ETI Blog

For managers of 6 to 12 unit buildings, the turn is the job you repeat most. Here is how to decide how far to go

A unit turn looks simple on paper. The tenant leaves, you paint, clean, fix what broke, and list it. In a building with 6 to 12 units, it is the job you repeat more than any other, and the one where small decisions add up the fastest.

Every vacant day is a day without rent. Every dollar you spend has to come back through higher rent, fewer repair calls, or a faster lease. Most managers and owners know that. What they struggle with is where to stop.

Know Which Kind of Turn You Are Doing

Most turns fall into one of three buckets, and mixing them up is how budgets drift.

A light turn is paint, a deep clean, small repairs, new caulk, worn hardware replaced, and every fixture checked. A refresh adds new flooring, better lighting, and a lighter kitchen and bathroom update, such as painted or refaced cabinets, new counters, faucets, and pulls. A rehab opens walls, replaces systems in the unit, or rebuilds the kitchen and bath.

As rough planning numbers only, a light turn often lands somewhere between $1,500 and $4,000, a refresh between $8,000 and $20,000, and a rehab starts above that. Unit size, condition, and what labor and materials cost this season all move those numbers. Get written bids before you rely on any range.

The Things That Always Get Done

Before anything cosmetic, check what causes calls, claims, and complaints. Look under every sink and behind the toilet. Check around the tub and the ceiling of the unit below. Open and close every window and make sure it locks. Test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, the outlets near water, and the heat.

Fix problems before you paint. Paint over a water stain and it comes back through, usually right after the new tenant moves in.

One more item for older buildings. If the building was built before 1978, federal lead-safe rules apply to contractors who disturb paint in rental housing, which includes sanding, demolition, and window work. Make sure whoever does that work is certified and follows the rules.

What Usually Pays Off

Tenants judge light and cleanliness first. Fresh neutral paint, bright lighting, and a spotless kitchen and bath do more than most owners expect.

Flooring is next. Old hardwood often sands and refinishes well and costs less than replacing it. Where it cannot be saved, durable plank vinyl holds up to heavy use and is quick to install. Swapping dated light fixtures, worn hardware, and tired faucets is inexpensive and changes how a unit feels in photos and on a tour.

In the kitchen, painted cabinets with new pulls, a clean counter, and a working faucet carry a lot of the weight. In the bathroom, new grout, caulk, and a clean tub or reglaze often beats a full replacement.

What Usually Does Not

Premium finishes in a unit where the rent will not follow. Appliance upgrades beyond reliable and basic. Custom work. Changing the layout during a turn, which stretches vacancy and often triggers permits. And cosmetic work laid on top of unresolved water damage.

A simple test helps. If a tenant will not notice it, a leasing agent will not mention it, and it does not prevent a repair call, it probably does not belong in a turn.

What Turns Blow Up

The usual surprises are hidden water damage under sinks and tubs, a soft subfloor, old wiring behind a switch plate, and changes a previous tenant made without telling anyone. Carry a contingency of around 10 to 15 percent on anything beyond a light turn. Opening a wall in an older building rarely gives you good news.

Two habits help. Walk the unit before the tenant moves out when you can, so you can order materials and book trades while it is still occupied. And take photos of everything before work starts, so you have a record of what you found.

Run Turns Like a System

The managers who handle turns well keep a standard scope for each unit type. They use the same paint colors and fixtures across the building so spares are on the shelf. They have one or two trades who know the buildings and a standing price list. They schedule trades back to back and set a target number of days.

They also keep a simple log for each unit: what was replaced, when, and what it cost. Over a few years, that log tells you which fixtures fail early, which units cost the most, and what to put in next year's capital budget.

When It Stops Being a Turn

Sometimes you open a wall and the answer changes. The wiring is old, the plumbing is failing, or the price to fix it passes what the rent supports. That is the moment to stop calling it a turn and decide if the work belongs in a larger plan, ideally one that handles the unit along with building systems. For owners of older small apartment buildings, a contractor's view of both the unit and the building can save a lot of guessing.

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Want a Second Set of Eyes on Your Next Turn?

A quick walk through a vacant unit can sort what to fix, what to refresh, and what to leave alone, with a price on each.

If you manage or own a small apartment building in Chicago or the suburbs, we would be glad to walk a unit with you.

If you want a second set of eyes on your next unit turn, walk it with us. Request a walk