Care Home Refurbishments: The Essential Guide to Safer, Smarter Facilities

Running a care service means balancing resident wellbeing, staff pressures, and compliance demands. Buildings are often overlooked until they fail — whether that’s a safety incident, a negative CQC comment, or rising energy bills. A well-planned refurbishment does more than refresh décor. It can raise inspection outcomes, cut running costs, attract residents, and make day-to-day care easier.

This guide gives decision-makers and estates leads a clear roadmap for planning and delivering refurbishments in live care settings.

Why Refurbishment Matters Now

Many UK care homes operate from buildings that are over 30 years old. Families now expect modern, comfortable spaces, while residents present with higher dependency needs. At the same time:

• CQC inspections under the Single Assessment Framework ask whether premises are “clean, well maintained and fit for purpose”.

• Costs are rising. Energy inefficiency, poor insulation, and outdated lighting add to already tight budgets.

• Staff retention depends on the workplace. Facilities that are cramped, noisy, or unsafe push staff away.

  
  

In short: the estate directly shapes compliance, financial performance, and workforce stability.

Planning with Purpose: How to Start

Refurbishments work best when they solve the right problems. To build a solid plan:

1. Audit compliance gaps

   • Review recent CQC reports and internal audits.

   • Identify where inspectors flagged the environment (e.g. bathroom safety, lighting, storage).

   • Cross-reference with health and safety logs, fire risk assessments, and maintenance records.

2. Map the user experience

   • Walk through the home as a visitor would: from car park and reception to bedrooms and lounges.

   • Note first impressions, accessibility, signage, and comfort.

   • Ask residents and families what frustrates them most about the environment.

3. Prioritise for impact

   • High-visibility areas: receptions, lounges, bathrooms.

   • Safety-critical spaces: circulation routes, fire doors, nurse call systems.

   • Staff workflow: storage, sluices, kitchen access, staff rest rooms.

4. Plan the phasing

   • Split work into zones or wings.

   • Schedule noisy or high-disruption works outside peak times.

   • Always leave a safe alternative space open for residents.

Linking Refurbishment to CQC Ratings

CQC Regulation 15 requires safe, suitable, and well-maintained premises. Refurbishment helps demonstrate this in several ways:

• Fire safety: replace non-compliant doors, widen escape routes, and ensure alarms are up to modern standard.

• Accessibility: install level access, wider doorways, and dementia-friendly signage.

• Cleanliness and upkeep: fit durable, easy-to-clean finishes that withstand daily use.

• Responsiveness: show inspectors that issues raised in past reports have been addressed with documented works.

Tip: keep a refurbishment log with photos, contractor certificates, and project notes. Include this in your Provider Information Return (PIR) so inspectors see evidence upfront.

Design Choices That Improve Outcomes

The right design reduces risks and supports better daily life. Consider:

• Lighting: LED upgrades cut bills and improve visibility. Use warmer tones in lounges for comfort, brighter lighting in corridors for safety.

• Décor: High-contrast colours help residents with dementia distinguish walls, doors, and floors.

• Wayfinding: Add large, pictorial signs and consistent colour coding for toilets, lounges, and dining areas.

• Noise control: Install acoustic panels in dining rooms and lounges to reduce stress for residents with dementia or sensory needs.

• Energy efficiency: Improve insulation, fit modern boilers, and add thermostatic controls. These investments often repay within five years.

• Staff workflow: Place storage close to resident areas, separate clean/dirty routes in laundry and kitchens, and create staff-only break rooms.

Each choice should be tested against two questions: Does it reduce risk? Does it make life easier for staff or residents?

Managing Works in a Live Environment

Refurbishments must protect residents and staff throughout. To minimise disruption:

• Phasing: Work on one area at a time. Keep bedrooms, bathrooms, and lounges available elsewhere.

• Containment: Use dust barriers, air filters, and quiet tools where possible.

• Safeguarding: Require DBS checks for all contractors. Ensure sign-in/out controls and ID badges.

• Communication: Issue weekly updates for staff and daily notices for residents and families. Use visual plans to show which areas are out of use.

Good planning here not only protects residents but also reassures inspectors that standards are maintained.

Budget-Friendly Refurbishment Options

Not all upgrades need six-figure budgets. High-return investments include:

• Circulation areas: anti-slip flooring and durable wall protection.

• Bathrooms: accessible showers, lever taps, slip-resistant floors.

• Communal lounges: new lighting, fresh paint, dementia-friendly décor.

• Storage: built-in cupboards to reduce corridor clutter and fire risk.

• Energy savings: LED lighting and boiler upgrades that cut utility costs.

Tip: always calculate the payback period. For example, LED lighting typically pays for itself in under three years through reduced bills.

Measuring Success: What to Track

A refurbishment should deliver results you can measure:

• Regulatory: improved CQC feedback on environment and safety.

• Occupancy: higher show-round conversion and fewer empty rooms.

• Resident wellbeing: fewer falls, better independence in navigation, positive family surveys.

• Staff outcomes: lower turnover and reduced agency use thanks to better facilities.

• Financial: reduced maintenance call-outs and lower energy bills.

Track these before and after works so improvements are clear to both inspectors and boards.

Refurbishment Checklist

Before starting works, make sure you:

• Review CQC reports and compliance records for environment-related issues.

• Agree refurbishment priorities with managers, estates teams, and staff.

• Phase works to keep one wing or alternative space open at all times.

• Specify durable, safe materials — anti-slip flooring, compliant fire doors, acoustic treatments.

• Build in accessibility: step-free access, wider doorways, dementia signage.

• Communicate plans clearly to residents, families, and staff.

• Keep full documentation: contractor certificates, risk assessments, and before/after photos.

Final Thoughts

Refurbishments are not a cosmetic extra. They are a compliance tool, a staff retention strategy, and a way to attract residents. Done well, they pay back in reduced risks, stronger CQC outcomes, and healthier occupancy.

If you want help prioritising, phasing, and delivering refurbishments that improve compliance and day-to-day care, we're always happy to give advice and guidance.

Contact the team