Planning a rental property refurbishment before the end of 2026?
Do you want your rental property refurbishment completed before the end of 2026? Then you need to start planning now. Christmas may still feel a little way off, but with just 98 days to go…
If a property is currently empty, between tenants, or simply in need of some long-overdue work, the final months of the year can be a useful opportunity to get the refurbishment completed and have the property ready for its next stage.
Find out why now is the time to plan building, plumbing, heating and refurbishment work.
Why start planning a rental refurbishment now?
A rental property refurbishment is rarely just a case of booking a few trades and getting the work finished in a couple of weeks.
Depending on the condition of the property and the scope of the work, there may be plumbing, heating, electrical, carpentry, plastering, flooring, decorating and general building work to coordinate.
There may also be materials to order, decisions to make and unforeseen issues to deal with once work starts.
Starting the process early gives you time to establish exactly what the property needs rather than trying to rush everything through in December.
For landlords, this can be particularly important if the property is empty and you are trying to minimise the period between tenants.
What does a rental property refurbishment involve?
Every property is different, so there is no standard refurbishment package.
Some properties may simply need a refresh before being marketed again, while others may require much more substantial work.
A refurbishment could include:
- Kitchen or bathroom improvements
- Plumbing alterations or repairs
- Heating upgrades or boiler replacement
- Electrical work and additional installations
- Replastering and making good
- Carpentry and joinery
- Flooring
- Decorating
- General building and repair work
- Work required to bring tired or dated areas of the property back into good condition
The important thing is to establish the full scope before work begins. Dealing with several elements of a refurbishment together can often make more sense than completing one small job now and discovering that another trade is needed a few weeks later.
Empty property? Christmas could be a useful deadline
If your rental property is currently vacant, the period towards the end of the year can provide a natural deadline for getting work completed.
It is also worth remembering that Christmas itself should not be treated as the target date.
There is a difference between saying, “We need this finished by Christmas” and having the property completed, cleaned, inspected and ready for its next use before the Christmas period begins.
Allowing some breathing space at the end of the project gives you time to deal with any final snagging, arrange cleaning, organise photographs or marketing and make sure everything is ready.
Don’t leave the planning until December
One of the biggest problems with leaving refurbishment work until the last minute is that December is not a normal working month.
Trades have existing commitments, suppliers have delivery times, and the Christmas and New Year period inevitably brings reduced working days.
A project that might comfortably fit into October or November can become much harder to organise if it does not get started until December.
That is why September and October can be a sensible time to assess what needs doing and start getting the project organised.
You may not need to start the physical work immediately, but you do need to know what is involved and whether the timescale is realistic.
Planning a larger refurbishment?
For larger rental properties, the planning stage becomes even more important.
If several trades are required, having one company coordinate the wider building work can make the process easier than arranging every individual element yourself.
At JW McDonald Building Services, we undertake building and refurbishment work for properties across South and South East London and Kent, with projects ranging from general refurbishment and repairs through to larger property improvement works.
Our approach is to establish the scope of the work first, identify what is required and then plan the refurbishment around the property rather than trying to fit every property into the same package.
For landlords and property owners, this can be particularly useful when a property needs several different areas addressed before it is ready for its next tenant.
Is your property going to be ready for 2027?
If your aim is to have a rental property refurbished and ready for the start of 2027, now is the time to look at what needs doing.
You do not necessarily need to undertake a complete renovation. Sometimes the most appropriate approach is to concentrate on the areas that genuinely need attention, deal with necessary repairs and leave the property in a clean, functional and presentable condition for its next occupants.
The key is to plan the work properly rather than waiting until the final few weeks of the year.
With Christmas approaching and the end of 2026 now in sight, September is a good time to take stock of your property, identify the work required and start putting a realistic refurbishment plan together.
If your rental property needs building, plumbing, heating, electrical or general refurbishment work before the end of the year, JW McDonald Building Services can discuss the requirements with you and establish what is involved.