Renovating a flat or house in Bosnia and Herzegovina: the right order of work and priorities

Renovations in Bosnia and Herzegovina rarely go wrong because of bad taste. Far more often they go wrong because of the wrong sequence: tiles are laid and then walls are opened for pipes; walls are painted and then drilled for new sockets. The result is double costs, delays and frayed nerves. This guide shows how to break a renovation into phases, what to prioritise and where mistakes most often happen, whether your project is in Sarajevo, Tuzla or Mostar.

Why does the order of work matter more than the choice of materials?

Most trades depend on the ones before them. Installations run inside walls and floors, so they must be finished before those surfaces are closed and finished. Reverse the chain and every later change means breaking up work that is already done. That is why a good plan first decides what changes and only then how it will look.

As a rule of thumb, a sensible order looks like this: assess the condition first, then demolition and adjustments, then installations (water, drainage, electrics, heating), then screed and waterproofing in wet areas, then wall and ceiling finishes, joinery, floor coverings, and finally painting, lighting, built-in furniture and decoration. The exact sequence depends on the building, but the principle "rough and dirty first, fine and delicate last" always holds.

What should you check before any work starts?

Before the first working day, it helps to understand the condition of what you are keeping. In older buildings, especially in Sarajevo's historic districts and other old town centres, installations are often outdated, and damp and windows affect both comfort and heating bills. Useful questions:

• Which installations (electrics, water, drainage) are old, and should they be replaced while the walls are open?
• Are there signs of damp, and where does it come from? The cause must be solved before any cosmetics.
• Are load-bearing or partition walls being changed, or are only surfaces being refinished?
• Which works need the consent of co-owners, the building manager or a public authority?

The last point matters: rules on permits and notification of works differ by entity, canton and municipality, and for ownership or co-ownership questions you should ask the competent municipal office or a lawyer. This article is not legal advice.

How do you set priorities when the budget is not unlimited?

It helps to sort the work into three groups. The first covers what protects the building and your health: damp, roof, structure, electrical safety, leaking water. These go first, even if nobody ever sees them. The second group changes everyday comfort in a real way: heating, windows and doors, lighting, bathroom and kitchen, room layout. The third group is cosmetic: paint, decoration, textiles, smaller pieces of furniture.

Cosmetics are easy to add later and in steps, whereas hidden elements are hard and expensive to reach afterwards. If you have to cut, cut from the end of the list, not the beginning. It is also wise to keep a reserve for surprises, because in older buildings the real condition only shows once walls are opened. How large that reserve should be depends on the building and is best judged together with an architect or an experienced contractor.

How do you plan time and coordinate contractors?

The most common mistake is agreeing that everyone "starts at once". Trades depend on each other, and every waiting period (screed drying, joinery delivery, made-to-measure installation) stretches the schedule. It pays to know early which materials have long lead times, especially windows and bespoke furniture, and to order them in good time.

Draw up a simple week-by-week schedule with clear hand-overs between phases: who finishes what, who comes next and what must be checked before a wall is closed or a floor is laid. Photograph installations before they are covered, because you will need those pictures when you drill or change something later. Ask for quotes based on the same list of works, otherwise they cannot be compared fairly.

What does an architect concretely add?

An architect does not have to draw everything, but a good one produces a plan: what is done, in what order, what stays, which details are critical. That reduces improvisation on site and makes contractors' quotes comparable. For those living outside Bosnia and Herzegovina, such a plan is even more valuable, because conversations and decisions can happen in advance rather than while you stand on site for two weeks a year.

If you are planning to renovate a flat or house and would like to go through the sequence and priorities with someone, get in touch. The first conversation can take place by video call, so it does not matter whether you are in Sarajevo, Vienna or Stuttgart.