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NYC Apartment Turnover Services
NYC apartment turnover services come down to getting the order of work right. Most delays in a turnover come not from slow work but from trades arriving in the wrong sequence, or from surfaces being touched twice. Vanta Surfaces provides NYC apartment turnover services for property managers across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, with one crew running each stage in order and checking it before the next begins.
This page walks through the sequence we use on site, the checks between stages, and what you receive at the end. For related services, see interior painting and drywall installation.
NYC Apartment Turnover Services: The Right Order of Work
Why order matters
Paint applied before drywall dust has settled shows every speck. Flooring installed before painting gets scuffed and spattered. Each reversal costs a day of rework, and in a vacant unit that day is lost rent.
The sequence
- Protect floors, fixtures, and common areas.
- Repair: demolition of damaged material and fixes to doors, trim, and substrates.
- Drywall repair and skim coating, with time to dry.
- Prime stains and repaired areas.
- Paint ceilings first, then walls, then trim.
- Flooring and tile, where they are part of the scope.
- Fixtures, hardware, and touch-ups.
- Final clean, photographs, and handover.
Turnover versus maintenance
Maintenance fixes isolated problems while the unit is occupied. A turnover is a full reset of the unit between tenants, which is why the sequence matters.
Quality Checks Between Stages
What each check looks at
- After repairs: is the surface sound, dry, and smooth?
- After drywall: are seams invisible under raking light?
- After priming: are stains blocked and coverage even?
- After paint: are cut lines crisp, with no drips or missed spots?
- Final: do doors, hardware, and fixtures work, and is everything photographed?
Why checks save days
A defect caught before the next trade starts costs minutes to fix. The same defect found after the next trade has finished costs a day.
What's Included in Our Turnover Services
Walls, ceilings, and paint
Our drywall installation crews repair holes, cracks, and water damage, and our interior painting team primes and paints in the order above. Using washable finishes helps the unit survive the next tenancy.
Flooring and tile, where included
If your scope includes flooring or tile, we schedule it after painting and protect it until handover. Confirm what is included in your written scope.
Upgrades without full replacement
When cabinets and doors are sound, architectural film wraps renew them without demolition, which suits tight turnover windows.
When a unit needs more than a turnover
If a kitchen or bathroom is failing, a full home renovation folds that work into the schedule instead of repeating small repairs.
How We Run a Turnover
Step 1: Photo assessment
Send photos or a video walkthrough. We assess walls, floors, kitchen, and bathroom and propose a scope.
Step 2: Scope and finish selection
You receive a written scope with finish options, so approvals are quick.
Step 3: Work in sequence
One crew runs the stages above, with a check before each handoff. Common areas are protected and cleaned daily.
Step 4: Handover
We send completion photos and a short walkthrough, and the unit goes back to you ready for final cleaning and listing.
Building Requirements and Timeline
Most buildings need a certificate of insurance (COI), an elevator reservation, and set work hours, so settle them before the crew arrives. In housing built before 1978, paid work that disturbs paint must follow EPA lead-safe rules. A cosmetic turnover can take days and kitchen or bathroom work takes weeks, depending on scope, drying times, and deliveries.
Why Choose Vanta Surfaces for NYC Apartment Turnover Services
One crew, one sequence
A single project manager owns the order of work, so trades do not collide and surfaces are not touched twice.
Familiar with NYC buildings
We understand elevator rules, quiet hours, and protection requirements. We hold NYC DCWP license 2137851-DCWP and provide the COI your building asks for.
What you receive
A written scope beforehand, and completion photos and a walkthrough afterward, so you can approve the unit without visiting.
NYC Apartment Turnover Services: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between turnover and make ready?
The terms overlap. Make ready usually describes the repair scope, while turnover describes the whole process from move-out to the next lease. The linked guide explains what a make ready includes and how scope levels are chosen, which is the first step in planning a turnover.
Why does the order of work matter?
Because later trades damage earlier ones. Painting before drywall dust settles, or installing flooring before painting, leads to rework and lost days. A fixed sequence protects finished surfaces and keeps the schedule predictable, which matters when each empty day is lost rent.
What is a quality check between stages?
It is a short inspection after each stage, such as checking seams after drywall or coverage after priming, before the next trade starts. A defect caught at that point costs minutes to fix, and the same defect found after the next trade finishes can cost a day.
Do you handle flooring and tile?
Where they are included in the written scope, yes. We confirm the inclusions with you before work starts, and we schedule flooring after painting and protect it until handover. Tell us early if you want flooring changed, since it affects both materials and timing.
How long does a turnover take?
A cosmetic turnover can take days. Kitchen and bathroom work takes weeks. Drying times, deliveries, and building rules all affect the schedule, and so does anything found once walls are opened. Ask for a written schedule that shows each stage. For help on shortening the whole cycle, read how managers reduce vacancy time.
Can you run several units at once?
Yes. We can add crews and keep the same sequence and finishes in each unit. Grouping units by type helps, because the same materials and checks repeat. The linked guide covers how larger programs are phased and priced when many apartments are involved, and how a pilot unit confirms the scope before the rest begins.
Can you work in an occupied building?
Yes. We follow the building’s hours, reserve the elevator, and protect common areas. Send us the building’s insurance and access requirements with your request, so the paperwork is ready before the crew arrives. Residents should get notice of the dates, and deliveries should be booked with the super in advance.
How do I request NYC apartment turnover services?
Use the form on this page or call (646) 664-1696 with photos and the building address. We review them and reply with a scope. Include your target date, so we can plan the sequence backward from it, and mention any building requirements, such as insurance wording or elevator booking rules.
