Buckingham Palace: How much work goes into a Royal refurbishment?

Covering 77,000 square metres, repairing the monarchy's headquarters is going to be no mean feat. Here are the facts and figures.

Friday 18 November 2016 20:04, UK

A general view of Buckingham Palace in central London, Britain, 18 November, 2016.
Image: Work to get the palace fit for the Queen is due to start in April
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Buckingham Palace is having a multimillion-pound refit - its first in more than 60 years - to 'future-proof' the iconic building.

The work, which starts in 2017 and is set to take place over 10 years, is urgently needed, assessors have said; without it, the royal residence is "at risk of serious damage".

It's not going to be a quick job; the palace is 108m wide, 120m deep and 24m high, with 775 rooms and a floor area covering more than 77,000 square metres - just over 19 acres.

Here are the refurbishment facts and figures:

:: Buckingham Palace is a grade I listed building with 775 rooms in total, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.

:: The most urgent work is scheduled to take place first, over two years April. The focus will be on the basement, and replacing electrical and heating generation and distribution services.

A service run carrying both heating pipes and cable runs at Buckingham Palace.
Image: Heating pipes and cables need replacing

:: Some of the building's electrical cables are more than 60 years old and need to be replaced because of the "significant risk of electric shock and fire".

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:: The 30-year-old boilers will also have to be changed and it is hoped new, more efficient ones will lower the palace's carbon footprint by around a fifth.

:: Among the fixtures and fittings to be replaced will be 100 miles of electrical cabling, 6,500 electrical sockets, 5,000 light fittings, 330 fuse boxes, 20 miles of heating pipework, 2,500 radiators and 20 miles of skirting board.

A view of a cracked pillar by the front gates at Buckingham Palace in central London in November 18, 2016. Officials have said that the palace is to undergo a major ten year refurbishment, costing more than £360 million. / AFP / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS (Photo credit should read DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images)
Image: A cracked pillar by the front gates of the palace

:: Some 30,000 square metres of flooring will have to be taken up - equivalent to 3.5 football pitches.

:: By April 2019, officials hope to be starting work on the East wing - the front of the palace where thousands of visitors gather every day - and working clockwise, one wing at a time.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip bid farewell to Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos and his wife Maria Clemencia de Santos following their state visit, at Buckingham Palace on November 3, 2016 in London
Image: The Queen and Prince Philip pictured at the palace earlier this month

:: Work on the West wing and state apartments will be done gradually throughout the 10 years, allowing the palace to stay open to visitors.

:: Up to 125 staff could have to be moved to temporary accommodation in the garden, but the Royal Family will remain in residence.

:: Officials have said there is "not an anticipation" to erect scaffold fully around the building, saying much of the work will be "quite hidden" from the public.