There is a sequence to renovation work that isn’t arbitrary or a matter of preference. It’s the sequence that exists because the work of one trade creates the conditions that the next trade needs. When that sequence is violated — because of poor planning, because a trade was available at the wrong time, or because the renovation company isn’t managing the coordination — the results are expensive.
The most common example: the waterproofing is tiled over before the mandatory inspection is carried out. The tiler was available and the schedule was behind. The waterproofing passes inspection, the build continues — but if the waterproofing had failed, the tiles would need to come off.
The correct answer is: the tiler waits. Always. This article explains the correct trade sequence for the most common Perth renovation types, why each step exists, and what the consequences are of getting it wrong.
Stage | Trade | Why It Must Come Here |
1 | Strip-out and demolition | Reveals what's actually there. Asbestos, galvanised pipes, and non-compliant wiring are identified before any new work proceeds. Scope changes happen here, not later. |
2 | Structural work (if required) | Wall removal, new lintels, and structural modifications must be completed and inspected before the room can be closed in. Cannot be done after framing or linings are in |
3 | Rough-in plumbing | Pipes and drains are set in their new positions while the floor and walls are open. Slab cutting (if required) happens at this stage. Cannot be done after floor finishes are installed. |
4 | Rough-in electrical | Conduit, cables, and junction boxes are installed in the wall and ceiling cavity while open. Cannot be done cleanly after wall sheeting is installed. |
5 | Wall sheeting and substrate preparation | Waterproof membranes and tile substrate (Villaboard, Hebel, or similar) are installed. Must come after rough-in services are in — and before waterproofing. |
6 | Waterproofing | Applied to the substrate before tiling. THIS IS A HOLD POINT — waterproofing must be inspected and approved by a licensed inspector before any tiles are laid. Non-negotiable under AS 3740:2021. |
7 | Waterproofing inspection | A licensed waterproofing inspector or building surveyor inspects and approves the waterproofing membrane. Tiling cannot start until this is passed. If the building is under a building permit, the inspection is part of the permit conditions. |
8 | Tiling — floor and walls | After waterproofing is approved. Floor tiling sets the datum for vanity and toilet heights. Must be completed before cabinetry is installed. |
9 | Cabinetry and vanity installation | Cabinet maker arrives after tiling is complete. Vanity height, toilet rough-in height, and shower niche positions are all set against the finished tile floor. |
10 | Benchtop fabrication and installation | Stone or laminate benchtop is fabricated to the exact vanity dimensions. Cannot be templated before vanity is installed. Lead time for stone: 5–10 working days after template. |
11 | Plumbing fitoff | Taps, toilet, shower fittings, and waste connections are completed by the licensed plumber after cabinetry and benchtop are installed. Fitting chrome against tile, not against a substrate. |
12 | Electrical fitoff | Light fittings, exhaust fan, heat lamp, and safety switch are connected and tested by the licensed electrician. Certificate of Compliance issued. |
13 | Shower screen installation | Installed after tiling and plumbing fitoff. Glass is templated to the actual finished shower dimensions. |
14 | Painting | Final trade. Painted after everything else is in — cabinetry, fittings, and screens are all in place. Painter does not return to touch up after other trades. |
15 | Silicon and sealant | Applied last, after painting. Fresh silicon against a painted substrate. Silicon in grouting junctions and at the base of the shower screen. |
Stage | Trade | Why It Must Come Here |
1 | Strip-out and demolition | Includes wall removal if open plan. Structural assessment and beam installation if load-bearing. Asbestos and services identified. |
2 | Structural work and wall framing | New walls, openings, and structural elements completed and inspected before closing in. |
3 | Rough-in plumbing | Sink waste and water supply in new positions. Gas point if applicable. Must be done before wall sheeting. |
4 | Rough-in electrical | Oven circuit (typically 20A), dishwasher circuit, under-cabinet lighting conduit, rangehood circuit. All in the wall cavity before sheeting. |
5 | Wall sheeting, plaster, and painting preparation | Walls closed in. Plaster set and sanded. Painting commences on walls and ceiling — before cabinets arrive. |
6 | CABINETRY DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION — critical path item | Custom cabinetry typically has a 4–6 week manufacturing lead time from design approval. Everything else on the schedule is built around the cabinet delivery date. This is the longest single lead time in a kitchen renovation. |
7 | Benchtop template | Stone benchtop templater visits the site with cabinets installed to take exact measurements. Lead time after template: 5–10 working days. |
8 | Benchtop installation | Stone delivered and installed. Scribes to wall and adjacent surfaces completed at this visit. |
9 | Splashback tiling | Tiler installs splashback against finished benchtop. Requires the benchtop to be in place to ensure correct heights and setouts. |
10 | Plumbing fitoff | Sink, tapware, and dishwasher connections after benchtop is installed. Compliance certificate issued. |
11 | Electrical fitoff | Appliances connected, under-cabinet lighting installed, oven commissioned, safety switch tested. Compliance certificate issued. |
12 | Appliance installation and commissioning | Oven, cooktop, and rangehood installed and tested. |
13 | Final painting and touch-up | Touch-up painting around cabinetry, handles, and any disturbed surfaces after all trades have finished. |
Tiling before waterproofing inspectionThe tiling looks correct from the surface. The waterproofing inspection is either not obtained or is backdated. Two years later, water penetrates through a failed membrane. The tiles on one wall need to come off, the membrane stripped, reapplied, inspected, and retiled. Cost: $8,000–$15,000 for a bathroom wall. The original “saving” on the inspection was negligible.
Cabinet installation before benchtop templateA benchtop fabricator templates the cabinet without the wall being truly plumb or the cabinets fully level. The template is made. The stone arrives and doesn’t fit because a 4mm discrepancy at one end of a 3-metre run was not caught. The stone goes back for refabrication. Project delayed 2 weeks. Remediation cost charged as a variation.
Plumbing fitoff before tiling is completeThe plumber completes fitoff before the tiles are in. The waste outlet position is 12mm out from where the tiler needs it for the floor to drain correctly. The plumber returns. The junction is exposed. The tile is cut around a position that doesn’t work. The result is visible.
Painting before all trades are doneThe painter completes all work before the electrical fitoff. The electrician damages the ceiling cutting in a downlight that was not in the painting scope. The painter returns for a second visit. The second visit is not included in the quote.
Every scenario above has the same cause: a renovation where the trades were not properly coordinated — where each trade arrived when they were available, not when they were needed. This is the operational work of renovation project management. It is invisible when it’s done correctly and very visible when it isn’t.
House & Co manages the trade sequence on every project. The project schedule is issued to every trade before work starts. Hold points are identified and communicated. Trades do not proceed past a hold point without sign-off. The result is not just a renovation that finishes faster — it’s a renovation where the work is done correctly the first time.
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