Whole-property decoration

We usually work floor by floor from the top of the house down, so finished rooms are not crossed by materials and people heading for unfinished ones. Halls, stairs and landings come last, because they are the route through the house for everyone, including us. A kitchen and at least one bathroom are kept in use wherever the scope allows, and bedrooms are sequenced so there is always somewhere to sleep. Within each phase, every room is treated as a full-room decoration in its own right.

Before work starts we agree a written programme showing which rooms are out of use and when, and we review it with you as the project moves. Rooms being sanded are sealed with dust screens, extraction is used throughout, and the house is tidied at the end of every day. Keys, alarms, parking and access for other trades are agreed at the outset, along with anything we should know about pets, working from home or quiet hours.

Furniture moves are planned room by room, so each space is emptied or grouped only when its turn comes. Protection is laid along the routes we use as well as in the rooms we work in, and checked daily. Pianos, large antiques and artworks should be moved or stored by specialists before the relevant phase begins.

Decoration follows the dusty and wet trades. Electrical, plumbing and joinery work that disturbs walls is ideally finished before preparation begins, and floor sanding is done before our final coats; new carpets usually go down after we finish. We coordinate the sequence with your contractor or project manager, or with each trade directly.