In August 2022, we faced a choice: Should we replace our aging single-panel radiators now, or wait until after we'd redecorated the house?
The house needed work. The decor was dated, the carpets were old, and we knew there were electrical issues lurking behind walls. Our single-panel radiators were barely heating rooms despite being scalding hot to touch.
We chose disruption first, decoration second. And when we discovered asbestos behind boxing in September 2022, we realized just how right that decision was.
The Strategic Sequencing Philosophy
Do Disruptive Work First, Cosmetic Work Last
The principle is simple: Don't lay new carpet, then lift it months later to replace pipework.
When we started planning our heating upgrade in August 2022, the house was in functional but dated condition:
- Carpets were old but serviceable
- Walls needed painting
- Electrics needed attention (additional electrical sockets requiring chasing out walls)
- Kitchen needed renovation (still does as of 2025)
- Radiators barely warmed rooms despite being hot
We could have:
- Decorated first: New paint, new carpets, make it beautiful
- Then upgraded heating: Drain system, remove radiators, run new pipework, make holes in walls, potentially damage new finishes
Or:
- Upgrade heating first: Accept the mess, work in dated spaces
- Then decorate: Fresh start with modern heating already in place
The Real Cost of Doing Work Twice
If you decorate first, you face:
- Protecting new finishes during messy work (plastics, tape, anxiety)
- Potential damage to fresh paint, new carpets, pristine walls
- Psychological stress watching new work get marked up
- Actual rework costs if damage occurs (touch-up paint, carpet repairs, wall patching)
- Rushed timeline to "get heating done before it gets cold" while trying to preserve finishes
If you do disruptive work first:
- Freedom to make a mess without guilt
- No anxiety about damaging fresh work
- Time to plan properly without seasonal pressure
- Clean slate when you do decorate
- Everything done once with no rework
The choice seems obvious when you frame it this way.
Our Timeline Decision
August 2022: The Planning Phase
We'd already completed loft insulation (2021-2022) and replaced all windows (Jan-Nov 2022). The house was more efficient, but the heating system was still the original setup from whenever the house was built.
Our son was in nursery part-time. My wife and I were both working from home. We had some flexibility with timing, but winter was approaching.
The question: Do we wait until spring? Do we bite the bullet now? Do we decorate first?
Why We Chose August/September
Factors pushing us toward immediate action:
- Seasonal timing: Start before it gets truly cold, but while outdoor temperatures allow testing
- Nursery schedule: Some flexibility with disruption timing
- Working from home: Could supervise work, manage temporary heating
- Existing decor: Already dated, so no psychological barrier to making a mess
- Efficiency gains: Combined with loft insulation and new windows, upgraded radiators would complete the foundation for a new boiler
- Avoid rush: Don't be forced into quick decisions when boiler fails mid-winter
The key realization: Our decor was already dated. There was nothing pristine to protect. We could make all the mess we needed to make without feeling bad about it.
The Asbestos Discovery (September 2022)
And then we found asbestos.
When the plumber started removing radiator boxing in the office, we discovered AIB (Asbestos Insulating Board) around pipe drops. If we'd decorated first—fresh paint, new carpet—we'd have been forced to choose between:
- Living with old radiators to preserve new decor
- Damaging new work to safely remove asbestos and replace radiators
- Delaying the heating upgrade indefinitely
Instead, we had old carpet that was destined for replacement anyway. The asbestos removal company could work freely. The £1,500 professional removal cost didn't come with the added psychological cost of ruining fresh work.
This validated our approach completely.
What "Disruptive Work First" Actually Includes
Radiator Replacement
Why it's disruptive:
- Draining the entire central heating system
- Removing radiators from walls
- Potentially removing boxing/covers to access pipework
- Running new pipework (sometimes through walls, floors, or behind baseboards)
- Drilling new holes for mounting brackets
- Cutting holes for new TRV positions if radiators are larger
- Potential for leaks during installation or shortly after
- Potential for asbestos or other surprises behind boxing
Our experience:
- 10 radiators replaced (all ground floor except bathroom)
- Old single-panel T1/T2 radiators removed
- New double-panel convector radiators installed (T21/T22)
- TRVs added to all radiators (old system had none)
- Some pipework rerouted
- Asbestos discovered and professionally removed (£1,500)
- Total duration: Several weeks with multiple work sessions
- Total cost: £2,406.48 (radiators + installation labour + TRVs)
Electrical Work
Why it's disruptive:
- Cutting into walls for new sockets/circuits
- Running cables through walls/floors
- Potential for plaster damage
- Potential for paint damage
- Dust from drilling
- Testing requires power isolation
Our context:
- Loft electrical overhaul (Oct 2023): Hager J804 junction boxes installed above insulation
- Main house electrical work planned: Additional sockets requiring walls to be chased out
- Building regs considerations (loft junction boxes maintenance-free and accessible)
Other "Do Before Decorating" Work
Based on our experience, consider doing BEFORE decorating:
- Plumbing upgrades (same reasons as radiators)
- Rewiring (cutting into walls, drilling, dust)
- Window replacement (mess, potential wall damage, plaster repairs)
- Loft insulation (if accessing from inside, potential for debris/dust)
- Structural work (obvious)
- Anything involving exploratory work (you don't know what you'll find)
What You CAN Do First
Some work is safe to do before disruptive changes:
- Loft insulation (if attic access separate from living areas)
- External work (render, external wall insulation)
- Some draught-proofing (seals, temporary measures)
- Smart controls (if just swapping thermostats)
But even these have caveats. Our loft insulation required electrical overhaul first due to fire risk from overloaded junction boxes buried under insulation.
Living with Dated Decor During Work
The Psychological Aspect
There's a real psychological difference between working in a space that's:
- Already dated → "We're improving it anyway"
- Freshly decorated → "Please don't damage the new work"
With dated decor, we felt free to:
- Let plumber set tools anywhere
- Not worry about marks on old carpet
- Allow asbestos removal company to set up airlock with tape on old paint
- Make decisions based on best technical outcome, not preserving finishes
After Heating Was Complete
- Modern heating system fully functional
- Ready to decorate with confidence
- No anxiety about future disruptive work
- Clean slate for fresh finishes
The Validation: Asbestos Discovery
What We Found
In September 2022, during radiator removal, we discovered AIB around pipe drops in the office.
Discovery timeline:
- Plumber started removing radiator boxing
- I snapped piece off thinking it was plasterboard
- Textured back raised suspicion
- Neighbour visually confirmed same day
- Professional removal arranged (£1,500 inc VAT)
- Completion: November 2022
Why Timing Mattered
Scenario 1: If we'd decorated first
- New carpet laid in office
- Fresh paint on walls
- Pristine space we were proud of
- Then discover asbestos behind radiator boxing
- Face agonizing choice: preserve decor vs upgrade heating
- Potential damage to new carpet during professional removal
- Psychological stress of ruining new work
Scenario 2: What actually happened
- Old carpet destined for replacement
- Dated decor we were planning to refresh
- No emotional attachment to existing finishes
- Asbestos removal company could work freely
- £1,500 cost was pure safety investment, no "ruined work" component
- Proceeded with heating upgrade without guilt
The lesson: Exploratory work often reveals surprises. Do it before you've invested in finishes.
Lessons for Others
The Core Principle
Do exploratory, disruptive, and infrastructure work BEFORE cosmetic improvements.
Specific Advice
1. Audit your home before decorating:
- What's the age? (1970s homes: expect asbestos risk)
- What systems need upgrading? (heating, electrical, plumbing)
- What have you never looked behind? (radiator boxing, paneling, cupboards)
2. Plan the sequence:
- Structural work → Infrastructure (heating, electrical, plumbing) → Finishes (paint, flooring, cosmetic)
- Not: Finishes → "Oh wait, we need to upgrade heating" → Damage finishes → Redo finishes
3. Test before decorating:
- Suspect asbestos? Test it before putting fresh carpet down
- Old wiring? Get electrical inspection before painting over it
- Radiators barely warming rooms? Replace them before laying expensive flooring
4. Accept the dated period:
- Living in dated decor temporarily is a small price for doing work once
- Psychological freedom to make a mess is worth it
- Clean slate when you do decorate is satisfying
5. Think about "while we're at it" opportunities:
- Replacing radiators? Consider electrical upgrades at same time
- Lifting carpets? Consider underfloor insulation
- Walls opened up? Consider extra sockets, network cables, future-proofing
The Outcome
Where We Are Now (December 2025)
Completed disruptive work:
- ✅ Loft insulation: 50mm → 350mm (2021-2023)
- ✅ Windows: All replaced (Jan-Nov 2022, £7,164)
- ✅ Radiators: 10 replaced (Aug-Nov 2022, £2,406.48)
- ✅ Asbestos: Professionally removed (Nov 2022, £1,500)
- ✅ Boiler: Vaillant 826 installed (Dec 2022, £3,078.50)
Pending cosmetic work:
- Office: Still original decor, but modern heating system
- Small extension: Still dated, but warm and efficient
- Kitchen: Renovation planned (will include new radiator for efficiency)
Energy outcome:
- Year 1 baseline (2021): 18,539 kWh/year
- Year 5 (2024): 10,115 kWh/year
- Reduction: 45.4% (8,424 kWh/year saved)
- Annual savings: £530/year vs Year 1
The dated decor was temporary. The efficient heating system is permanent.
Conclusion
Replacing radiators before decorating felt counterintuitive. Most people want to make their home beautiful first, then maintain it.
But home improvement isn't about sequence of aesthetics—it's about sequence of disruption.
Cosmetic work is easy to damage and expensive to redo. Infrastructure work is disruptive but foundational.
Our August 2022 decision to replace radiators in dated spaces saved us:
- The stress of protecting new finishes
- The cost of potential rework
- The psychological burden of damaging fresh decor
- The flexibility to handle surprises (asbestos)
And when we discovered asbestos in September, that decision was completely validated.
The principle applies beyond radiators:
- Do structural before cosmetic
- Do infrastructure before finishes
- Do exploratory before decorative
- Do messy before pristine
Three years later, living in dated decor during the upgrade seems like a trivial sacrifice. Having a 45.4% reduction in gas consumption and complete freedom to make the right technical decisions? That's permanent value.
Decorate last, disrupt first.