Apartment renovation in Geneva
Planning building work? Apartment, house or building renovation, a new storey or a roof extension, running the project is our job.
HMG Construction Management SA runs your apartment renovation in Geneva and coordinates every trade. The firm checks whether a permit is needed, files the application as an agent registered on the Geneva MPQ list (mandataires professionnellement qualifiés, the cantonal register of qualified building professionals), prices the works, selects the contractors and manages the site to handover.
How do you get your apartment renovation done without the worry? By handing the management and the coordination of the contractors to HMG. HMG is there for you.
Do you need a permit to renovate an apartment in Geneva?
The answer depends on the works. The official page on permit types states that interior changes to an existing building fall under the fast-track procedure, called APA. This is the case when partitions are moved, when the layout of the rooms changes or when the technical installations are altered.
In a residential building, the LDTR, the Geneva law on demolition, conversion and renovation of housing, also governs works inside flats. HMG checks this point before you commit, then prepares the file on the AC-Démat platform of the Office des autorisations de construire.
What is specific to an apartment
An apartment is renovated inside an occupied building. The property manager (régie) or the administrator of the condominium (PPE) has to agree to any works that touch the common parts, the water risers, the ventilation or the facade. The house rules on working hours, use of the lift and removal of rubble also apply.
These constraints weigh on the schedule more than on the technique. HMG settles them before the works start, with a record of the condition of the common parts and a notice to the neighbours.
Who do you call first?
You have two options.
- HMG takes charge of the whole project, from the plans and the permit application to the end of the works, under a single mandate.
- Your architect or interior architect designs the project, and HMG manages the construction phase with them once the permit is granted.
You no longer have to coordinate the builder, the electrician, the plumber, the joiner, the tiler and the painter yourself.
How HMG manages your apartment renovation
HMG writes a room by room specification, then asks several contractors to price it on the same basis. You compare prices that cover the same scope. The firm then prepares the contracts and a schedule that sequences the trades without idle time.
On site, HMG checks each step before the next one covers it, for example the waterproofing before the tiling or the electrical conduits before the painting. Invoices are verified before payment. If you are not in Geneva, you follow progress through the minutes and the photos sent after each site meeting.
Usual steps and timing
- Visit of the apartment, survey and list of your needs.
- Plans, specification and cost estimate.
- Agreement of the property manager or the condominium, and permit application where required.
- Tenders and selection of the contractors.
- Works, in the order demolition, services, partitions, coverings and finishes.
- Acceptance, snagging and final account.
The time needed for the permit and for the agreement of the building often counts as much as the works themselves. HMG builds both into the schedule from the start.
Interior renovations managed by HMG
Frequently asked questions
Who coordinates the trades during an apartment renovation?
That is the role of the construction project manager. HMG sets the schedule, calls the contractors to the site meetings, settles the interfaces between trades and checks the work of each one. You keep a single point of contact.
Can a rented apartment be renovated in Geneva?
Yes, but works in a flat located in a residential building are governed by the LDTR. HMG checks the conditions that apply to your case before the application is filed.
How much does an apartment renovation cost in Geneva?
The price depends on the floor area, the state of the installations and the level of finish. HMG gives you an estimate by trade, then a budget based on the contractors' bids. No figure is quoted before the visit.
What if I am not in Geneva during the works?
HMG represents the owner on site. You receive the minutes, the photos and the cost report, and you approve the choices remotely.
Related guides and pages
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