Major renovations and interior design projects consist of two main phases:

1. Structural (Civil) Work – removing walls, rerouting plumbing/electrical, installing supports, obtaining permits.

2. Finish Work – adding flooring, painting, cabinetry, fixtures, styling, and full installation.

These phases differ in cost, duration, complexity, and risk.

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⏳ Timelines

1. Structural/Civil Phase

• Permits and inspections — Delays often happen at the local authority level; common timelines stretch weeks or months depending on region

• Construction work — Minor demo and framing may wrap up in weeks, but major structural changes or home additions often span 2–12 months, and full new builds can extend to 18–30 months

• Buffer time — Industry guidelines recommend adding 20–30% padding to final timelines, accounting for permit backlogs, weather, and supply chain hiccups 

• Design & procurement — Expect 1–3 months for material selection and ordering, contingent on availability and delivery lead times 

• Installation & styling — Once materials arrive, expect 2–6 weeks for flooring, paint, built-ins, and final décor 

• Final adjustments — Punch lists and fine-tuning usually wrap up within 1–2 weeks.

Typical full project duration:

• Simple room refresh: 2–3 months.

• Medium renovation (with some structural changes): 6–9 months.

• Full home overhaul or rebuild: 12 months or more, depending on complexity 

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💰 Budget Breakdown

Structural Costs

• Demolition, new framing, beam supports, plumbing and electrical rewiring, structural engineer fees, permutations & inspections.

• These tasks are labor-heavy and may carry premium contractor/design professional fees ($100–500/hour) 

• Expect to allocate 40–60% of the total budget for structural work, especially if major changes are involved.

Finish Costs

• Materials (hardwood, tile, cabinetry), design fees, installation labor, styling décor.

• While intuitively aesthetic, these components can also run high—e.g., custom cabinetry, imported tile, designer fixtures.

• Typically comprises 40–60% of project costs, depending on scope.

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🔍 Why the Distinction Matters

1. Permits take time – Start structural planning well in advance to avoid downstream delays 

2. Cash flow planning – Structural costs are “lumpy”; align payments with construction milestones.

3. Decision forcing – Structural changes must be finalized early; delaying finish decisions allows design flexibility later.

4. Risk management – Early structural clarity avoids costly rework during finish stages—surface finishes await judgement.

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✅ Best Practices

• Separate budgeting: Assign distinct line items for civil and finish work, with 10–20% contingency built into each.

• Rigorous timeline mapping: Model out dependencies (e.g. structural ➝ inspections ➝ finish procurement ➝ install).

• Regular check-ins: Weekly site meetings help catch issues early before costs snowball 

• Early sourcing: Order long-lead items—like custom cabinets or specialty fixtures—during structural phase to prevent delay bottlenecks.

• Client education: Ensure stakeholders grasp why structural groundwork must precede design touches.

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