The floors are a wild card -- worn carpets are unhealthy for children but if they are replaced too soon they will be in rough shape by the time the couple wishes to sell the home. Thus, they may need to deal with the floors twice -- once before having children and then again when they wish to sell. The Work Breakdown Schedule takes into consideration the different functional groupings of the activities. There are a handful of stakeholders to be considered as well, such as children, inspectors (for plumbing and electrical work) and these are noted in the WBS where appropriate. This is important, because some of the work can be done without professional help, while other tasks require it. Within the category of kitchen work, for example, the cabinets can be installed without professional assistance but the dishwasher and garbage disposal will require the services of a plumber.

Work Breakdown Structure

Projects by Type

Kitchen

Bathroom

Plumbing

Painting

Physical

Electrical*

Stove

Cabinets

Dishwasher

Interior

Roof

Washer

Fridge

Disposal

Exterior

Carpets

Dryer

Cabinets

Washer

Flooring

Stove

Counters

Sink & Faucet

Fridge

Bathroom Fixtures

* Whether electrical work is needed depends on the choice of appliance

Work Breakdown Structure

Baby

Inspector

Carpets

Dishwasher

Floors

Disposal

Interior Paint

Washer*

Dryer*

Stove *

Roof

* an inspector may be needed for these depending on the extent of the work note: all "Baby" work must be completed before the child arrives, for its health

Before finalizing the plan, the following precedent relationships should be established as well. In general, there are few precedence relationships, but it helps to undertake internal activities before external. For example, the plumbing in the kitchen should be dealt with before the more superficial cabinetry. Likewise, it is less risky to install new carpets after the interior painting has been done than before.

Precedence Relationships

1st

Interior Painting

Dishwasher/Disposal

The couple will do a significant amount of work up front in advance of starting a family. Painting is easiest when done before move-in. The kitchen appliances can all be replaced at once. The carpets and floors will be done in year two, together. The washer and dryer will be replaced simultaneously, since those two appliances work in tandem. The roof needs to be done before year 8, so it can be done in year 7. The house will be repainted in year 8, if the couple decides they are going to try to sell. This leaves year 9 for the couple to upgrade the kitchen and bathroom. Doing this all in one year allows for the carpenter and plumber to work continuously on the project. The couple should allocate some money from the years in which they perform no renovations (years 3-6) to guard against any cost overruns in year 9. By year 10, they will have a new roof, new bathroom, new floor and carpet and a partially new kitchen, which will maximize resale value.
Year

Activity

Cost

Year Cost

Notes

1

Interior Painting

Must come before baby and new carpets

1

Exterior Painting

1

Dishwasher

Must come before new cabinets; requires plumber; requires electrician

1

Garbage Disposal

Must come before new cabinets; requires plumber; requires electrician

1

Stove

Must come before new cabinets; may require electrician

1

Refrigerator

Must come before new cabinets; may require electrician

2

Carpets

Must come before baby

2

Floors

Must come before baby

2

Washer

May require electrician; may require plumber

2

Dryer

May require electrician

7

Roof

Requires inspector

8

Interior Painting

8

Exterior Painting

9

Bathroom fixtures/cabinets

May require plumber, carpenter

9

Kitchen counters

May require carpenter

9

Kitchen fixtures/cabinets

10000

May require plumber, carpenter