Is make-ready the same as a renovation?

No. A make-ready restores a unit to clean, safe, and neutral so you can show and lease, usually in 1–3 days. Renovations change finishes or layouts and take weeks. If your goal is to reduce vacancy and meet habitability, make-ready is the right scope. If your goal is to raise rent class, think renovation.

Can I charge the tenant for paint during make-ready?

Only if it exceeds ordinary wear and tear and is properly documented. California requires itemized accounting within 21 days. Touch-up and repaint must be proportional to actual damage, not routine refresh. Review California Civil Code §1950.5 and keep dated photos and receipts with your statement.

When should I schedule carpet steam during a turn?

Late in the sequence—after paint and repairs, before the final wipe—so soils don’t transfer back onto fresh surfaces. Pricing runs $175–$335 depending on rooms. Plan for overnight dry time and use fans for speed. Avoid open windows on humid coastal days, which can slow drying.

Do I need to rekey after every move-out?

Yes. Rekey on every turn for security and key control. It’s a short visit and low-cost line item at $85 compared to the risk. Schedule it after all interior work so there’s a single key set circulating. Keep the invoice for your deposit file and your unit history.

How do I decide between touch-up and full repaint?

Decide at the intake walkthrough. If color and sheen match and walls are sound, touch-up ($255–$450) is faster. If multiple rooms have mismatched paint, heavy wear, or failed patches, full repaint ($450–$1,100) is usually cleaner and, paradoxically, faster overall. Factor dry times when setting show dates.

What Does Make-Ready Mean in Apartments? LA Ops Guide

If you manage rentals in Los Angeles, “make-ready” is the short, efficient sequence of cleaning, paint, repairs, rekey, and final checks that gets a vacant unit ready to show and lease. It’s not a renovation. It’s a repeatable turn. Our crews price by unit size and add-ons. Studio make-ready is $225; 1BR $255; 2BR $335; 3BR+ $425. Get instant quote in 30 seconds

What does “make-ready” mean in apartments?

A make-ready is the get-it-showable process after move-out and before new keys. It covers cleaning, minor repairs, touch-up or repaint, flooring refresh (clean or replace), hardware checks, and rekey. In LA, the make-ready goal is speed without cutting corners on habitability or deposit documentation. You’re eliminating objections in the first 60 seconds of a showing so vacancy days don’t stack.

Think “reset to clean, safe, and neutral.” It’s paint that blends, doors that latch, caulk lines that are fresh, smoke and pet odors addressed, floors cleaned, and photos taken once dry. Renovation upgrades (new kitchen, new bath) are outside make-ready. If you need only the core service, see our make-ready service.

How much does a make-ready cost?

Base make-ready pricing at TurnOver LA is flat: Studio $225, 1BR $255, 2BR $335, 3BR+ $425. Common add-ons: carpet steam $175–$335, wall scuff removal $65–$145, touch-up paint $255–$450, full repaint $450–$1,100, light junk cleanout $250, lock rekey $85. Scope drives total. Heavier paint or carpet work and odor treatments add time and dollars; a light, well-kept unit usually stays close to base.

Here are two typical LA scenarios:

1BR light turn: Make-ready $255 + carpet steam $175 + lock rekey $85 = $515 total. One workday, often ready to show by evening once carpet dries.
2BR heavier wear: Make-ready $335 + full repaint $450–$1,100 + carpet steam $175–$335 + light junk cleanout $250 + lock rekey $85 = $1,295–$2,105. Two to three workdays depending on paint dry and crew sequencing.

For detailed cost thinking, see our guide: Apartment Turnover Cost in Los Angeles.

How long should an apartment make-ready take?

A clean one-bedroom with minor touch-ups is commonly a single-day turn. Add paint or heavy scuff repair and you’re at 1–2 days. Full repaint plus carpet steam pushes to 2–3 days to respect cure and dry times. In LA submarkets, vacancy loss runs $80–$200/day, so the schedule math matters as much as the invoice.

Operationally, we schedule in this order when possible: paint day one, flooring cleaning late day one or start of day two, rekey after trades finish, then final clean and punch. If odors (smoke/pet) are present, bake in one extra day for ozone and ventilation. For odor specifics, see How to Remove Smoke Smell from an Apartment and Pet Odor Removal in Los Angeles Apartments.

What is a make-ready checklist?

A practical make-ready checklist is a short punch that travels with the unit from key pickup to sign-off. It’s not a 200-line inspection; it’s the half-page you can complete under time pressure. You can adapt ours from this article and pair it with our full Apartment Turnover Checklist for staff training.

Here’s a working sequence that fits most LA units:

Collect keys and photos; note meter reads; test power/water/gas.
Safety pass: smoke/CO alarms, door closers, window locks, trip hazards.
Paint decision: touch-up vs. full repaint; set fan/ventilation plan.
Repairs: patch/texture, hardware tighten, plumbing and electrical fixes.
Floors: vacuum, carpet steam, or hard-surface scrub; protect cure/dry.
Cleaning: kitchen/bath deep clean, caulk/grease detail, appliances.
Rekey, final wipe, show-ready staging, and listing media capture.

If you need standalone cleaning support, our deep cleaning crew runs after paint and before media. For paint scope, compare our interior painting options.

What can you deduct from the security deposit for make-ready?

California allows deposit deductions for unpaid rent, cleaning to return the unit to the same level it was provided, and repairs beyond ordinary wear and tear. You must account within 21 days and provide receipts or good-faith estimates. See the statute: California Civil Code §1950.5 and the California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide. For a practical walkthrough, see our 21-Day Deposit Return and Normal Wear and Tear in California.

A note on deposits in 2024: the new AB 12 (2023) security deposit cap limits most deposits to one month’s rent. That means less buffer at move-out, so documentation and before/after photos matter even more.

Does LA’s RSO change your make-ready scope?

The LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance doesn’t re-define make-ready tasks, but it does shape how you plan work. On RSO units, keep habitability intact during any occupied prep, stay current on registration, and avoid “construction-as-turnover” that could trigger tenant protections if a resident remains. For vacant RSO units, your scope is the same; your proof of condition and timelines still matter to avoid disputes.

Two practical RSO-adjacent tips:

If you paint, use a matching sheen and color so future touch-ups don’t force a whole-room repaint on every turn.
Keep invoices granular (e.g., “wall scuff removal $65–$145,” “touch-up paint $255–$450”) so deposit accounting is clean and proportional.

When should you order photos, video, or 3D tours?

Order media after paint and flooring are fully dry, and after rekey so we can capture door hardware in working order. In hot listing windows, we’ll shoot same day as final wipe. Our apartment photography and Matterport 3D tours are priced separately and can be booked in-line with the turn so you hit the market the hour crews roll out. Get instant quote in 30 seconds

Scope planning: align tasks to the vacancy clock

Make-ready base (clean/detail): pair this with quick wall scuff removal when paint is sound. That keeps you in a one-day showable lane.
Touch-up paint vs. full repaint: touch-up $255–$450 can preserve speed; full repaint $450–$1,100 typically pushes into day two or three. Decide at the walkthrough, not after cleaning.
Carpet steam: schedule late day to allow overnight dry; pricing is $175–$335 depending on rooms.
Rekey: always last trade indoors; $85 and 10–20 minutes per core change.

Quick comparisons (turn vs. reno vs. refresh)

Scope type	Goal	Typical duration	Typical components
Make-ready	Show/lease ready	1–3 days	Clean, touch-up/full paint, small repairs, carpet steam, rekey
Refresh clean only	Keep a showing slot alive	Same day	Deep clean, wall scuff removal
Renovation	Increase rent class	Weeks	New finishes, fixtures, layout changes

LA-specific operational claims worth noting

Vacancy math beats invoice math. At $80–$200/day vacancy, a $255 touch-up paint that saves 24–48 hours can be the cheapest “expensive” line item you buy this month.
Paint and carpet drying control your calendar. Open windows in coastal submarkets can extend dry times; interior fans are faster than ocean air.
Odor work pays first. Kill smoke/pet smells early; otherwise you will re-clean surfaces again.

Crew sequencing that works in LA buildings

Older LA stock has small parking lots, tight stairwells, and shared walls. We load-in with the quiet trade (paint) first, then bring in steam equipment and cleaning. We avoid overlapping carpet steam and deep cleaning to keep soils from re-depositing. Elevators? Book the window with management so media can roll in clean.

Sample schedules

Studio, light wear: 8:30a walkthrough; 9a scuff removal + minor patches; 11a detail clean; 2p carpet steam; keys rekeyed 3:30p; media at 4:30p. Show at 6p once carpet tack-dry.
2BR, full repaint: Day 1 paint; Day 2 AM paint trim and touch; PM carpet steam; Day 3 rekey + final clean + media. Show afternoon Day 3.

Make-ready roles vs. “make-ready tech” salary

LA managers ask about make-ready tech salaries; the number varies by portfolio type and in-house vs. vendor model. What matters operationally: one accountable lead controlling paint/repair/cleaning sequencing and documentation. Whether that’s your staff tech or our vendor team, the process discipline is the same: scope at intake, stage materials, verify, and photo-log.

Documentation: protect your 21-day clock

Capture 10–20 “move-out” photos before work.
Keep dated invoices that match deposit categories: cleaning, damage repairs beyond wear/tear.
Deliver the itemized statement within 21 days per statute and attach receipts. Start with the template in our 21-Day Deposit Return.

Common add-ons and when to use them

Wall scuff removal ($65–$145): use when paint is sound but marred; it can avoid a full repaint.
Touch-up paint ($255–$450): use for color-matched walls with patching; keeps you inside 1–2 days.
Full repaint ($450–$1,100): use when color mismatch or heavy wear makes touch-up slower than starting over.
Carpet steam ($175–$335): use for odors, visible soil, or showing prep; schedule late-day.
Light junk cleanout ($250): use when debris blocks cleaning or photos.
Lock rekey ($85): mandatory on every turn for security and key control.

When to pre-book media and showings

If your listing calendar is tight, pre-book media for the afternoon of your last trade. We’ll slide if a cure runs long. Listings that go live within hours of turn completion consistently reduce vacancy. For a deeper dive on downtime math, see Vacancy Loss for Property Managers in Los Angeles.

Why do some turns go off the rails?

Most “late” turns start with a moving target scope. Decide repaint at intake, not after cleaning. Decide carpet cleaning vs. replacement at intake. Pre-stage locks. And don’t photograph before steam. The second reason is moisture: paint cure and carpet dry drive your clock. Plan fans and air movers, not open windows, especially near the coast.

Can I book single trades instead of full make-ready?

Yes. We break out services so you can buy only what you need. If you’ve already handled paint, book just cleaning or carpet steam. If you did the clean, book rekey and media. See our make-ready service for base scope, interior painting for walls/trim, deep cleaning crew, and Matterport 3D tours for leasing assets.

Bottom line: define scope at intake, schedule by dry times, and publish fast

Make-ready is a short, disciplined path to a showable unit. In LA, the winners make fast decisions at intake, align trades to cure/dry, and list the hour crews finish. Use the pricing above to choose your lane, sequence it, and hold the 21-day documentation standard. When you’re ready, we can quote and schedule online. Get instant quote in 30 seconds

What Does “Make-Ready” Mean in Apartments? LA Guide