Quick answer: Across LA, a typical 1BR make ready runs $300 to $450 and often takes 3 to 5 days. TurnOver LA is flat $255 for a 1BR, $225 for a studio, $335 for a 2BR, and $425 for 3BR or larger, done in 48 hours. Every job includes a deep clean and a 12 point photo report. Book online anytime.
If you searched apartment make ready near me in LA, you can book it right now with TurnOver LA. We cover the entire city, hand keys back in 48 hours, and price the base make ready by unit size with no hidden fees. Get instant quote in 30 seconds.
What does apartment make ready mean in LA?
Make ready is turning a vacated unit into a clean, safe and photo ready rental that meets your standard and local expectations. In Los Angeles, that often means removing tenant residue, correcting small damage, testing life safety, and documenting condition to support deposit accounting. Our base Make Ready includes a full deep clean and a 12 point photo report that captures walls, floors, appliances, cabinets, bathrooms, windows, doors, and fixtures. In neighborhoods like Koreatown and West Hollywood, this baseline removes most friction so you can list within two days. For a longer definition of make ready and how it fits into turnover, see our guide, What is Make Ready. You can pair it with paint touch ups, handyman punch, rekey, or junk haul if the unit needs extra work.
- Read: What is Make Ready
How much does a make ready cost in Los Angeles?
Across LA, a 1BR make ready typically runs $300 to $450 from general cleaners or turnover vendors, with timing that can drift to 3 to 5 days. TurnOver LA prices are flat and faster: Studio $225, 1 Bedroom $255, 2 Bedroom $335, 3BR or larger $425, all delivered in 48 hours. If the unit needs paint or repairs, general market rates often stack quickly. Paint touch up commonly adds $250 to $400 elsewhere, while our Paint touch up only is $200. Repainting per room in the market is often $450 to $650, ours is $395 per room. Many vendors bill handyman time at $90 to $140 per hour. Our Half-day handyman punch list is $230 and a Full-day punch list is $425. You can see every add on below and only approve what you need. Get instant quote in 30 seconds.
What is included in a make ready from TurnOver LA?
The base package is a deep clean plus a 12 point photo report. Cleaning covers kitchen degreasing, bath scrub and descale, interior cabinet wipe, appliance interior and exterior, floor detailing, baseboards, window glass and sills, light switches and outlet covers, and a dust down from top to bottom. We also do a basic fixture check and note any safety items to route to maintenance. The 12 point report gives you defensible before and after photos that align with deposit law documentation standards. If you need light painting, our Paint touch up only at $200 closes nail holes and scuffs. If walls are beyond touch up, Repainting per room is $395, with optional Ceilings and baseboard or trim for $125. You can add small wall patches, hardware swaps, and a rekey in the same visit.
- See service details: Make Ready service page
- Add-ons overview: Painting and drywall
How fast can you realistically turn a unit citywide?
Our standard is 48 hours from keys-in to keys-back. No rush fee. In practice, a clean-only turn finishes same or next day, then we hold the window for any elected add ons like paint touch up or rekey. In Downtown LA or Hollywood, building access controls can add elevator or dock scheduling, so we stage crews accordingly to keep the 48 hour window. If you add full room painting, plan for the same window but we front load cleaning so you can shoot listing photos on day two. We operate across the Westside, Central LA, and the Valley. Where parking is tight, such as Santa Monica and Echo Park, we still keep timers by bringing materials in one trip and coordinating with management. You get start and completion confirmations with photo proof.
What fixes do most LA landlords pair with make ready?
Most owners pair small paint and minor repair with the clean. These are the highest value add ons in LA right now, shown with market context first and our price second.
- Paint touch up across the market: $250 to $400. TurnOver LA: Paint touch up only $200.
- One full room repaint across the market: $450 to $650. TurnOver LA: Repainting per room $395.
- Add ceiling and trim refresh, market: $150 to $250. TurnOver LA: Ceilings and baseboard or trim $125.
- Patch a quarter sized hole, market: $175 to $300. TurnOver LA: Small drywall patch and texture $150 per patch. Medium drywall repair $240 per patch.
- Minor maintenance, market hourly: $90 to $140. TurnOver LA: General maintenance and safety visit $125. Half-day punch list $230. Full-day punch list $425.
- Rekey, market per lock: $125 to $175. TurnOver LA: Full apartment rekey up to 2 locks $150, or Rekey first lock $100 and Additional lock rekey $50 per lock.
Bundle the pieces you need. If the prior tenant left bulk items, see cleanout pricing below.
Step by step: how we run a 48 hour make ready in LA
- Prewalk and scope. You or your manager share access details, unit size, and known issues. We quote instantly online.
- Arrival and documentation. We log entry time and shoot the 12 point photo baseline before any cleaning so deposit records are clean.
- Deep clean. Kitchen and bath first, then living, bedrooms, closets. Floors and baseboards last to leave a crisp edge for paint.
- Paint touch up. We color match typical builder white or your named code, fill nail holes, sand, and touch scuffs. Full room repaints get masked and rolled same day.
- Punch and safety. We tighten plates, replace failed bulbs, test GFCI, check smoke and CO alarms, and flag anything that needs your approval.
- Rekey and hardware. We rekey or swap the knob and deadbolt if ordered, then update key tags.
- Final wipe and photo closeout. We vacuum or mop out, close windows, set thermostats as directed, and deliver the after set of photos with a summary.
How does make ready connect to security deposit law in California?
Your documentation and speed affect deposit compliance. California requires itemized deductions and refund within 21 days after move out. See the statute at California Civil Code §1950.5 and our guide on the 21 day process. AB 12 (2023) now caps most residential deposits at one month of rent, with limited exceptions, which increases pressure to document damages and restore quickly. The state’s California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide and the California Tenants Guide both reinforce that normal wear and tear is not deductible, so your make ready photos and notes should separate dirt from damage. Our 12 point photo report aligns to that standard and helps your manager build a clean accounting record.
- Statute: California Civil Code §1950.5
- State guide: California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide
- Tenant guide: California Tenants Guide
- New cap: AB 12 (2023) security deposit cap
- Related reads: California 21 day deposit return, Normal wear and tear in California
What if there is junk left behind or odor to remove?
Across LA, unit cleanouts for a 1BR often run $350 to $550 and many haulers charge per trip. TurnOver LA’s Unit cleanout and junk haul is Studio $200, 1 Bedroom $310, 2 Bedroom $420, 3BR or larger $420, with Additional junk load $200 if the volume exceeds one load. We stage cleanout before cleaning so you do not pay twice. For odors, we start with a deep clean and material wipe down. If you have pet or smoke issues beyond standard cleaning, see our guides on Pet Odor Removal in Los Angeles apartments and How to remove smoke smell from an apartment. We will advise on sealing options and when repainting or primer is necessary. Rekey is available in the same visit if you are changing access.
- More: Cleanout and junk haul
- Odor guides: Pet odor removal, Remove smoke smell
What is the 30 percent rule for apartments and does it apply here?
In leasing, the 30 percent rule describes a common screening heuristic where rent is set so that a tenant’s gross income is roughly three times rent. It does not control turnover scope or pricing, but it does influence your timeline math. Vacancy loss across LA typically runs $80 to $200 per day depending on submarket. With that carrying cost, a 48 hour turn protects your NOI even if you authorize light paint and a half-day punch list. In Santa Monica and Pasadena, where marketing windows are tight and ad spend is higher, getting photo ready by day two reduces days vacant more than almost any other control you have during a turn. Use the 12 point report to support deposit claims and move quickly to listing.
When should you order listing media and how much is it?
Across LA, basic listing packages with photos and a floor plan commonly run $250 to $600 and can book out several days. TurnOver LA’s TLA Launch Pad Media Package is $399 and can be scheduled alongside the make ready so you launch within the same 48 hour window. We coordinate with your building for access. This package is sized for operators who want to relist immediately with clean, consistent marketing assets without juggling another vendor. If the unit only needs a clean and small touch up, we often shoot photos on day two before final mop. If you prefer to wait until after paint dries, we hold the slot and shoot as soon as walls cure.
- Optional add: TLA Launch Pad listing media
What is not included in the base price and how do approvals work?
The base price is the deep clean plus the 12 point photo report. Paint, drywall, handyman, rekey, and junk haul are elective. We do not perform mold remediation, licensed plumbing, or electrical beyond fixture swaps. You will receive a quote link with your selected add ons and catalog prices. You can approve some or all of them. If we find anything unexpected during the preclean photos, we send a note with a clear price from the catalog for your approval before proceeding. There is no rush fee and the 48 hour window stands once scope is fixed. Get instant quote in 30 seconds.
Ready to book a 48 hour apartment make ready?
You can self-scope by unit size and add the paint, punch, rekey, junk haul, or listing media you know you need. We stick to flat catalog pricing and deliver documentation you can use for deposit accounting and marketing. Studio $225, 1BR $255, 2BR $335, 3BR $425, done in 48 hours. Get instant quote in 30 seconds.