The Plan: Three Rooms, Two Weeks
This was a big job with a fixed deadline. The customers wanted the work done while they were away on holiday, which meant every day had to be planned carefully and nothing could be left to chance. Before they left, we agreed the full scope of work, the materials and the finishes, so the team could crack on from day one. The entrance hall needed its original wooden floor sanded and restored, the lower panelling, doors and architraves brought back to life, and six layers of old wallpaper stripped from the walls. Underneath, we found horse hair lath and plaster that needed careful repair before any finishing could begin.
The Entrance Hall: Restoring the Original Character
The entrance hall is the first thing you see when you walk through the door, so it deserved the most attention. We sanded and restored the original wooden floor, repaired and restored the lower panelling, and brought all the doors and architraves back to their best. Once the walls were stripped and the horse hair plaster repaired, we dropped the light, fitted a new ceiling rose and light fitting, then primed and painted all the woodwork and ceiling. The walls were cross fibre lined to give a perfectly smooth, stable surface before the designer wallpaper went up. The result is a hallway that keeps all of its period character but feels completely fresh.
The Utility Room: From Tired to Tailored
In the utility room we removed the old worktops and sink, took off the tiles and made good the walls. The woodwork was restored and prepared, the old papers stripped, and the sockets moved to better positions for how the family actually uses the room. Then came the transformation: a new quartz worktop and sink, with bespoke tongue and groove panelling fitted above the worktop. Everything was primed and painted, the walls cross fibre lined, and designer wallpaper hung to finish. It is now a utility room that works hard and looks the part.
The WC: Small Room, Full Makeover
The WC got the same treatment. We stripped the paper, removed the tiles and prepared every surface properly. A new tile splashback went in above the sink, the walls were fibre lined and finished with designer wallpaper, and the woodwork and ceilings were painted. A new ceiling light fitting completed the room. Small spaces show poor workmanship more than anywhere else, so the preparation here mattered just as much as in the hall.
Coming Home to the Finished Result
Two weeks after they left, the customers walked back through the front door to find the job complete. A restored original floor, revived panelling and woodwork, repaired and beautifully finished walls, a bespoke utility room and a transformed WC — all done while they were away. This kind of project only works with careful planning, a skilled team and an absolute refusal to cut corners on preparation. If you are thinking about a renovation and would like it done while you are away, speak to RENOV8. Call 07956 058667, email info@renov8northwest.co.uk or visit renov8northwest.co.uk.
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