Most renovation problems start months before the builder arrives. The order, the lead times and the paperwork that prevent them.

Ten documents, and most of them before a builder is appointed: a stage-by-stage plan, a contract checklist, a trade contact list, a condition report of the property, a project schedule, three purchase lists (kitchen, bathroom, electrical), a phase sign-off form and a snagging report. Kitchens, joinery and sanitaryware run 8 to 20 weeks, so the buying lists matter earlier than most people expect.

There is a question that arrives, in some form, in almost every brief Studio Akiva receives for a period property: how much of what's already here do we keep?

If you’ve never hired an interior designer before, it’s normal to wonder what you’re actually paying for, and what happens when. Interior design isn’t just “making it look nice”; it’s a structured process that reduces risk, prevents expensive mistakes, and makes your home work better.