Hiring Guides
Renovating? Here's the Order to Hire Your Tradies In
By TradieCorner Team · · 1 min read
A renovation is really a series of smaller jobs, each depending on the one before it. Book trades in the wrong order and you risk paying someone to redo work, or worse, having several trades trying to work in the same space at once.
1. Design and approvals first
Before any trade sets foot on site, settle the design and check whether the work needs council approval. Our guide to council regulations is a starting point, but always confirm directly with your local council for anything structural.
2. Demolition and structural work
Demolition, structural changes and any earthworks generally come first, once approvals are sorted. This is also when a builder or structural specialist typically takes the lead.
- Demolition and site preparation
- Structural carpentry, framing and roofing
- Rough-in plumbing and electrical (inside walls, before they're closed up)
- Insulation, plasterboard and internal linings
- Tiling, flooring, painting and cabinetry
- Fit-off plumbing and electrical — taps, power points, light fittings
- Final clean and finishing touches
3. Rough-in trades before the walls close up
Plumbing and electrical rough-in has to happen while walls are still open. Skipping this step, or scheduling it after plasterboard goes up, is one of the most expensive sequencing mistakes in a renovation.
4. Finishing trades last
Painting, flooring and cabinetry generally come near the end, once the messier structural and rough-in work is finished. Fit-off trades — taps, switches, light fittings — are usually the very last step before a final clean.
This article is general information only and isn't legal, financial or trade advice. Requirements vary by state and territory and by the type of work.
