How do I schedule vendors for a unit turn so the unit is not empty longer than it has to be?
Book the trades in the order the work has to happen, as soon as you have notice of move-out, and build one day of slack between trades that depend on each other. The usual order is repairs, paint, flooring, locks, then the final clean, with a safety-device test and a photo walk-through last. Two dated requirements help: certified firms for paint disturbance in pre-1978 housing, and in Texas a rekey no later than the seventh day after turnover.
Start from the order of the work
The order of trades is covered in the post on trade order. This post is about booking people against it. Each vendor needs a day, a start window and a clear scope, and some of them depend on the one before.
| Order | Trade | Needs first | Slack to leave |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Handyman: repairs, doors, plumbing, drywall | Move-out walk-through list | A day if drywall mud must dry |
| 2 | Painter | Repairs done and dry | A day before flooring |
| 3 | Flooring or carpet | Paint dry enough to protect the walls | A day before the final clean |
| 4 | Locksmith | Trades finished, so the old key copies are done | None, same day |
| 5 | Cleaner | Everything else done | Same day as the locksmith, before the walk-through |
| 6 | You: test alarms, photograph, set keys | Cleaner done | The day before move-in |
Book all of them at once, not one by one
Do not wait for the painter to finish before you find a flooring crew. Call every trade the day you learn of the move-out, give each a start date and a scope, and ask for a written confirmation. A vendor can move up when the one before finishes early, but a vendor who was never booked cannot.
- Walk the unit the day the tenant gives notice, if the lease and law allow entry, to see the likely scope.
- Send each vendor a job: address, what to do, the dates, how to get in, and a photo.
- Ask for the price in writing before the day. A vendor who changes it on site gives you a chance to say no.
- Confirm the day before. A short message the evening before reduces no-shows.
- Keep one backup in each trade, a vendor you have already hired, so a no-show costs a day and not a week.
Two rules that change your schedule
The EPA's RRP program says anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in housing built before 1978 must be certified, and that landlords and property managers must comply. If your unit is older, book a certified firm for sanding, scraping and demolition, and plan for the longer lead time.
In Texas, section 92.156 requires a rekey by the landlord no later than the seventh day after each tenant turnover date. Put the locksmith on the schedule early enough to meet that day.
A worked schedule
Example a made-up two-bedroom unit has a move-out on Friday and a new tenant starting the second Saturday after. Saturday morning: handyman repairs, 1 day. Monday: painter, 2 days. Wednesday: carpet, 1 day. Thursday: locksmith and cleaner, 1 day. Friday: your walk-through and photos. That is six working days of activity from Saturday to Friday, and the second Saturday remains as a spare day. Each day of delay costs a made-up $1,500 / 30 = $50 in rent, so a spare day is worth planning for.
How DoorKeeping handles it
Open one work order per trade, send each vendor a job link, and keep the dates on the unit's turn. Your Claude or ChatGPT, connected to DoorKeeping, can list which trades have confirmed and which are late, and read each invoice as it arrives. Any payment waits for your one-tap approval.
Sources
- EPA, Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, read Oct 30, 2026
- Texas Property Code section 92.156, rekeying of security devices, read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- How long does a normal turn take?
- It varies with the work. A light turn of repairs, paint and a clean can take about a week with good booking, and a unit that needs flooring or drywall takes longer. Use your own past turns as the guide.
- Should I use one vendor for everything?
- One reliable handyman for small repairs can save you scheduling time. Keep specialists for paint, flooring, locks and any licensed work.
- What if a vendor is a no-show?
- Call your backup the same morning. Keep the original vendor on the list, but note the miss, and do not pay a deposit up front to anyone you do not know.