renovation estimate.

Demolition in a resale flat

Demolition is in the route if the survey says it's needed. In a resale flat it has its own points:

• old plaster is tapped: loose plaster is stripped completely, not patched;
• old wiring is removed together with back boxes and fittings, especially aluminum wiring; the power is cut first;
• a radiator is removed only if its connection has valves and a bypass. Without them a removed radiator leaves the whole riser without heating, and the shutoff has to be agreed with building management;
• partitions are taken down only if they are not load-bearing. Load-bearing walls and floor slabs are a matter for a structural designer and approval, not for the crew.

Riser and service line replacement: the order

This stage doesn't exist in a new build. It's done before the plumbing and electrical work, while the walls are open.

1. Arrange the riser shutoff. Submit a request to building management to shut off and drain the risers on an agreed day: without a request the plumber can't shut off the riser.
2. Warn the neighbors on your riser above and below and arrange access. Risers are best replaced on several floors at once - offer the neighbors a joint replacement.
3. Gas. If the flat has gas, the stove or gas water heater is moved and connected only by the gas service under contract. The extractor isn't cut into the vent shaft instead of the grille; a gas water heater has its own flue.
4. Water risers - replaced, with shut-off valves on the branches into the apartment; photograph the joints before the boxing is closed.
5. Sewer riser - the cast iron one is replaced with plastic with a cleanout, and the branch slopes are checked. A plastic riser can be heard, so the boxing is worth soundproofing.
6. Radiator connections - with bypasses and valves, agreed with building management. The radiators themselves are hung after the walls are finished.
7. Electrical panel - a new one with breakers and RCDs, within the allocated power. The connection to the floor panel is made by building management's electrician.
8. Grounding - a conductor to the panel and a check of its connection to the building system. Grounding to water or heating pipes is prohibited.
9. Tests - pipes are pressure-tested, wiring is checked by measuring insulation resistance. Ask for the test reports: they will help in a warranty dispute.
10. Sign off the stage - water and heating are on for you and the neighbors, there are no leaks, the breakers in the panel are labeled. Photos and certificates go into the property documents.

Checklist: where to start renovating a resale flat

• Documents are checked against the actual layout.
• Risers, wiring, panel, windows and radiators are inspected and photographed.
• The allocated power is known.
• The draft in the vents is checked.
• The downstairs neighbors' ceiling is photographed with a date.
• Building management knows about the renovation; the rules for noisy work and waste removal are clear.
• The list of must-do replacements is made and included in the estimate.
• The riser shutoff is agreed before plumbing starts.

How to run it in the Doma app

When you create the property, choose “Apartment”, then “Resale”: the route will start with the inspection, and after demolition the riser replacement stage will appear. Check items off as you inspect and attach photos - they will end up in the “Documents” tab → “Photo records”. How the property type and survey work is in Property and survey.

The resale stages are still a draft: a builder is reviewing them, and items may change. If an item doesn't fit your apartment, it can be removed from the route.