New-build homes in Dublin, Meath and Kildare are often handed over with bare bedrooms, a basic kitchen and very little storage. Getting the order of work right saves time, money and a lot of boxes in the hall. Here is a simple checklist.
Before you move in
- Measure every room — wall widths, ceiling heights, window and door positions, sockets and radiators. Photos help.
- Find out where services run — ask your builder for drawings showing pipes, cables and ventilation ducts before anything is fixed to the walls.
- Know which walls are plasterboard — most internal walls in new builds are plasterboard on studs, so heavy items need the right fixings or extra support.
- Book made-to-measure work early — fitted wardrobes typically take three to five weeks to make once the design is signed off.
Week one: the essentials
Beds, a sofa, a table and somewhere for clothes. Flat-pack furniture can usually be assembled within days, and doing several rooms in one visit is the most efficient approach.
Anchor tall furniture. Wardrobes, bookcases and chests of drawers should be fixed to the wall with anti-tip brackets — especially in homes with children.
The first months: built-in storage
- Bedrooms: fitted wardrobes that use the full ceiling height, with drawers and shoe storage inside.
- Living room: a media wall or TV unit with hidden cables, ideally before the walls are decorated.
- Utility: cabinets around a stacked washer and dryer, with a tall cupboard for cleaning equipment.
- Hall: a bench with shoe storage, or a coat cupboard under the stairs.
Decorate in the right order
Ideally, built-in furniture goes in before the final coat of paint, so walls can be finished neatly around it. Floating shelves and wall-mounted TVs are best fitted once you know where the furniture will sit.
Snags and warranties
Report snags to your builder before drilling into the areas concerned, and keep a note of where fixings go. If you are unsure how wall fixings are treated under your home’s warranty, ask before the work starts.
Get it done in one go
Texture Dublin assembles flat-pack furniture, mounts TVs and shelves, and designs and fits wardrobes, media walls and utility storage — so a new home can be finished as one project. See flat-pack assembly, fitted wardrobes and furniture installation, or read how to house a stacked washer and dryer.
