Quick answer: In California, apartment make ready means restoring a vacant unit to clean, safe, and rent-ready condition. Across LA, a 1BR market make ready commonly costs $275 to $450. With TurnOver LA it is $255 for a 1BR Make Ready, completed in 48 hours and documented with a 12-point photo report. Add painting, handyman, or rekey as needed.
Apartment make ready in California covers deep cleaning, minor repairs, touch-up painting, safety checks, and documentation so you can re-list fast and defend deposit deductions. Typical LA market pricing for a 1BR cleaning is $275 to $450. TurnOver LA charges $255 for a 1BR Make Ready, with a flat 48-hour turnaround. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
What does “make ready” mean in apartments?
Make ready is the operational process of returning a vacated unit to rent-ready condition. In practice, that means deep cleaning all surfaces, addressing life-safety items, making minor repairs, touching up paint, and verifying appliances and fixtures work. In California, it also means documenting condition to support lawful deposit deductions under California Civil Code §1950.5. At TurnOver LA, the base Make Ready includes a deep clean and a 12-point photo report, which is the baseline for any additional scope like painting, drywall, handyman punch, cleanout, rekey, or listing media. The goal is simple: cut vacancy days, meet habitability standards, and back up your file for the 21-day deposit return timeline.
How much does a make ready cost in LA and across California?
Across LA, a 1BR base make ready clean often runs $275 to $450, depending on unit size, soil level, and scheduling. TurnOver LA pricing is fixed by bedroom count: Studio $225, 1 Bedroom $255, 2 Bedroom $335, 3BR or larger $425. Typical repaint labor in LA is $400 to $900 per room. TurnOver LA is $395 per room, with ceilings and baseboard or trim at $125 and paint touch-up only at $200. Small drywall patches often run $175 to $350 on the market. TurnOver LA is $150 per small patch or $240 for a medium repair. Handyman half-day rates in LA often land at $250 to $450. TurnOver LA’s half-day punch list is $230 and a full day is $425. Rekeying in LA is commonly $120 to $225. TurnOver LA rekey options start at $100.
| Scope item | Typical LA market | TurnOver LA price |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR base make ready clean | $275 to $450 | Make Ready 1 Bedroom $255 |
| Paint touch-up | $225 to $400 | Paint touch-up only $200 |
| Repaint per room | $400 to $900 | Repainting per room $395 / room |
| Ceilings and trim | $150 to $250 | Ceilings and baseboard or trim $125 |
| Small drywall patch | $175 to $350 | Small drywall patch + texture $150 / patch |
| Half-day handyman | $250 to $450 | Half-day handyman punch list $230 |
| Rekey 1 lock | $120 to $225 | Rekey first lock $100 |
What does “make ready” mean on a maintenance request?
On a work order, “make ready” signals bundled turnover tasks needed before marketing and move-in. For an onsite team, that might include a general maintenance or safety visit, minor plumbing or electrical fixes, door hardware checks, and smoke and CO alarm verification. For a third-party turnover crew, it adds deep cleaning plus optional painting or drywall. If you manage scattered sites in Koreatown or West Hollywood, a consolidated make ready reduces the back-and-forth that burns days. TurnOver LA offers a general maintenance or safety visit at $125 to handle quick fixes and code basics. If your ticket includes more items, a half-day handyman punch list at $230 or a full day at $425 keeps the work moving without multiple vendors. Pair that with a base Make Ready so one crew cleans and another closes repairs in the same 48-hour window.
What is included in a California make ready checklist?
A solid checklist is the difference between a clean unit and a rent-ready unit. Here is a practical sequence that fits California files and deposit rules:
- Unit cleanout or junk haul if needed. 2) General maintenance or safety visit for locks, smoke and CO alarms, GFCIs, and trip hazards. 3) Drywall patches and minor carpentry. 4) Paint touch-up or room repaints. 5) Deep clean top to bottom, including floor detailing. 6) Rekey and key control. 7) Final photo documentation. TurnOver LA aligns this with a base deep clean, a 12-point photo report, and optional add-ons that follow the same order. This sequencing avoids painting over dust, reduces call-backs, and supports documentation under California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide. For a full checklist reference, see our guide at /guides/apartment-turnover-checklist.
How do rent control and local rules affect make ready decisions in LA?
Under the LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance, many pre-1978 units are rent stabilized, which limits rent increases and shapes turnover math. You cannot withhold or delay habitability items due to budget. Life-safety, locks, and alarms must be ready at move-in. For security deposits and lawful deductions, California Civil Code §1950.5 applies statewide. That means itemized deductions and timely return regardless of local rent rules. In practice, RSO reduces your ability to offset vacancy with a higher listed rent, so speed matters more. In Westlake or North Hollywood, shaving 2 days at $80 to $120 per day is $160 to $240. In Santa Monica or Downtown LA Class A stock, 2 days can be $300 to $400. A fixed 48-hour turnover helps control that exposure.
When should you repaint versus touch up in a turnover?
Repaint only when coverage, color match, or sheen mismatch makes touch-up obvious. If 80 percent of a wall area requires coverage or the patching is widespread, repaint the room. If scuffs are isolated and you have the original paint, touch-up can be clean and defensible. Market rates for repainting often hit $400 to $900 per room. TurnOver LA is $395 per room, with ceilings and baseboard or trim at $125. If cabinets or built-ins need love, sand and repaint cabinets or shelving is $135. Touch-up is $200 when that is the only paint scope. Pair paint with drywall first: a small drywall patch and texture is $150 per patch and a medium repair is $240 per patch. These line items map cleanly to itemized deductions and photos.
What is the cost and best practice for drywall and handyman punch lists?
Do drywall patches before paint and before final cleaning. It reduces dust on fresh finishes and avoids double work. In LA, small patches typically run $175 to $350. TurnOver LA prices a small drywall patch and texture at $150 per patch, and a medium drywall repair at $240 per patch. For broader repairs and tune-ups, book time blocks. Our half-day handyman punch list is $230 and a full day is $425. Use the half day for 4 to 6 small tasks like bi-fold track fixes, P-traps, caulk, and door alignment. Use the full day if you need multiple rooms, appliance pulls, or bath hardware swaps. For one-stop assistance, consider a general maintenance or safety visit at $125 to cover alarms and basic code checks early. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
Should you rekey every turnover and what does it cost?
Yes, rekeying protects you and the incoming resident. Key control is a basic habitability and liability issue. Across LA, rekeying often runs $120 to $225. TurnOver LA offers Rekey first lock at $100, Additional lock rekey at $50 per lock, a Lock rekey front and deadbolt at $110, and a Full apartment rekey up to 2 locks at $150. If you are upgrading access, a Smart lock install is $210. Document the change in your move-in packet and photo report so your deposit file shows proper security steps. Combine rekey with your final clean so the unit can stage and show safely the next morning.
How does the 21-day deposit rule change your turnover timeline?
California requires deposit accounting within 21 calendar days of move-out under California Civil Code §1950.5. That clock does not pause for vendor delays. Plan your make ready to finish cleaning, repairs, and photo documentation within the first 3 to 5 days, so you can source any replacement invoices and send the itemized statement on time. If you still manage paper checks, mail time eats days. AB 12 limits most residential deposits to one month in 2024 and 2025, which reduces your cushion. Faster turns and tightly itemized line items matter more. TurnOver LA’s 48-hour turnaround and 12-point photo report help you close the file fast. For policy details, see /guides/california-21-day-deposit-return and AB 12 in the California Tenants Guide.
What is the step-by-step sequence for a fast California make ready?
Use this order to save days and avoid rework:
- Walk and scope with photos. 2) Remove trash and bulky items. 3) Complete a general maintenance or safety visit at $125. 4) Perform drywall repairs at $150 per small patch or $240 per medium patch. 5) Paint touch-ups or room repaints at $200 or $395 per room and $125 for ceilings and trim. 6) Deep clean with the base Make Ready by size, for example 1 Bedroom $255. 7) Rekey at $100 for the first lock or $150 for a full apartment rekey up to 2 locks. 8) Capture final 12-point photo report and store receipts. This sequence routinely compresses downtime by 1 to 3 days across LA submarkets that run $80 to $200 per day in vacancy loss. For a general overview, see /guides/what-is-make-ready.
Do listing photos and media actually reduce vacancy loss?
Yes, better media closes the marketing gap. If your unit is in West Hollywood or Koreatown, solid photos can cut days on market by exposing the listing faster and improving click-throughs. TurnOver LA’s TLA Launch Pad Media Package is $399. Across LA, one extra vacancy day is commonly $80 to $200 in lost rent depending on submarket. Two days of savings pays for the package. We also clean in 48 hours, so you can shoot immediately after. Pair the media package with the base Make Ready and a rekey for a clean, secure, and marketable unit. If you need a neighborhood partner that knows the local stock, see our West Hollywood page at /areas/west-hollywood. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
How to book a 48-hour apartment make ready in LA
If your unit is between tenants, lock in the base Make Ready by size, then add painting, drywall, handyman time, rekey, and media as needed. All pricing is listed, and every job runs on a flat 48-hour turnaround. Book online and receive an instant quote that you can drop into your owner packet. Review scope against your move-out photos, then authorize. We will deliver a deep clean and a 12-point photo report that fits deposit documentation standards. Ready to reduce vacancy loss and protect your file today. Get instant quote in 30 seconds