The last resident moved out Friday. The next one gets the keys Monday. And the bedroom is purple. Every day a unit sits empty is a day without rent, so a good make-ready is about doing the right things in the right order, with the trades lined up back to back. This guide gives you the apartment make-ready checklist, the order of work that saves the most time, how to cut vacant days, and how to get bids for one unit or a whole building.
The right order of work
- Inspect on move-out day with photos of every room, and list everything that needs work.
- Order materials right away: paint, flooring, blinds, appliance parts.
- Repairs first: drywall, doors, fixtures, appliances, anything behind the finishes.
- Paint next: walls, trim and doors, after the patches are dry.
- Flooring after paint: so drips and ladders never touch the new floor.
- Clean last: one deep clean when the dust is done, not two.
- Rekey and final walk-through: new locks, test everything, final photos.
The make-ready checklist, room by room
| Area | Check and fix |
|---|---|
| Whole unit | Wall patches and paint, doors and hardware, blinds, outlet covers, light bulbs, smoke and CO alarms |
| Kitchen | Appliances working and clean, cabinet doors and drawers, faucet and drain, countertops, under the sink |
| Bathrooms | Toilet, faucet and drain, caulk around the tub, grout, exhaust fan, mirror and towel bars |
| Bedrooms and living areas | Closet doors, flooring or carpet, windows and screens, ceiling fans |
| Systems | HVAC filter, water heater, any leaks, thermostat |
| Final | Deep clean, rekey, keys and remotes counted, final photos |
How to cut vacant days
- Do the move-out inspection the same day, with the make-ready list ready to send.
- Keep standard paint colors and flooring on hand so nothing waits on an order.
- Book the trades back to back: repairs, paint, floors, clean.
- Post the job as soon as you get notice to vacate, so bids are in before move-out.
- Use the same scope every time, so pros can bid quickly and accurately.
One unit or a whole building
For a single unit, one make-ready crew can often handle repairs, paint and cleaning together. For several units or a whole building, it can make sense to have specialists for paint, flooring and cleaning working in a rotation. Post the scope either way and compare the bids.
Write your rent-ready standard once
The fastest teams do not decide the scope from scratch for every unit. They write one rent-ready standard and use it every time: the paint colors and sheen, the flooring and when it gets replaced, the blinds, light bulbs, outlet covers, smoke alarm checks and the cleaning list. Share it with every pro so bids are quick and the result is the same in every unit.
Common make-ready surprises
- Pet damage: scratched doors, stained carpet and pad, chewed blinds.
- Slow leaks: under the kitchen sink, behind the toilet, around the tub. Check the cabinet floors.
- Nail holes and anchors from shelves and TVs, sometimes dozens of them.
- Appliances that work but do not meet your standard: worn gaskets, broken shelves, missing knobs.
- Left-behind items that need junk removal before anyone else can start.
A move-out inspection with photos catches these on day one instead of day five.
Running several units at once
When several units turn in the same week, set up a rotation: the repair crew moves to the next unit while paint starts behind them, then flooring, then cleaning. One shared schedule, and one person who walks each unit at the end, keeps the rotation from stalling. Post the units and dates together so pros can plan their crews.
What to put in your post
- Unit size (bedrooms and baths) and how many units
- Move-out date and the date it must be rent-ready
- Your make-ready list from the inspection, with photos
- Your standard paint colors and flooring, if you have them
- Access: lockbox, office hours, parking and the building's rules for contractors
Get apartment make-ready bids on BidHandyman
Post your make-ready free, for one unit or many. Only pros approved by BidHandyman can bid. Compare the bids, message the pros and hire the ones you like, with no obligation. Post your make-ready, or see commercial property maintenance and move-out cleaning.