A schedule of works is a numbered list of every task on a renovation project, showing what happens, when it happens, who is responsible, and roughly how long it takes. Done properly, it is worth more than almost any other document you will produce — it stops trades clashing, prevents expensive re-sequencing, and gives you a defensible basis for agreeing payment stages with contractors.
For a standard three-bedroom terraced house undergoing a full renovation, expect 16–28 weeks on site depending on the extent of structural work, the number of trades involved, and whether you are living in the property while works proceed.
What a Schedule of Works Actually Is
A schedule of works (sometimes called a works programme or build programme) is not the same as a specification. A specification describes how things should be built; a schedule of works describes when they will be built and by whom.
In practice, the document usually takes one of three forms:
- Simple list — a numbered sequence of tasks, one per line, with a duration in working days. Suitable for smaller projects (one or two trades, under eight weeks).
- Gantt chart — tasks plotted as horizontal bars against a calendar. Shows overlapping tasks clearly. Most useful for multi-trade projects running longer than six weeks.
- Spreadsheet programme — combines the list with duration, responsible contractor, and a cost column. The most versatile for homeowner self-management.
For projects involving three or more trades, a Gantt format is strongly recommended. Free tools such as Microsoft Project Viewer, GanttProject, or even a shared Google Sheet will suffice for most domestic renovations.
Building Your Schedule Step by Step
Step 1 — List Every Task
Start with a blank list and write down every distinct task you can identify, without worrying about order yet. Think in trade packages: demolition, structural steelwork, groundworks/drainage, brickwork/blockwork, carpentry first fix, mechanical and electrical first fix, plastering, flooring, carpentry second fix, tiling, decoration, and external works.
Do not combine “electrics” into a single line — it appears twice (first fix and second fix) and those two phases sit either side of plastering, which is itself a single continuous block.
Step 2 — Assign Realistic Durations
Use the table below as a starting point. These are working-day estimates for a typical two- to three-storey, three-bedroom terrace or semi-detached house undertaking a full renovation:
| Stage | Typical Duration (working days) | Indicative Trade Day Rate (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strip-out / soft demolition | 3–7 | £250–£350/day (labourer) | Longer if asbestos survey required (add £400–£800 for survey) |
| Structural work (steel beams, new openings) | 3–10 | £350–£550/day (structural carpenter/bricklayer) + £300–£600 engineer fee | Includes propping; engineer visits |
| Groundworks (drains, new slab) | 5–15 | £350–£500/day (groundworker) | Highly variable; weather-dependent |
| Roof repairs / re-roofing | 5–20 | £250–£400/day (roofer) | Full re-roof at upper end; scaffold hire ~£1,000–£2,000 |
| External brickwork / blockwork | 5–20 | £300–£450/day (bricklayer) | Extension footprint |
| Windows & external doors (supply lead time) | 4–10 weeks lead | Supply cost varies; fit 2–5 days at £250–£350/day | Order early; fit in 2–5 days |
| First-fix carpentry | 3–8 | £250–£350/day (carpenter) | Stud walls, floor joists, roof structure |
| First-fix plumbing | 3–7 | £300–£450/day (plumber) | Pipework, waste runs, cylinder |
| First-fix electrics | 3–7 | £300–£450/day (electrician) | Cable runs, consumer unit |
| Insulation | 1–3 | £250–£350/day (general builder) | Cavity, loft, floor |
| Plastering (board & skim) | 5–15 | £300–£450/day (plasterer) | Plus 4–6 weeks drying before decorating |
| Second-fix carpentry | 3–8 | £250–£350/day (carpenter) | Skirting, doors, stairs |
| Second-fix plumbing | 2–5 | £300–£450/day (plumber) | Sanitary ware, radiators |
| Second-fix electrics | 2–5 | £300–£450/day (electrician) | Sockets, lighting, consumer unit sign-off |
| Tiling | 2–10 | £250–£400/day (tiler) | Bathroom and kitchen; heavily spec-dependent |
| Kitchen installation | 2–5 | £250–£350/day (kitchen fitter) | Excluding worktop templating lead time |
| Decoration | 5–15 | £200–£300/day (decorator) | Depends on number of rooms and spec |
| Flooring | 2–8 | £200–£350/day (flooring fitter) | Timber needs acclimatisation period |
| External & landscaping | 3–20 | £250–£400/day (landscaper) | Often deferred to end |
Step 3 — Sequence the Tasks
This is the step most homeowners get wrong. The golden rule is: weathertight before internal; structural before services; services before plasterboard; plasterboard before plaster; dry before finishing.
A reliable sequence for a whole-house renovation is:
- Strip-out and demolition
- Structural alterations (steels, new walls)
- Drainage and groundworks
- Roof repairs and weatherproofing
- External envelope (windows, external doors, render if applicable)
- First-fix carpentry
- First-fix plumbing and heating
- First-fix electrics
- Insulation
- Plasterboarding
- Plastering and screeds
- Drying-out period — minimum 4 weeks, ideally 6
- Second-fix carpentry (skirting, doors, architrave)
- Second-fix plumbing (sanitary ware, radiators)
- Second-fix electrics (sockets, switches, fittings)
- Tiling
- Kitchen and joinery installation
- Decoration
- Flooring (hard and soft)
- External works, landscaping, fencing
Step 4 — Identify the Critical Path
The critical path is the sequence of tasks where any delay pushes the overall completion date. On most domestic renovations, the critical path runs through:
- Structural work → first-fix services → plastering → drying → second fix → decoration → flooring
The drying period after plastering is frequently the most underestimated element. Fresh sand-and-cement plaster on a full house renovation releases enormous quantities of moisture. Rushing this stage leads to paint failure, adhesion problems with tiles, and swelling of timber floors. Allow a minimum of one week per millimetre of plaster thickness for initial set, and target below 75% relative humidity before hanging plasterboard and below 65% before applying paint finishes.
Step 5 — Build in Float
Float is scheduled time that is not allocated to any specific task. On a project running 20 or more weeks, allow at least two weeks of float within the programme (not just at the end). This absorbs the delays that will inevitably arise: a structural engineer needing a second visit, a delayed material delivery, a plasterer finishing four days late.
Projects without float tend to cascade — the kitchen fitter cannot start until the plasterer finishes, the decorator cannot start until the kitchen is in, and so on.
Realistic Overall Timescales by Project Type
| Project Type | Typical Programme |
|---|---|
| Single room renovation (e.g. bathroom) | 2–4 weeks |
| Kitchen renovation (existing footprint) | 3–6 weeks |
| Full house refurbishment, 2-bed flat | 12–18 weeks |
| Full house refurbishment, 3-bed terrace | 16–24 weeks |
| Full house refurbishment, 4-bed semi | 18–28 weeks |
| Extension + refurbishment combined | 24–40 weeks |
These figures assume one main contractor with access to subcontractors. Self-managing individual trades typically adds 20–30% to the programme because of scheduling gaps between trades.
Common Causes of Programme Overrun
Late structural information — if your structural engineer’s drawings arrive after the builder has mobilised, the steel fabrication lead time (typically 3–5 weeks for bespoke sections) will push everything back.
Windows ordered too late — bespoke or timber windows carry 6–12 week lead times. Order immediately after planning approval, not once the builder starts.
Damp and rot discovery — older properties almost always reveal hidden timber decay or damp once strip-out begins. Allow a two-week contingency in the programme for investigation and remediation.
Wet trades and weather — external brickwork in winter proceeds at roughly 60–70% of the summer rate due to frost restrictions on mortar. If your project spans October–March, extend groundworks and brickwork durations accordingly.
Decision delays — the most common cause of overrun is the client being unable to select tiles, fittings, or finishes in time. Decisions required before a trade starts must be made before that trade is due on site, not after. Build a decision log alongside your programme and work backwards from each trade’s start date to set a decision deadline.
Schedule of Works Template Structure
A practical homeowner template for a spreadsheet programme contains these columns:
| # | Task description | Duration (working days) | Start date | End date | Trade / contractor | Dependencies | Cost estimate | Notes |
|---|
The Dependencies column is the key one — it records which task must finish before this one can start (e.g. “plastering cannot start until first-fix electrics complete”). Filling this in forces you to think through the sequence properly before work begins.
If you are using a main contractor rather than managing trades yourself, share the programme with them and ask them to return a revised version showing their own phasing. Discrepancies between your programme and theirs are worth discussing before work starts, not arguing about once it is delayed.
Coordinating the Programme with Payment Stages
Most domestic renovation contracts tie payment to programme milestones rather than calendar dates. Typical payment stages aligned to a schedule of works are:
- Deposit on signing — typically 5–10% of contract value (e.g. £2,500–£5,000 on a £50,000 contract)
- After structural work and first-fix services complete — c.25% (e.g. ~£12,500)
- After plastering and screeds complete — c.50% (e.g. ~£25,000)
- After second fix and decoration complete — c.75% (e.g. ~£37,500)
- On practical completion, after snagging — c.90% (e.g. ~£45,000)
- Retention release after defects period, usually 3–6 months — final 5–10% (e.g. £2,500–£5,000)
On a full three-bedroom terrace renovation costing £80,000–£120,000, labour typically accounts for 40–50% of the total, with materials at 35–45% and professional fees (structural engineer, Building Control, party wall if applicable) making up the remaining 5–10%.
Never tie a payment stage to a date alone — always tie it to a milestone. Paying for work not yet complete removes your leverage if quality problems or delays arise.
