Get a vacant unit rent-ready fast: the order of work

Day one: walk the unit and write the list

This post is about sequence. For the full list of what to check in every room, use the unit turnover checklist. Compare the unit to the move-in condition report from when the last tenant arrived, and separate normal wear from damage using wear and tear versus damage.

Walk every room with your phone and photograph each problem. Write one line per job: what, where, who does it, and whether it needs a part. Do this the day the tenant leaves, before the deposit decision and before you start any work.

Order the slow items first

Anything that takes more than a few days to arrive is the real schedule. Typical examples are a replacement appliance, a custom blind, a countertop repair, flooring that is out of stock, and a vendor who books a week ahead. Order or book these on day one, even if the work happens last. The clock on a vacant unit runs from the day the tenant leaves, not the day you start.

If the lease allows you to schedule a pre-move-out inspection while the tenant is still there, your list can be ready before the unit is empty. Check your state's rules on entry and on inspections before move-out.

The order that avoids rework

Work from the biggest and dirtiest jobs down to the cleanest. Each step below should finish before the next one starts, except where noted in the next section.

1. Safety and big repairs: leaks, electrical problems, broken locks, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, anything that could injure someone or damage the unit further. See alarm rules.
2. Trash-out and demolition: remove left-behind items, old blinds and damaged fixtures.
3. Plumbing and mechanical: faucets, toilets, the water heater, the filter and air-conditioning check.
4. Drywall and carpentry: patch holes, fix doors and trim.
5. Painting: after the patching has dried. Paint ceilings, then walls, then trim.
6. Flooring: after painting, so drips do not land on new floors.
7. Fixtures and small items: outlet covers, light bulbs, blinds, door stops, a new shower curtain rod.
8. Deep clean: last, top to bottom, ending with the floors.
9. Final walk and photos: check every item on your list and take the photos you will use in the listing and the move-in report.

Painting a home built before 1978 may fall under the EPA's lead-safe work rules when it disturbs painted surfaces. See lead-safe rules for owners doing their own repairs before scheduling sanding or demolition.

Which jobs can happen at the same time

Two jobs can share a day if they happen in different rooms and neither makes the other dirty. A plumber can work in the bathroom while a painter works in the bedroom. A cleaner should never share a day with a painter or a floor crew in the same room.

Example a made-up two bedroom unit has five jobs: a dripping faucet (1 hour), patching and painting (2 days with drying), new vinyl floor in the kitchen (half a day), a replacement blind (ordered, 4 days to arrive), and a deep clean (half a day). If the blind is ordered last, the unit takes about 3 days of work and then waits 4 days, so it is ready on day 7. If the blind is ordered on day one, it arrives during the painting and the unit is ready after about 3 working days, a saving of 4 days of rent.

Keep the list where everyone can see it

A shared list stops the two most common delays: a vendor who does not know another vendor is booked, and a job that everyone assumed someone else had done. Put each item on a work order with a date, and close it only when you have seen the result. Our work order process for small owners shows a simple version.

With DoorKeeping, each job is a work order with a vendor link, and you can ask Claude or ChatGPT which turnover jobs are still open. Money and legal steps still wait for your one-tap approval.

Sources

1. EPA, Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Program, read Oct 30, 2026

Questions

What is the correct order for make-ready work on a rental?

Safety repairs, trash-out, plumbing and mechanical, drywall, painting, flooring, small fixtures, deep clean, then a final walk. Slow parts are ordered on day one.

How long does it take to make a unit rent-ready?

It depends on the damage and how fast parts and vendors arrive. A light turn can take a few days; a unit needing flooring, paint and appliances can take a week or more. The waiting time for parts is usually the longest part.

Should I clean before or after painting?

After. Do a light sweep for dust if you like, but the deep clean belongs after painting and flooring.