Quick answer: In LA, make ready means preparing a vacant apartment to rent, including deep cleaning, minor repairs, paint touch ups, rekeys, and documentation. Across LA, a 1BR make ready clean often runs $200 to $450. TurnOver LA is $255 for a 1BR Make Ready with a 12-point photo report and a 48-hour turnaround. Add ons like repainting are $395 per room with us.
Make ready in apartments is the end-to-end process of getting a vacant unit rent-ready. It typically includes a deep clean, a safety and maintenance sweep, paint touch ups or repainting, small drywall repairs, lock changes, and photos for documentation. In LA, you are competing with high vacancy loss by the day, so a tight scope and 48-hour turnaround matter. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
What does make ready mean in apartments?
Make ready is the operational bundle of tasks that moves a unit from just vacated to rent-ready. It covers cleaning to a move-in standard, fixing safety issues, paint and drywall corrections that show in photos, basic hardware adjustments, lock changes as needed, and a documented condition report. For Los Angeles owners and managers, make ready needs to line up with California deposit rules, rent control constraints where they apply, and the local leasing cycle so the unit lists cleanly within 2 days. The core goal is to control vacancy days while protecting the outgoing deposit and setting the incoming resident up for a smooth move-in. At TurnOver LA, the base Make Ready includes a deep clean plus a 12-point photo report, with add ons for paint, drywall, handyman work, rekeys, cleanouts, and listing media.
What does a standard make ready include in LA, step by step?
Here is a simple sequence that works across Koreatown, Hollywood, and Pasadena properties alike:
- Entry and lock check, smoke and CO alarms test, and breaker labels verification.
- Kitchen degrease, appliance exterior and interior wipe, sink and faucet descale, floor detail.
- Bath disinfect, grout and caulk touch up assessment, hard water removal, mirror and glass.
- Bedrooms and living areas dust top to bottom, blinds wipe, floor detail, baseboards.
- Paint assessment and touch ups in high visibility areas, or flag rooms for repaint.
- Drywall spot repairs for nail pops, small holes, and texture blend.
- Hardware and safety pass, tighten handles, adjust doors, swap bad GFCI, replace missing stops.
- Rekey plan and lockwork as required by your policy.
- 12-point photo report for deposit file and listing readiness.
- Final walkthrough, pick up dust, and handoff for photos or showings.
How much should you charge for apartment make ready in LA?
Across LA, a base make ready clean for a vacant 1BR commonly runs $200 to $450. Larger units, heavier soil, or add ons increase that. TurnOver LA pricing is fixed by unit size for the base scope, and we price add ons by task. Our rates from the live catalog:
- Make Ready (deep clean + 12-point photo report): Studio $225, 1 Bedroom $255, 2 Bedroom $335, 3BR or larger $425.
- Paint touch-up only: $200. Repainting per room: $395 per room. Ceilings and baseboard or trim: $125.
- Small drywall patch + texture: $150 per patch. Medium drywall repair: $240 per patch.
- Half-day handyman punch list: $230. Full-day: $425. General maintenance or safety visit: $125.
- Rekey front + deadbolt: $110. Full apartment rekey up to 2 locks: $150. Smart lock install: $210.
- Unit cleanout or junk haul: 1BR $310. TLA Launch Pad Media Package: $399.
All TurnOver LA jobs are scheduled on a flat 48-hour turnaround, with no rush upcharge. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
Market vs TurnOver LA pricing at a glance
| Line item | Typical LA market | TurnOver LA price |
|---|---|---|
| Vacant clean, Studio | $150 to $300 | $225 Make Ready |
| Vacant clean, 1BR | $200 to $450 | $255 Make Ready |
| Vacant clean, 2BR | $300 to $600 | $335 Make Ready |
| Paint touch up | $150 to $350 | $200 |
| Repaint per room | $300 to $700 | $395 per room |
| Small drywall patch | $180 to $350 | $150 per patch |
| Medium drywall repair | $250 to $500 | $240 per patch |
| Half-day handyman | $300 to $500 | $230 |
| Rekey front + deadbolt | $120 to $200 | $110 |
| Listing media package | $250 to $600 | $399 |
How long should a make ready take in LA?
Market timing for a standard, empty 1BR is 2 to 7 days when multiple vendors are involved and schedules do not align. In neighborhoods like Santa Monica and Downtown LA, that lag costs real money given vacancy loss often runs $80 to $200 per day. TurnOver LA books, completes, and closes the base Make Ready inside 48 hours. We bundle add ons on the same timeline unless painting rooms or drywall cure times push the schedule by a day. The point is to keep your unit listing on track without paying a rush premium or stacking gap days.
What does make ready mean on a maintenance request?
When maintenance techs or residents submit a ticket marked make ready, it flags a pre-move-in or pre-listing checklist. The task is not a single repair. It is a punch list that covers cleaning, minor fixes, safety, and cosmetics to bring the unit to a rent-ready standard. In LA portfolios, this usually includes confirming smoke and CO alarm placement and operation, verifying window and door function, adjusting GFCI in wet areas, and patching drywall where hardware was removed. At TurnOver LA, our general maintenance or safety visit is $125 if you want a focused compliance pass separate from cleaning, or we can fold safety items into a half-day punch list at $230.
What is the 30 percent rule for apartments, and does it affect make ready?
The 30 percent rule is a budgeting guideline, not a maintenance spec. It says households should target rent near 30 percent of gross income. While this does not change your make-ready scope, it does affect your leasing speed. Clean, photo-friendly apartments reduce days vacant, which helps rent stay within target for stronger applicants. If you operate under the LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance in areas like Mid-City or Koreatown, make ready is still about habitability and condition. Policy and rent caps guide your pricing strategy, but your unit still needs to show well on day one.
How much to clean a 700 sq ft apartment in LA?
A 700 sq ft apartment is usually a 1BR in Los Angeles. Across the market, vacant 1BR cleaning runs $200 to $450 depending on soil level and whether inside of appliances are included. TurnOver LA charges $255 for a 1BR Make Ready, which includes a deep clean plus our 12-point photo report for your file. If it is actually a larger 2BR at 700 sq ft, our Make Ready is $335. If you need paint touch ups add $200, or repaint a room at $395 per room.
What if you need painting, drywall, or a handyman as part of make ready?
Add ons are normal. Small drywall damage where TVs were mounted, cabinet scuffs, and baseboard chips show up in photos and at showings. Across LA, small drywall fixes run $180 to $350 per patch and repainting a room runs $300 to $700. TurnOver LA is $150 per small drywall patch, $240 for medium repairs, $200 for paint touch up, and $395 per room for repainting. Pair that with a half-day handyman punch list at $230 if you have door swings, closet tracks, GFCI swaps, or blind brackets to reset. We also handle rekeys at $110 for a front plus deadbolt or $150 for a full apartment rekey up to two locks.
How does make ready tie into deposits and California compliance?
Your make-ready photos and invoices become your deposit support. California Civil Code §1950.5 controls deductions, and the return window is 21 days. If you rent in LA RSO buildings, stay inside habitability and service timelines. AB 12 caps most residential security deposits at one month of rent for new tenancies starting July 2024, which further tightens your margin for error. Use the 12-point photo report to show pre and post condition, and separate normal wear from damage. See our guides on normal wear, deposit timing, and your LA cleaning standard for details:
- Read Normal Wear and Tear in California
- California 21-Day Deposit Return
- Move Out Cleaning Los Angeles
When should you order listing photos during make ready?
Order media as soon as paint is dry and floors are detailed. You want photos captured the same day the cleaning is signed off, before dust settles or traffic returns. Market pricing for listing media in LA is $250 to $600 for a basic package. TurnOver LA’s TLA Launch Pad Media Package is $399, and we coordinate it inside the same 48-hour window so your listing goes live faster. Pair that with our base Make Ready and you can hit the market two days after keys are back. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
How do you control vacancy loss during turns in LA?
Set the scope on day one, book a 48-hour window, and avoid multiple vendor handoffs. If you sit three extra days waiting for paint, that is $240 to $600 in vacancy loss at LA’s baseline of $80 to $200 per day. It is often cheaper to approve one extra drywall patch at $150 and move to photos, versus waiting on a painter next week. If you regularly turn units in Koreatown, consider standardizing to a paint color and finish so touch ups at $200 blend cleanly. One vendor, one window, and documented condition is the operating model that keeps you ahead of schedule and within deposit rules.
What does TurnOver LA’s Make Ready include, and how do you book it?
Our base Make Ready is a deep clean plus a 12-point photo report for Studios at $225, 1BR at $255, 2BR at $335, and 3BR or larger at $425. Floor detailing is included in the clean. Add paint, drywall, handyman, rekeys, cleanouts, and listing media from the same catalog. Every job is booked and completed on a flat 48-hour turnaround. Start at our Make Ready service page or jump straight to an instant quote. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
Helpful links for owners and managers:
- See our Make Ready service overview
- Painting and drywall services for turns
- Vacancy loss math in LA
- Apartment turnover cost in Los Angeles
For LA-specific references and rules, see the LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance portal and the California DCA guides. These cover habitability and deposit basics you should apply during every turn.