We have just finished a property refurbishment and, rather than describe it, Ariel filmed a quick walk-through of the finished rooms. If you are planning a property refurbishment Liverpool project, whether you are getting a home ready to sell, preparing a rental for new tenants or simply want your house to feel fresh again, this tour shows what a finished refurb looks like, room by room.
Below you will find the video, photos from the tour and a breakdown of each part of the job, plus practical advice on planning your own refurbishment: what to do first, where the money is best spent and what to ask your builder.
Property refurbishment Liverpool: what was done on this job
In Ariel’s words, “we have finished the refurb of this lovely property.” The work shown in the video:
- Painted throughout to a very high standard
- Kitchen finished
- Bathroom sealed, with the tiles re-grouted so it is fully functional again
- Loft room repainted
- New banister topper installed on the landing
None of these jobs is glamorous on its own. Together, they are what turns a tired property into one that feels finished. That is the point of a good refurbishment: every room done properly, nothing left half-finished.
Painting throughout: why the preparation matters most
The first thing you notice walking into the property is how clean the walls and ceilings look. A very high standard of paint finish is mostly about the work you do not see:
- Filling and sanding every crack, nail hole and dent so the light does not pick them out.
- A mist coat on any new or bare plaster so the paint grips instead of peeling.
- Cutting in cleanly at ceilings, skirting and around switches, so the lines are sharp.
- Two full coats so the colour is even and there is no patchiness when the sun comes in.
- Woodwork sanded between coats, so doors and skirting feel smooth, not gritty.
Fresh, light, neutral walls also make rooms look bigger in photos, which matters if the property is going on the market or onto a lettings site.
The kitchen: finished and ready to use
The kitchen is done: sage-green Shaker-style units, white metro tiles behind the worktops, a built-in oven, gas hob and a bold teal chimney hood. Kitchens are usually the most expensive room in any refurbishment, so it pays to decide early what level you need:
- Refresh: keep the layout and carcasses, change doors, handles and worktop, retile the splashback.
- Replace like-for-like: new units in the same layout, so plumbing and electrics barely move.
- Redesign: new layout, which means moving pipework, sockets and possibly walls (and a bigger budget).
If you are thinking about a splashback, our guide to kitchen splashback tiling covers tile choices, grout colours and the mistakes we see most.
The bathroom: sealed and re-grouted
In the bathroom, the job was to seal the bathroom and re-grout the tiles, so “now it’s functional”. The shower has white metro tiles, a glass screen and a rainfall head, and fresh grout and silicone make the whole room look newer than it is.
Signs your bathroom needs a re-grout and reseal
- Grout lines are dark, stained or have mould that will not clean off.
- Grout is cracked, crumbling or missing in places.
- Silicone around the tray, bath or basin is black, peeling or coming away.
- Water marks or loose tiles appear on the other side of the wall or on the ceiling below.
Old grout is raked out, the joints are cleaned, new grout goes in and is left to cure, then fresh silicone is run where the tiles meet the tray, bath and worktops. Done properly, it stops water getting behind the tiles. That matters: water behind tiles is how a small problem turns into rotten boards and a ceiling stain downstairs.
If the tiles themselves are cracked or loose, re-grouting will not fix it. That is when a new bathroom is the better spend. See our bathroom renovations in Liverpool page for what a full refit involves.
The loft room and the new banister topper
Upstairs, the loft room has been repainted, and a new banister topper has been installed on the landing: a wide, flat, white-painted cap that finishes the top of the half wall around the stairs.
A banister topper (also called a handrail cap or capping rail) does two jobs. It gives a solid, comfortable surface to hold and lean on, and it covers the rough top edge of the wall or balustrade, so the landing looks finished instead of patched. It is a small detail, but it is one of the things people touch every day, which is exactly why it is worth getting right.
Planning your own property refurbishment Liverpool project
Every property is different, but in our experience of property refurbishment Liverpool jobs that go smoothly follow the same order:
- Walk round with your builder first. Agree room by room what is being done, and what is not.
- Fix the hidden problems first. Leaks, damp, loose plaster and old wiring come before anything cosmetic.
- Wet trades before decorating. Plastering, tiling and grouting go in before the final paint, so nothing gets damaged.
- Kitchen and bathroom before floors. So new flooring is not scratched by fitting work.
- Joinery and finishing touches last. Doors, skirting, banisters, then the final decorating and a builder’s clean.
Where the money is best spent
If you are refurbishing to sell or to let, buyers and tenants notice the same things first: clean walls, a kitchen and bathroom that work and look fresh, and no obvious jobs left to do. A full paint, a bathroom re-grout and reseal, and small fixes like a new banister topper often make more difference per pound than one expensive feature.
Questions to ask before you hire a builder
- Will you give me a written, itemised quote?
- Who will be on site, and who do I talk to if something comes up?
- What happens if you find a hidden problem once work starts?
- Do you have public liability insurance?
- Can I see photos or videos of finished jobs? (Like the one above.)
For general advice on home improvement work and your rights, the government’s building regulations approval guidance explains when work needs to be signed off.
Get a property refurbishment Liverpool quote
If you have a property that needs bringing back up to standard, Ariel will come and look, talk it through with you and give you a written, itemised quote. Kew Construction covers Liverpool and Sefton, including Bootle, Crosby, Formby, Maghull and Aintree. See our building renovations page for the full range of work.
Call Ariel on 07453 273876, email Info@kewconstruction.com or see more finished jobs on Instagram @kew.construction.liverpool.
Property refurbishment Liverpool: frequently asked questions
What does a property refurbishment usually include?
It depends on the property, but a typical refurbishment covers some or all of: redecorating throughout, a new or refreshed kitchen, bathroom work (from a re-grout and reseal up to a full new bathroom), flooring, joinery such as doors, skirting and banisters, and any repairs found along the way. The job in this article covered painting throughout, the kitchen, a bathroom re-grout and seal, a loft room repaint and a new banister topper.
How long does a property refurbishment take?
It depends on the scope. A redecoration and bathroom refresh takes far less time than a job that moves walls or replaces the kitchen and bathroom. We give you a written timescale with your quote, after we have seen the property.
Is re-grouting a bathroom worth it, or should I retile?
If the tiles are sound, well fixed and not cracked, re-grouting and resealing is usually the better-value option: it renews the look and stops water getting behind the tiles. If tiles are loose, cracked or there is water damage behind them, retiling is the right fix. We will tell you honestly which one your bathroom needs.
Can I live in the property during a refurbishment?
Often yes, room by room, especially for decorating and bathroom refreshes. Bigger jobs, such as a kitchen and bathroom being out at the same time, are easier if the property is empty. We plan the order of work around you.
Do you cover my area?
Kew Construction works across Liverpool and Sefton, including Bootle, Crosby, Formby, Maghull, Aintree and the Wirral. See our areas page for the full list.