Edinburgh Tenement Renovations: An 8 to 12 Week Build Timeline

Most homeowners ask the same first question on a tenement renovation: how long does it actually take. The honest answer for a typical Edinburgh tenement flat refurbishment, including kitchen and bathroom, is 8 to 12 weeks from site set-up to handover. Larger structural projects with layout changes run 14 to 18 weeks. This post sets out what happens each week and why.

The variation between 8 weeks and 12 weeks is mostly about three things: how much wall comes out, whether the bathroom needs the soil stack moved, and what condition the lath-and-plaster ceilings are in. None of these are unknowable; they get assessed during the survey before the quote is fixed.

Week 1 to 2: Site set-up, strip-out, and the discoveries

Site set-up takes one day if the close is straightforward and a permit is in place. Hardboard and Correx go on the common stair to protect it. The skip goes on Edinburgh Council street permit if there is no off-street option. Strip-out follows: kitchen, bathroom, any non-original built-in joinery, carpets, and the layers of paint, paper, and old skim that accumulate on tenement walls over a century.

The “discoveries” are the things every Edinburgh tenement reveals once the strip-out is done. Suspended timber floors that have rotted at the front wall where rising damp has worked its way up over decades. Lath-and-plaster ceilings with cracks that are decorative, then ones that are structural. Original plaster cornicing that the previous owner painted over twelve times, half of which now has to be carefully softened off. Cast-iron waste pipes that look fine on the outside and crumble when you tap them. A rewire that was last touched in 1978 and uses two-core cable without earth.

These are not “extras” or “variations” on a properly-scoped Edinburgh tenement quote. They are anticipated and priced into the fixed quote before tools are lifted. The 10% contingency clause in the contract covers the genuine surprises (a beam concealed behind plaster that turns out to be rotten, an original feature found behind a partition that must be retained per heritage advice). The contingency is 10% because the surveyor priced what is typical; it is not 25% because we have done this many times.

Week 3 to 4: First fix, services, structural, fabric

Once the strip-out is complete, the first-fix trades start in parallel. The plumber lays new copper pipe in the concealed runs (15mm hot and cold, 22mm where the pipe sizing benefits from it). The electrician chases the new circuits, runs twin-and-earth with dedicated RCBOs at the consumer unit, and threads the data cables for any planned smart-home work. Any structural changes (load-bearing wall removal, lintel insertion, chimney breast take-out) happen here, with structural engineer drawings and building warrant sign-off in place.

Fabric work happens alongside the trades. Lath-and-plaster ceiling repair is patched with traditional lath and three-coat lime plaster where the original detailing is being preserved. Damp-proofing in the wet areas uses three-coat tanking to BS 8000. Floor sheeting is replaced where needed; a 22mm plywood overlay goes down to give the new floor finish a flat substrate.

This is the messiest stage of the build. Dust extraction is on, the close is being used twenty times a day, neighbours will hear the chasing on the lath-and-plaster walls. We notify all neighbour flats in advance, schedule the noisy work for 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday only, and provide a written contact line for any neighbour concerns during the build.

Week 5 to 6: Second fix begins

Second fix is the visible work. Plasterboard goes over the first-fix services. The skim coat goes on. Bath, shower, toilet, basin land in their final positions. Kitchen carcasses are built in. The flooring goes down: engineered timber or LVT in the main living spaces, large-format tile in the wet areas.

This is the stage where the design choices start showing. Paint colours, tile patterns, handle profiles, light fittings. The client has typically chosen these by week 1 and they have been ordered with realistic lead times factored in. Lead-time risk is the biggest single variable here: a kitchen door range with an 8-week lead time will hold the build by 2 weeks if it was not ordered before site set-up.

Week 7 to 8: Finishes, snagging, handover

Worktops are templated once the kitchen carcasses are in (Day 35 to 38 typically). Stone or quartz worktops go in 2 weeks later. Tiling is grouted and sealed. Architrave and skirting go on. Electrical second fix wires in the sockets, switches, and light fittings. Painting in two coats of breathable paint on the lime plaster (mineral paint, not vinyl). The kitchen plumber comes back to connect the appliances.

Snagging is the last 5 days. The client walks through with the project lead and a clipboard. Every imperfection is logged. Trade-back visits are scheduled. The list shortens by half on day one, half again on day two, until it is empty.

Handover happens when the snag list is closed. We hand over: a final photo record, the electrical certificate (NICEIC), the building warrant completion certificate where applicable, the plumbing certificate, all appliance manuals, all paint and finish codes for future touch-ups, and a 12-month workmanship warranty in writing.

Week 9 to 12: Where the longer builds spend the extra time

The 9-to-12-week range usually adds time at three points:

• Structural changes that need warrant sign-off mid-build. Building Standards may need a site inspection at first-floor RSJ level before plasterboard goes back up. This adds 1 to 2 weeks depending on inspection scheduling.
• Heritage joinery that needs workshop time. Original sash window refurbishment, lath-and-plaster cornice replication, or hand-cut architraves all take 2 to 4 extra weeks in the workshop. The build runs in parallel where possible.
• Listed Building Consent conditions. If the flat is listed and the consent attaches conditions (e.g. “conservation officer to inspect cornice repair before plasterboard”), those add a week or two of waiting on inspections.

What the 8-to-12-week range does not include

A few things that homeowners often assume sit inside the build window but actually sit before or after:

• Listed Building Consent and planning permission. 8 to 12 weeks for Category B LBC, 12 to 16 weeks for Category A or HES-consulted. This is before site set-up, not during.
• Building warrant application. 4 to 8 weeks before site set-up for any structural or building-warrant-triggering work.
• Long-lead kitchens and bathroom suites. Bespoke or high-end ranges with 8 to 14 week lead times need to be ordered before site set-up to land in time for week 5 to 6.
• Decorating the rest of the flat. If the renovation is of one room or one floor only, the other rooms are unaffected. If a “while we are at it” expansion happens mid-build, the timeline expands.

Thinking about next steps

Most homeowners benefit from a 30 to 45 minute site visit before any quote is drafted. We measure the flat, walk through the scope, and identify the discoveries that drive timeline more than budget. From there we issue a written quote with the realistic build window for your specific project, not the “8 to 12 weeks” averaged across all Edinburgh tenement flats.

For more on tenement-specific work, see our tenement renovations Edinburgh service pillar, our home renovations Edinburgh overview, and our Edinburgh planning permission constraints article.

For bespoke joinery applied specifically to your bedroom storage, our fitted wardrobes Edinburgh service covers design, build, and installation in-house. For a wider home renovation that includes bespoke joinery throughout, see our home renovations Edinburgh service.