How Long Apartment Renovation Takes: Realistic Timelines by Stage

Capital renovation of a typical 55–70 m² resale apartment in Moscow with one contractor takes about 14–20 weeks from demolition to handover with furniture and appliances. Cosmetic refresh on a sound substrate takes 3–6 weeks. A designer cycle with a project and custom orders runs from 16 weeks upward. The real schedule appears only after a site survey and staged estimate — not from an ad promising turnkey in 60 days.

Profmaster has renovated apartments in Moscow and the Moscow region since 2006. Below: how timelines break down by stage, what moves them, and how to plan handover without illusions. Compare renovation types in rough, capital, designer, and elite renovation. Budget guides: renovation cost in Moscow and the capital renovation calculator.

What drives duration

Factor	Effect on timeline
Renovation type	Cosmetic is often 3–4× shorter than capital
Apartment condition	Worn MEP in resale adds 2–6 weeks
Supplies	Waiting for tile, doors, kitchen — common pauses
Layout changes	Approval can run in parallel but not over a weekend
Single contractor	One contract is faster than three crews
Stage acceptance	Without certificates, rework eats months

In short: duration is the sum of stages, drying, and deliveries — not one line in the contract.

If you simplify: area sets scale, but renovation type and property condition decide whether you finish in 2 months or 6.

Main risk: signing a contract with one handover date and no staged schedule — then a demolition delay silently eats the buffer before finish work.

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Timelines by renovation type

Compare the contractor promise with realistic guides for Moscow and the region, 50–75 m², one responsible contractor.

Type	Typical duration	What the calendar includes	When schedules slip most
Cosmetic	3–6 weeks	Surface prep, paint/wallpaper, flooring without opening MEP	Moisture or weak screed under old flooring
Rough	6–12 weeks	Demolition, MEP, screed, plaster, waterproofing	No finish crew scheduled; disputes at the handoff
Capital	12–24 weeks	Full turnkey: demolition → MEP → rough → finish → doors/windows	Hidden defects; long deliveries
Designer	16–32 weeks	Project + build + author supervision + complex supplies	Changes after start; custom furniture
Elite	24–48 weeks	Architectural project, bespoke systems, extended supervision	Long supplier chains; complex engineering

Detailed scope comparison: renovation types. If estimates show different timelines for the same area — compare scope, not only the calendar.

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Stages and how long each takes

Below: capital turnkey as the most common resale scenario. Cosmetic cycles shorten or skip full demolition and MEP replacement.

Step 1. Preparation and demolition (1–3 weeks)

What happens: survey, demolition plan, debris removal, opening floors and walls in wet areas if needed.

Work	Guide	What to verify
Finish demolition	3–10 days	Layer stack fixed before pricing
Bathroom/kitchen opening	2–5 days	Pipe and screed condition
Removal and logistics	1–3 days	Access, freight elevator, building rules

In short: demolition in resale rarely fits in two days — surprises under old flooring are common.

Step 2. MEP (2–4 weeks)

What happens: electrical routing, plumbing, ventilation, chasing, panel, appliance points.

Work	Guide	What to verify
Electrical	5–12 days	Circuits, RCDs, lighting scenarios
Plumbing	5–10 days	Pipe material, risers, waterproofing
Ventilation	2–5 days	Blocked ducts; draft

Hidden work is accepted before closing chases and floors — per the renovation acceptance checklist.

Main risk: starting plaster before MEP inspection — opening finished walls costs more than doing it right once.

Step 3. Rough preparation (3–6 weeks)

What happens: screed, plaster, wall leveling, wet-zone waterproofing, tile substrate prep.

Work	Guide	What to verify
Floor screed	3–7 days + drying	Level; bathroom slopes
Wall plaster	5–14 days + drying	Tolerances for tile and paint
Waterproofing	2–4 days	Overlaps, junctions, test

Screed and plaster drying is a physical minimum — not something a promise can compress.

If you simplify: rough work is the invisible stage that decides whether finish work fits without rework.

Step 4. Finish work (4–8 weeks)

What happens: tile, flooring, paint, wallpaper, ceilings, doors, plumbing fixtures, lighting.

Work	Guide	What to verify
Bathroom/kitchen tile	7–14 days	Layout, grout, junctions
Flooring	3–7 days	Substrate moisture
Paint/wallpaper	5–10 days	Primer, coat count
Doors and skirting	3–7 days	Gaps; expansion at laminate

Pauses here are often supply-related. Order long-lead items before finish starts or the crew idles while your calendar slips.

Step 5. Final details and handover (1–2 weeks)

What happens: remaining hardware, punch-list closure, cleaning, acceptance certificate.

Real timelines on completed projects — portfolio. Staged estimates: how to read a renovation estimate.

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Cosmetic vs capital: calendar difference

Parameter	Cosmetic	Capital
Demolition	Local	Full or near-full
MEP	Usually unchanged	Replacement or major upgrade
Screed	Over existing	Often new
Duration	3–6 weeks	12–24 weeks
Surprise risk	Low only after survey	High without audit

In short: cosmetic is fast only when the substrate is truly sound. On resale without checks, speed is a gamble, not savings.

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What extends renovation: delay table

Cause	Typical slip	How to reduce risk
Hidden defects after demolition	+1–4 weeks	Survey and partial opening before estimate
Waiting for tile/doors	+2–6 weeks	Order at estimate stage
Layout without legal status	+4–12 weeks	Check registry/plan before start
Rework without stage acceptance	+2–8 weeks	Hidden-work certificates with photos
Changes during finish	+1–3 weeks	Approve layout and colors before purchase
Two contractors rough + finish	+2–4 weeks	One contract or strict handoff in schedule
Peak-season load	+1–3 weeks	Realistic start date

Main risk: assuming delay can be recovered by rushing finish. Wet processes and drying do not catch up with more workers at the end.

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How to build a realistic schedule

Step 1. Fix renovation type and scope — not only area.

Step 2. Split the estimate: demolition → MEP → rough → finish → deliveries.

Step 3. For each stage set start date, duration, and acceptance criteria.

Step 4. Add 2–4 weeks buffer on resale and 10–15% budget contingency — per estimate logic.

Step 5. Link payment to stages — see staged renovation payment.

Step 6. Order long-lead items before finish starts.

Step 7. Run interim acceptance using the handover checklist.

In short: a schedule works when it includes stages, supplies, and acceptance — not one line saying August 30.

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Checklist: timelines in the contract

1. Renovation type in the contract matches estimate scope.
2. Stages listed with approximate duration each.
3. Hidden-work acceptance defined (photos, certificates).
4. Supplies — who buys and who pays for idle time waiting.
5. Layout changes — status clear before capital work.
6. Drying for rough layers in the calendar, not squeezed out.
7. Penalties/notices for delay — transparent.
8. Payment tied to stages; advance within a reasonable cap.
9. Buffer 2–4 weeks in your personal move-in plan.
10. Site manager contact and reporting agreed.

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When to contact Profmaster

Contact Profmaster if you need:

• a realistic schedule after surveying resale or new-build property, not an ad deadline;
• estimates from different contractors with mismatched calendars for similar area;
• capital or designer renovation with staged acceptance and single responsibility;
• work already underway with missed deadlines and no clear stages in the contract;
• help aligning schedule and payment before work starts.

Services, portfolio, capital calculator, designer calculator, contacts.

Common planning mistakes

• Move-in date set before the estimate — pressure skips drying and acceptance.
• Materials ordered late — three weeks idle waiting for tile.
• No certificates for MEP — a leak a month after handover reopens the floor.

If you simplify: renovation ends when stages are accepted, warranty is documented, and punch-list items are closed — not when it looks done. Start with an honest staged estimate and schedule; then duration becomes a plan you can manage, not a lottery.