Aged care refurbishment is not simply a repaint or a building upgrade. It is work carried out in someone’s home, around people who may be vulnerable to noise, unfamiliar faces, changed routines and restricted access. For facility managers, the challenge is to improve the condition of the property without compromising resident wellbeing, staff workflow or compliance.

The right approach starts with planning the works around care, rather than asking care to work around the project. That means clear staging, appropriate products, reliable trade coordination and a contractor that takes responsibility for the whole job.

What a successful aged care refurbishment needs to achieve

Refurbishment programmes often begin with a visible issue: tired corridors, damaged walls, worn joinery, peeling exterior coatings or bathrooms that no longer present well. Those issues matter, but a good programme should address more than appearance.

In an operating care environment, finishes need to withstand regular cleaning, trolley traffic, mobility equipment and day-to-day knocks. Colours and materials should help residents navigate spaces confidently, while repairs need to remove hazards rather than merely cover them up. Staff also need areas that are practical to clean, maintain and move through during busy shifts.

A well-managed project balances several priorities at once: resident comfort, infection-control requirements, safety, durability, presentation and budget. The balance will vary by site. A high-traffic dining room may require a more durable coating system than a quiet administration area, while a memory-support wing may need stronger visual contrast around doors, handrails and changes in level.

Start with a condition assessment, not a paint schedule

It is tempting to quote from a room list and select colours later. This can miss the underlying causes of deterioration. Moisture damage, failed sealants, poor surface preparation, cracked plaster or corroding external elements will quickly undermine a new finish if they are not resolved first.

A proper assessment identifies what needs repair, what can be retained and where a full replacement would offer better value than repeated patching. It should also map the operational constraints: occupied rooms, meal times, medication rounds, visiting hours, emergency access routes and areas where residents are particularly sensitive to disturbance.

This is also the point to identify complementary trade requirements. A painting scope may uncover damaged skirting, loose tiles, plumbing leaks, electrical fittings that need relocation or doors that no longer close correctly. Managing these items through separate contractors can create delays and blurred accountability. A single point of contact for painting, repairs and associated trades gives the facility team clearer control of the programme.

Prioritise by risk and operational impact

Not every item needs to be completed at once. Separating immediate safety and water-ingress issues from presentation upgrades helps managers spend funds where they will have the greatest effect.

For example, cracked wall linings in a resident bathroom, failed external sealant around windows and damaged handrails should generally take priority over a decorative refresh in a low-use meeting room. Once urgent repairs are controlled, works can be staged by wing, floor or function to suit available budget and decanting arrangements.

Plan the works around residents and staff

The most disruptive refurbishment projects are usually not disruptive because of one difficult task. They become difficult when access, communication and sequencing have not been agreed early.

Before work begins, the contractor and facility representative should establish which areas can be isolated, when noisy work is acceptable, where materials can be stored and how contractors will enter and leave the site. A clear programme should include daily start and finish times, dust-control measures, protection to floors and furniture, and a process for reopening areas after inspection and cleaning.

In occupied rooms, consent, dignity and routine matter. Residents and families should receive plain-language notice of what is happening, when it will occur and who to contact with concerns. Staff need enough notice to relocate activities, adjust cleaning schedules and support residents who may find the change unsettling.

Phased work is usually the practical choice. Completing one contained area properly before moving to the next limits the number of people affected and makes it easier to maintain safe access. The trade-off is that staging can extend the overall programme. However, a slightly longer programme is often preferable to widespread disruption across the facility.

Control dust, odour and access

Surface preparation creates much of the risk in refurbishment work. Sanding, patching, drilling and removing failed finishes must be contained carefully, particularly near dining areas, clinical spaces and rooms occupied by residents with respiratory sensitivities.

Low-odour, low-VOC products can reduce discomfort, but product selection should never be treated as the only control. Good ventilation, isolated work zones, daily cleaning and sensible sequencing are equally important. Wet areas and circulation routes also need clear temporary signage and safe alternative access while repairs or coatings are curing.

Contractor conduct matters as much as the technical method. Teams should understand site rules, sign-in requirements, privacy expectations and the need to communicate respectfully with residents. A clean, organised work area reassures staff and visitors that the project is under control.

Choose finishes for long-term performance

Aged care interiors face more wear than many standard commercial settings. Corridors receive constant foot traffic and impacts from wheelchairs and equipment. Bathrooms and laundries are exposed to moisture. External walls must withstand weather, UV exposure and coastal conditions where applicable.

The best finish is not always the cheapest product at the start. A coating that can be cleaned repeatedly, resists scuffing and holds its colour can reduce maintenance call-outs and avoid early repainting. Similarly, repairing substrate defects and applying the correct primer may add time to the initial scope, but it protects the life of the system.

Colour selection should be practical as well as attractive. High contrast can help define doorways, handrails and key amenities, especially where residents have reduced vision. At the same time, very busy patterns, harsh glare and confusing visual changes can be unsuitable in some care settings. Existing clinical and design guidance, along with feedback from care staff, should inform the final palette.

For external refurbishment, assess drainage, cracks, failing coatings and exposed timber or metal before specifying decorative work. A fresh exterior colour will not solve movement, corrosion or water penetration. The repair method and protective coating need to suit the substrate and local conditions.

Keep compliance and documentation visible

A refurbishment contractor should work within the facility’s safety procedures, induction requirements and infection-control protocols. Site-specific risk assessments and safe work methods should address occupied areas, hazardous materials, access equipment, emergency routes and the protection of residents, visitors and staff.

Older buildings may also require consideration of hazardous materials before intrusive work begins. Where there is any uncertainty, the work should be assessed properly rather than relying on assumptions. This protects people on site and prevents costly stoppages once the programme is underway.

Documentation is not just an administrative exercise. It gives facility managers a record of what was repaired, which products were used, what remains outstanding and when future maintenance may be needed. This is particularly useful when managing multiple buildings, handovers or planned maintenance budgets.

Why coordinated trades make a difference

Aged care refurbishment rarely stays within one trade. A wall repair might reveal a leak. Replacing damaged flooring may require skirtings, painting and electrical adjustments. A bathroom refresh can involve tiling, plumbing, waterproofing, joinery and coatings.

Using multiple independent contractors can work on a simple, vacant project. In an operating facility, it often creates avoidable gaps between trades and leaves the manager responsible for chasing progress. A coordinated multi-trade contractor can sequence the work, manage interfaces and provide one accountable contact from quotation through to completion.

For Perth and Western Australian facilities, WADECO – MTMS provides that practical coordination across painting, refurbishment and complementary maintenance trades. The focus should remain straightforward: protect the site, communicate clearly and complete the work to a standard that lasts.

Build refurbishment into an ongoing maintenance plan

Waiting until finishes are visibly failing usually makes refurbishment more expensive and more disruptive. Small defects become larger repairs, and isolated touch-ups can turn into a whole-wing repaint once colour matching and substrate damage become unmanageable.

Planned inspections help identify early signs of water ingress, coating failure, impact damage and wear in high-use areas. They also make budgeting more predictable. Rather than closing large parts of a facility for a major reactive programme, managers can schedule targeted works during quieter periods and maintain a consistent standard across the property.

The best aged care refurbishment is one residents barely have to notice. It leaves the environment cleaner, safer and easier to maintain, while staff can continue delivering care with confidence.