Where to start a full renovation
Before choosing floors or asking for quotes, it helps to know what you need to change and what your home allows. We help you put those decisions in order and prepare the first visit with a summary of your renovation.
Start with what you need to solve, not with what you want to buy. Then review the condition of the home with a professional, define the scope and the investment ceiling, and compare quotes on the same proposal. The order of the work is decided from there.
Before asking for a quote: five decisions
What you need to change
Separate the essential, the desirable and what you want to keep. “We need more worktop” lets you study several solutions; “we want an island” jumps to a decision that may not fit the circulation and the space.
What the home allows
A plan doesn’t replace a visit. Measurements, structure, services, downpipes, ventilation, windows and doors and damp all need checking. A professional should identify what needs documentation or additional checks before treating it as viable.
What your investment covers
Clarify whether it includes only the building work or also furniture, appliances, fees, paperwork, taxes and, if needed, moving and accommodation. Separate what’s necessary from what can wait. The contingency reserve depends on the condition and on what has been checked: there’s no universal percentage.
Where you’ll live during the work
Staying means planning safe access, dust, utilities and a usable bathroom and kitchen. Have an alternative ready. If you renovate in phases, review the whole: some services or finishes might have to be opened up again.
Who handles each part
Define who checks feasibility, prepares the documentation and coordinates the work. Paperwork and technical involvement depend on the scope and the municipality; don’t assume everything is included. This is how we approach project and site management at Tramuntana.
How to request quotes you can actually compare
Give the same information to every company. Before comparing the total, ask for these five things to be clear:
| What to review | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Work and measurements | What’s renewed, what’s kept and how each item is measured. |
| Materials and equipment | Which model or specification is planned and what’s still to be chosen. |
| Amounts and exclusions | What the total includes, how taxes are broken down and which costs are separate. |
| Schedule and payments | What must be settled before starting, which milestones are agreed and when payments are due. |
| Changes and unforeseen issues | How a change is priced and approved before it’s carried out. |
If an item appears as “to be confirmed”, ask what’s missing to close it. Having to choose a tap isn’t the same as not knowing the condition of a system you intend to keep.
A real example: decisions show in the space
- PeninsulaWork surface and a place to sit.
- Appliances and unitsTheir position determines sockets, connections and measurements.
- CirculationThe passage between units is also part of the design.
And where does the work itself start?
With the dependencies between trades, not by finishing one room and moving on to the next.
- 01Prepare
Scope, paperwork, supplies and organisation.
- 02Intervene
Strip-out, repairs and new layout.
- 03Services
Coordinate and test before closing up.
- 04Finishes
Substrates, coverings, joinery and equipment.
- 05Hand over
Testing, snagging and documentation.
Indicative sequence: the exact order depends on each job. For example, choosing the appliances determines the units and the connections.
Before finishing a room, check whether later phases will cross that space or its services. That way you can anticipate work that would force you to open up freshly completed finishes.
Prepare your first conversation about the renovation
Tell us what you want to change. You’ll get the decisions to review and a checklist for the visit, with no sign-up and no data sent.
Questions that usually come up at the start
Do I have to choose all the materials before asking for a quote?
Not every detail, but enough to make the quote comparable. You can work with a specific selection or with described specifications and quality levels. Decisions that affect measurements, services or delivery times are best settled before purely decorative ones.
Can I start with the kitchen and leave the rest for later?
It can be done, but the full renovation should be studied first. If you later plan to open the kitchen to the living room, renew shared services or change all the flooring, it’s worth coordinating so you don’t tear out freshly finished work. Feasibility depends on your home and the scope of each phase.
Is a quote without visiting the home any use?
It can work as a first guide if its assumptions and limits are explained. To pin down work and commitments, measurements, condition and access must be checked, and what remains to be verified made clear. An initial figure shouldn’t be mistaken for a fixed price for work that isn’t defined yet.
How far ahead should I start preparing it?
Before committing to a move or a move-in date. Preparation depends on the changes, the documentation needed, pending decisions and supplies. Ask for a schedule that separates preparation, paperwork, purchasing and construction; counting only the weeks on site leaves out a big part.
If you have a home in Mallorca and want to renovate it, tell us what you need to change and what worries you. You don’t need to have chosen every finish. We can start by clarifying the scope.
