What to choose before starting and what can wait
Before a renovation begins, you need to choose the materials that the first-fix work depends on: the floor build-up and thickness, wall-hung sanitaryware and concealed mixers, kitchen appliance models, the type of internal doors and the positions of light fittings. Paint colours, textiles, freestanding furniture and decorative lighting can wait until the middle of the job.
The principle is simple. If a decision determines where pipes run, the screed level or the opening left in a partition, it must be made before the crew reaches that stage. If it can be made once the walls are painted, there is no need to rush it. Nor do you need to choose everything before the first meeting with the contractor: to start, it is enough to know which decisions will be needed and in what order.
The order of decisions by stage
It is easiest to tie decisions to stages of the work. Before strip-out and first-fix services: the layout, positions of sanitaryware and kitchen, shower and drain type, concealed frames, built-in mixers, appliance models, light and socket points, door type. Before the screed: the floor finish and its thickness in every room, underfloor heating. Before tiling: the tile, its format and layout, niches. Before painting: colours and sheen. Before handover: ironmongery, light fittings, textiles.
Make a four-column table: decision, who is responsible, date needed, status. The date comes from the works programme minus the delivery lead time. A tile that takes six weeks to arrive has to be chosen six weeks before the tiling stage, not the day before.
Floors: the whole build-up, not just the finish
Comparing floors only on the price of the finish is pointless. The decision covers the substrate, levelling, underlay, installation method and the junctions with doors and adjoining floors. Parquet, porcelain and microcement come in different thicknesses, and unless they are coordinated early, a step appears between a room and the bathroom that nobody wanted.
A herringbone parquet like the one in the Urgel flat in the Eixample also needs a layout: the pattern is set out from the room's axis and the waste is higher than with straight laying, which changes the order quantity. With underfloor heating, the finish's compatibility is checked before ordering. A small sample helps judge colour, but it does not replace the technical data or the junction details. Keep the exact product code of the approved material.
Bathroom and kitchen: models, not pictures
In the bathroom, before first fix, you need the specific models of everything built into the wall: frames for a wall-hung WC and basin, concealed mixer bodies, the drain. Their dimensions determine the depth of the boxing-in and the position of the outlets. A shower niche should match the tile format, or its edges will end up with narrow cut strips.
In the kitchen, appliance models are handed over before the units are made: the integrated fridge, oven, dishwasher and hood set the sockets, water points and extract duct. If a model has not been chosen yet, mark it in the table and note which works depend on it. Similar-looking products are not interchangeable: compatibility is confirmed before any substitution is approved.
Doors and joinery: decided earlier than you think
Concealed flush doors and floor-to-ceiling doors are not fitted at the end but at the partition stage: their frames are built into the wall before plastering. The 250 m² child psychology centre in the Eixample has 24 concealed doors. On a job like that, the type of every door has to be settled before the crew starts building partitions. In a flat the logic is the same, just with fewer doors.
Built-in wardrobes and other bespoke pieces are measured finally after plastering, but the decision on where they go and how deep they are is needed earlier: sockets, internal lighting and switches depend on it. Look at the materials that will be seen together as a set: floor, the timber of the fronts, worktop, paint. An inspiration image does not define dimensions, hardware or finishes; the order specification does.
Link every choice to the quote
The level of materials largely defines the level of the renovation. For reference: our Basic tier starts from €1,000/m² excluding VAT, Standard from €2,000/m² and Luxury from €3,000/m², and the difference between them lies mainly in what goes on the floors, on the walls and into the bathroom. The exact specification is set in the quote after the site visit and measurements.
For each material, clarify what is included, supply, delivery, carrying up, installation and associated work, and what is charged separately. "Turnkey" on its own does not mean furniture and appliances are included. For items not yet chosen, ask for a provisional sum in the quote so the total does not move later. And before any substitution, an assessment of its effect on price, programme and decisions already made.
What to prepare for the first meeting
To start, the plans and photos you have, a few references and a list of priorities are enough. Mark what you want to keep and what you have not decided yet: that is normal, and it is exactly what the decision table is for. If you have already chosen something, such as a particular tile or kitchen model, bring the product codes, not just photos.
At BCN YARD we tie together design, the quote and site coordination across Barcelona and its province: the city centre, Castelldefels, the Garraf and the Maresme. Start with the interior design page, then read our article on what a quote should show.