Apartment Renovation Step-by-Step: Survey to Handover

A well-managed apartment renovation finishes in 25–35 working days. A poorly managed one stretches to 60. This article distills the phases, timings, and client responsibilities from more than 200 projects Ekinoks has delivered in Ankara over the past three years. The goal is simple: take you from survey to handover without surprises, by making the right decisions at the right moments.

The seven core phases

Every full apartment renovation passes through the same seven phases. The order doesn’t change, because each phase depends on the completion of the previous one. Firms that try to overlap them out of sequence usually end up redoing work.

1. Survey and quotation (2–5 working days)
2. Contract and preparation (3–7 working days)
3. Demolition and strip-out (2–4 working days)
4. Infrastructure — electrical, plumbing, plaster (5–8 working days)
5. Surface work — plaster, paint, tile (7–12 working days)
6. Fine finishing — doors, flooring, kitchen, bath installation (5–8 working days)
7. Cleaning and handover (1–2 working days)

These figures are for an average 100 m² apartment. Larger or more complex projects scale each phase proportionally. For detailed pricing and package breakdowns, see Ankara renovation cost per m² 2026.

1. The survey: why a 45-minute meeting matters

The site survey is the most critical step, because the quote is built from it. A good survey team collects:

• Actual interior m² (measured, not from the title deed)
• Wall condition (cracks, moisture, old plaster, asbestos risk)
• Age and capacity of the electrical system
• Plumbing material (galvanized, polypropylene, plastic)
• Hidden water leaks in bathroom and kitchen
• Whether window frames need replacement
• Elevator access and cabin dimensions
• Building rules on working hours and material movement
• Client preferences (tub vs walk-in shower, built-in vs free-standing appliances)

What the client should do here: voice expectations, explicitly flag undecided points, and ask “can we do X here instead?” without hesitation.

What not to do: try to finalize brand choices on the spot. Brand decisions come after the survey, with alternatives in hand. Our paint brand comparison is a useful starting point.

2. Contract and preparation

The 3–7 days after quote approval are typically used for signing, the deposit, material ordering, and notifying building management. Client actions during this window:

• Written notice to building management (Ekinoks usually drafts this)
• Elevator protection (canvas wrap) agreement
• Temporary relocation plan
• Securing valuables in storage or protective wrapping
• Insurance check — some policies exclude renovation periods

Typical mistakes here: leaving material orders to the last minute, skipping building management notice, and ordering long-lead-time items like premium faucets too late.

3. Demolition and strip-out (2–4 working days)

The first physical day is the loudest. What gets removed:

• Old flooring (laminate, carpet, ceramic)
• Old kitchen and bathroom
• Old interior doors and frames
• Baseboards and decorative elements
• Wall surfaces with peeling or bubbling paint

Living in the apartment during this phase is not realistic. Dust levels are high even with professional filtration. Debris leaves in rubble bags or a container — Ekinoks handles the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality waste removal permits.

Critical point for the client: if there’s anything in the existing fit-out you want to keep — an old door handle, an antique faucet, decorative tiles — you should have flagged it during the survey. Asking the crew to “save this too” once demolition is underway slows the work and creates risk.

4. Infrastructure: electrical, plumbing, plaster (5–8 working days)

Invisible but most critical. The work includes:

Electrical

A modern unit needs at least four outlets per room, six-plus in the kitchen depending on built-in appliance loads, protected outlets and exhaust fan circuits in the bathroom. In buildings over 20 years old, old aluminum wiring is replaced with copper, and breakers are upgraded to include 30 mA residual-current devices.

Plumbing

If galvanized or iron pipes are present, they’re replaced with a polypropylene (PPR-C) system. Bathrooms get the substrate prepared for waterproofing — covered in detail in our bathroom renovation guide.

Plaster

Crack repair on all wall surfaces, new plaster coats where needed, corner and joint profiles installed. Surface prep is essentially complete by the end of this phase.

The client should visit during this phase — particularly to confirm outlet positions. The headboard, behind the TV, above the kitchen counter — getting outlet count and location right before plastering means not having to open the wall again.

5. Surface work (7–12 working days)

The longest phase. The sequence:

• Primer
• Tile installation (bath, kitchen, entry if applicable)
• First coat of finish plaster
• Sanding and inspection
• Second coat of finish plaster (if needed)
• Paint primer
• First paint coat
• Sanding between coats
• Second paint coat

Ventilation and temperature matter here. In winter the apartment must stay above 15°C, otherwise paint drying slows down and finish sheen becomes inconsistent.

What the client shouldn’t do: decide to change colors at this stage, add new scope (“should we put a stone accent there?”), or visit twice a day asking “how much longer?” These are the three most common homeowner mistakes.

6. Fine finishing (5–8 working days)

This phase determines visible quality. The work:

• Laminate or hardwood flooring installation
• Baseboard installation
• Interior door and frame installation
• Kitchen cabinet and counter installation
• Bathroom faucet and fixture installation
• Built-in appliance placement
• Decorative lighting and switch/outlet plates

Client presence is useful here — final decisions on door-handle orientation, built-in appliance heights, and bathroom accessory positions happen at this stage.

7. Cleaning and handover (1–2 working days)

Post-construction cleaning is different from regular house cleaning. It includes:

• Dust removal across every surface, ceiling to floor
• Removing label residue from windows and frames
• Removing protective film from bath and kitchen fixtures
• Professional wet-cleaning of the floor
• Replacing HVAC filters where applicable

On handover day the client walks every room with the project lead. Any remaining items go on a “punch list” and are typically resolved within 3–5 working days. The warranty period starts here: Ekinoks offers a 12-month workmanship warranty and 24 months on plumbing.

Total client responsibility

If everything goes to plan, the client’s required involvement is:

1. 45-minute survey meeting (once)
2. Contract signing and deposit (once)
3. Color and brand confirmations during contract stage (once)
4. Mid-infrastructure outlet/switch check (once)
5. Mid-finishing detail approvals (once)
6. Handover tour (once)

Six interaction points total. Beyond that, daily calls and unscheduled site visits typically slow the work and create indecision.

Top 5 mistakes apartment owners make

1. Changing scope mid-project. “While we’re here, let’s redo the kitchen too” extends the project by ten days and adds unbudgeted cost. All decisions should be set after the survey.

2. Picking the cheapest quote. The price gap between a firm that delivers all seven phases properly and one that cuts corners is 20–30%. Choosing the cheaper option without understanding the gap leads to cracked paint, bubbling, and water reaching the neighbor’s apartment six months later.

3. Ignoring VAT. A 20% VAT is not a minor line item. Our Ankara renovation cost per m² 2026 piece treats this in detail.

4. Wrong season. Between November and February, paint and plaster drying times stretch. Where possible, schedule between March and October.

5. Friction with building management. Working hours (typically 09:00–18:00 weekdays, restricted on weekends), elevator usage, common-area cleaning — failure to clarify these upfront costs working days.

Conclusion and next step

A well-planned apartment renovation, broken into the right phases and supported by timely client decisions, is a stress-free process. Seven phases, an average of 25–35 working days, six interaction points — every project that stays inside this frame finishes cleanly.

To start this process for your apartment, request a survey from our contact page. Ekinoks survey visits are free, and our written quote follows within 2–3 working days. We’ll decide on the right package together after seeing your space.