When purchasing an apartment in a new building, the future owner may encounter the mysterious term “pre-finishing of the apartment.” Quite a lot of people do not know what is hidden under this definition and how much money such finishing will require. To avoid wasting unnecessary money, time and nerve cells, study all available information.
Pre-finishing
Pre-finishing work means maximum preparation of the living space for subsequent repairs. Residential premises in a new building are mainly sold in this form. An apartment that is well prepared for finishing work will allow the owners to focus directly on planning the interior and design. During the pre-finishing work, the following actions are carried out:
- The room is fully electrified.
- Window units and related fittings are installed.
- Entrance and interior doors are installed.
- Heat sources are installed (radiators).
- Exits for the removal of domestic water and a place for sanitary fixtures are prepared.
During the pre-finishing work in the apartment, the walls are plastered, the floors are leveled and the ceilings are improved. It is assumed that a person who has purchased living space in a new building can immediately begin equipping it, without being distracted by calling plumbers, locksmiths, etc.
Elements of pre-finishing
Pre-cleaning work in the apartment includes:
1. Plaster and putty of walls. They must be performed as professionally as possible. Cavities and defects are not allowed on the walls of the apartment. After plastering and applying the finishing layer of putty, there should not even be a hint of damage left on the wall. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in refinishing of the defective element.
2. Installation of window blocks. When installing them, there should be no gaps or cracks between the glass unit and the wall. During installation work, such deficiencies are eliminated using polyurethane foam. Please note that a special moisture-resistant tape is laid on the foam. It is designed to protect the foam not only from moisture, but also protects it from exposure to sunlight. Window sills are also installed along with window blocks; they must be located at the same height and not interfere with the circulation of warm air flows emanating from heat sources. In addition, when accepting the apartment, check the operation of the locking mechanisms on the windows and doors to the balcony. Naturally, there should be no traces of mechanical damage on the windows.
3. High-quality flooring. To level and insulate the floor in an apartment, a concrete or cement screed is usually used. Any coating on the prepared floor should fit without problems. Irregularities are allowed that do not affect the quality of laying laminate, linoleum, carpet and other floor coverings. Where the screed adjoins partitions and load-bearing or interior walls, the joints are insulated with protective tape. The screed itself is designed to withstand significant loads; subsequently furniture and household appliances will be placed on it.
4. Heating system. Installation of heating devices in the apartment is carried out in accordance with building codes and regulations. After moving into a new apartment, the homeowner should not have any problems with heat. Radiators and batteries must be equipped with an air vent device. Check the quality of fixing the radiators to the wall. This means that depending on the type of heating device, different types of brackets are used. For example, cast iron batteries require the use of floor brackets, and bimetallic radiators can only be mounted on wall metal rods.
5. Ceilings. The ceiling surface, like the floor, should not have significant flaws. Preliminary finishing ensures that suspended, suspended ceilings and other finishing materials should be installed without any difficulties.
6. During pre-finishing work, electrical wiring and plumbing are installed. Subsequently, the owner of the apartment is given installation diagrams and design documentation. This is necessary to avoid damage during scheduled repairs or other construction work.
Pre-finishing. Work order
Finishing work in a new apartment is carried out in stages, and it is important to take into account some nuances. For example, first of all, work is carried out related to the appearance of large amounts of construction waste, dirt and dust. Cleaner pre-finishing work is performed last. Violation of the regulations and sequence of finishing work may lead to the fact that some already finished elements will have to be redone. Pre-finishing of an apartment in a new building is carried out in the following sequence:
1. Purchase an entrance door. The quality of the door directly affects its functionality. A good entrance door can protect the apartment from both intruders and extraneous noise.
2. Drawing up a project for future repairs. The renovation diagram shows the appearance of all rooms of the apartment in the future. In printed form, it will be easier to refer to it while working. Professional designers are sometimes brought in to draw up such a project, but they won’t reveal any special secrets.
3. Installation of window blocks and related periphery (window sills, rain drains).
4. Installation of partitions. For example, in studio apartments, the developer leaves the owner the opportunity to place partitions at his own discretion. For this, materials such as drywall, sibit or foam blocks are used. If necessary, heat-insulating Isover, Ursa, and mineral wool are used.
5. Electrical installation. This stage includes not only the electrification of the apartment, but also the complete wiring of the rooms and utility rooms of the apartment.
6. Installation of sewer communications. The installation of plastic or cast iron pipes should include connecting a washbasin, bathtub, shower, etc. To prevent the occurrence of an unpleasant sewer odor, it is recommended to use special plugs.
7. Plumbing system. When connecting it, cold water is first supplied to the bathroom and kitchen, then hot water is connected.
8. Plastering walls, ceilings and puttying them.
9. Thermal insulation. The floor and walls, if necessary, are subject to additional insulation using expanded clay, mineral wool, polystyrene foam, etc. 10. Floor screed. For these purposes, either cement or concrete is used. The final result should be a perfectly level floor (checked using a building level). 11. Installation of interior door units. When installing them, there should be no gaps or voids left between the slopes and the wall.
12. Installation of heating devices.
13. Installation of electrical switches and sockets.
14. At the last stage, identified shortcomings and defects are eliminated. The appearance of the apartment is assessed, and additional work is carried out if necessary.
For pre-finishing of an apartment in a new building, you can hire a team of specialists with various construction specialties. They will listen to your wishes and suggest ways to implement them.
Based on your goals, the materials used will be determined, the scope of work will be calculated and an estimate will be drawn up. The completion of finishing work involves removing construction waste, washing windows, floors and plumbing. Cleaning construction sites is quite complex and time-consuming; large developers prefer to use the services of specialized companies.
Renovating an apartment in a new building – where to start?
The purchase of real estate is behind us, all the documents have been signed, the certificate has been received, which means it’s time to start renovating the apartment in the new building. Be sure to consider:
- Do you plan to live in the premises or rent them out?
- Will a standard finish suit you or is an exclusive project required?
- what amount is acceptable, how much money are you willing to spend;
- how the space in the rooms will be organized;
- what styles and colors do you like best?
- Do your ideas meet the requirements of comfort and functionality?
When preliminary ideas have been agreed upon with all family members, you need to contact our company - even if there are no clear desires and the customer has doubts, we will be able to find the ideal finishing option.
Results
Pre-finishing work allows the owner to create the interior of the apartment to his taste, without being distracted by additional work.
Construction work of this type is popular in new houses, which will still be settling down for several years; therefore, it is not worth making major changes to the interior of the apartment at this time.
Pre-finishing work completed, this is an excellent intermediate option. The disadvantages of preliminary finishing include its significant cost, however, these costs are compensated for in the further design of the apartment. Pre-finishing work is popular among mortgage holders, young families and those purchasing an apartment for the first time. This is due to the fact that this category of buyers, having invested all their money in purchasing residential space, do not have the opportunity to carry out expensive final repairs after moving in.
When accepting a living space, pay attention to the quality of the pre-finishing work performed:
- The floor must be ready for installation of any floor coverings.
- The walls should not have defects that could interfere with gluing wallpaper or laying tiles. Window blocks and balcony doors should not be subject to mechanical damage. The polyurethane foam must be covered with protective waterproof tape. Window fittings also need to be checked; they open and close without much effort. At the same time, the presence of drafts in the apartment is excluded.
- Heating. The connections of heating devices to the central heating system and the quality of their fasteners are checked. Electrification of the apartment. The rooms must be equipped with sockets, and there must be connectors on the ceiling for connecting lighting fixtures.
Pre-finishing is a complex of finishing works, as a result of which the apartment is prepared for the final coating. The advantage of pre-finishing work is that the final layout, design and interior of the apartment is formed by the owner himself.
Types of apartment decoration
You must have knowledge of what to look for when accepting an apartment for use. To do this, you need to understand the definitions of finishing, pre-finishing and rough finishing of an apartment. Know the main nuances and requirements. New buildings can be put into use with all finishing methods.
Finishing
A new building with a fine finishing of the apartment contains all the finishing works that are necessary for a full-fledged stay. The cost and quality of materials completely depends on the class of housing. After purchasing an apartment with a fine finish, the owner acquires housing into which he can immediately move in and bring in furniture.
Clean finishing presupposes the possibility of entering the apartment without additional work.
The cost of housing will already include all costs for materials and finishing work. By purchasing an apartment with a fine finish, the owner receives a room with completed puttying and plastering work. The very name “fine finishing” indicates that no dusty work will be carried out.
Pre-finishing
When purchasing a home in a new building, owners quite often come across the concept of pre-finishing the apartment. Many people do not know the meaning of this term and what is hidden behind these works. And the main thing is how much material costs will be required to carry out this kind of work.
During the pre-finishing of the apartment, almost all repair work is carried out with the exception of the final finishing of the premises. But the apartment with pre-finishing is ready for occupancy and occupancy. By purchasing a pre-finished home, the owner of the apartment gets a unique opportunity to create the interior of the apartment to his liking and complete the renovation himself. Compared to apartments with a fine finish, the pre-finished condition of housing is much cheaper. After acceptance of the apartment, you can significantly save costs on materials and labor.
Rough finish
During the rough finishing of the apartment, minimal work is done to furnish the premises. It is still impossible to live in such an apartment. But in order to put the apartment into operation, the following mandatory rough work must be completed:
- performing a screed;
- installation of heating radiators;
- sewerage and water supply;
- partial wiring of power supply, without detailed wiring and registration of connection points;
- installation of the entrance door and windows (windows are installed according to the draft version without finishing the slopes and installing window sills).
Recommended reading: Do-it-yourself toilet renovations
An example of rough finishing of an apartment, in which case it is necessary to carry out the whole range of repair work.
When buying rough housing, you will have to spend a lot of money and time to complete the repairs and it will be possible to move into such an apartment only after a few months. But rough processing also has its advantages:
- the opportunity to bring all your ideas to life;
- no need to get rid of low-quality materials when finishing;
- creation of a unique design;
- participation in all stages of creating your dream home.
Having received a home with a rough finish, you have the opportunity to do everything to your liking, from installing the required number of sockets to covering the walls with wallpaper.
