You may want to make a separate post asking how the contractor-vs.-COVID situation is in your area at the moment.

Thank you! Both great comments/questions. Now you see how UN experienced I am.

I finished a gut remodel of a high rise condo fairly recently.

Your plans for remodel are not that extensive in the scheme of things. They are theoretically doable within three months provided that you have everything ready to go as soon as escrow closes.

Even if you go beyond the three month time frame, most of the stuff can be done after you have moved in. Refinishing floors needs to be done prior to moving in because it is a huge hassle after furniture is in but that takes a week at the most in terms of sanding and staining and curing - provided that you have everything ready to go.

Since you have more than one bathroom, you could theoretically remodel a bathroom even when living in the condo. But again - if you have everything ready to go, even a gut remodel of a bathroom can be done in three months.

The rest of the stuff is fairly minor and could be done even while you were living there.

I moved in while my remodeling was still going on but I had the use of a bathroom even thought some of it wasn't finished completely in the bathroom. My closets weren't finished etc. It wasn't super convenient at times to have workmen in the house while I was living there but I would retreat to one of the spaces that wasn't being worked on that day and endured that period - results were worth it.

Do check with your condo management and perhaps even get recommendations from them regarding GC's who have worked in your building. My GC had worked on other projects in my building - he knew the manager and how to operate efficiently within the rules of the condo. Made a huge difference I think. At least in my building, people seem to use the same GC's because it just makes it easier as they know the building.

And given that you are not experts, do hire a GC.

I’d just concentrate on the stripping/restraining flooring before you move in and any updates (ie cupboard/den) that will also need to be done at the same time - ie: flooring repairs and stained.

Given Covid restrictions in Toronto (and who knows for how much longer) and for health reasons, I’d look at other updates down the road. Will also reduce your stress and all the decision making all at the same time.

I can highly suggest a great contractor. My sister, friends and myself have used him numerous times and I can provide his contact info. I know he is working on a 5,000 Sq ft home right now in Lorne Park. He is normally really busy but you could find a flooring person for now and book him for the rest.

Lots of us in Mississauga have used a wonderful real estate agent who will also help with getting rid of items. My mom quickly moved to a senior’s home and we placed 60 years of items lined up in marked rows in garage and she and her husband would drop off appropriately - dump, Goodwill, a woman’s shelter and Habitat for Humanity. Not sure if she lists in Toronto though, but I can provide her contact info if you like. She is also honest, a hard worker and a great negotiator.

Right now we are living in a condo (second home though) that we bought a year ago, and it basically needs a complete gut--much more than you are talking about. You can do this pretty easily. I would focus on getting the floors done, and the rest can wait. Plus, I do think the advice to live in a place for a while before you move forward with any massive changes is a good idea. Some of the things you are talking about don't need to be done immediately do they? Couldn't you live in less than ideal conditions for a while. IMO too many people have spent too much time with HGTV which gives the impression that everyone gets a place completely remodeled before they move in.

@Helen , thank you for your comments, we’ve also thought most could be done while living in it. But makes us nervous for variety of reasons not to go into detail here. I appreciate the encouragement! Love the idea of asking the Condo management for recommendations for GC....brilliant, why didn’t we think of that! Thanks again.

@Maureen, thank you also for the suggestion to break up the work, that’s a good idea too! If we go ahead with this purchase, I will reach out for his info. Regarding agent, we have one we are dealing with and several others we know in the business too, although it sounds like she goes above and beyond helping to get rid of stuff! Thanks.

@julieste, thanks for encouragement and suggestion to maybe wait. I don’t disagree that as is, the condo is very livable. However, hubby and I have always said to each other that we would never leave our home and back yard for a condo unless it knocked our socks off. We lost out on a similar one that was completely redone, and so we have that vision in our heads competing with this one. And I would be afraid that if we moved in with a to do list that we would get disappointed once in there, and regret our decision. Sounds silly, but 🤷🏼‍♀️

I would suggest that you find a good designer and start planning the project. I could never have achieved the results I did without both a great designer and a great GC as they have different roles.

I don't think it is wrong to not want to deliberately plan to do things piecemeal especially because you can achieve the best result with a total design scheme. In my experience (and this gut remodel was my christening) many of the nicest design elements have to be ordered with some lead-time because they aren't inventory items.

The best designers and GC's have waiting lists - especially GC's since designers generally work on multiple projects simultaneously versus GC's who can get booked quickly since there is a limit on how many jobs they can do well since they need to supply their trusted crew and trades people. For example, the tile setter my GC used was booked so there was a delay for a week or so while he finished another project.

I was offering encouragement in terms of some of the stuff you want done can be done after you have moved in even if you planned it all - e.g. it wasn't finished within three months and so you move in and you live with construction for awhile as I did. My gut remodel took way more than three months but at a certain point enough had been done so that I moved back in - I was renting a place during the remodel and seven months of additional rent during construction was enough LOL.

I don't see why you need to put it off until you have lived in the space for awhile. In my experience, that might be true for kitchens but the kind of changes you are making don't have the same different type of personal functionality for the most part. Start saving your inspiration photos - spend time looking at closet functionality features - start looking for a great designer.