The Complete Make-Ready Checklist: How Austin Property Managers Turn Units Faster

Every day a rental unit sits vacant, it costs money. For property managers across Austin, Round Rock, and Pflugerville, the turnover period between tenants is where profitability is won or lost — and the biggest time-killer isn't the work itself. It's the coordination.

The painter can't start until the drywall guy finishes. The cleaner can't come until the flooring is done. The flooring crew is booked for two weeks. Suddenly a five-day turn becomes a three-week vacancy.



Here's the complete make-ready sequence — and how getting it done through one team instead of five contractors cuts your turnover time dramatically.

What Is a Make-Ready?

A make-ready (or unit turn) is everything that happens between one tenant moving out and the next moving in: inspection, repairs, painting, flooring, deep cleaning, and final walkthrough. Done right, it returns the unit to rent-ready condition quickly and consistently. Done poorly, it drags on, delays lease starts, and generates move-in complaints from new tenants.

The Complete Make-Ready Checklist

Step 1: Move-Out Inspection

Walk the unit as soon as it's vacant. Document everything — wall damage, flooring condition, appliance function, plumbing and electrical issues, missing fixtures, and cleanliness. A thorough inspection upfront prevents mid-turn surprises that stall the schedule.

Step 2: Repairs & Handyman Work

Handle all functional repairs first: drywall patching, door and hardware fixes, caulking, leaky faucets, running toilets, loose towel bars, blinds, smoke detector batteries, and light fixtures. Repairs come before paint — patched drywall needs to be primed and painted over, so sequencing matters.

Step 3: Painting

Full repaint or touch-up, depending on wear. Consistent paint colors across units simplify future turns and keep touch-up work fast. Painting happens after repairs and before flooring when possible, so drips and overspray never touch new floors.

Step 4: Flooring

Replace, repair, or refresh flooring as needed — new LVP or carpet in worn units, or professional carpet cleaning when replacement isn't necessary. Flooring goes in after paint and before final cleaning.

Step 5: Deep Cleaning

The full top-to-bottom clean: kitchen appliances inside and out, cabinets, countertops, bathrooms, baseboards, windows, blinds, light fixtures, and floors. This is the step new tenants judge hardest — a spotless unit at move-in sets the tone for the entire tenancy and reduces day-one complaints.

Step 6: Carpet & Specialty Cleaning

If carpet stayed, professional hot water extraction removes stains, odors, and allergens from the previous tenant. Tile and grout cleaning restores kitchens and bathrooms that mopping can't fix.

Step 7: Final Walkthrough

A last inspection against the original punch list: every repair complete, every surface clean, all systems working, keys and locks handled. The unit is photographed, documented, and officially rent-ready.

Why Multiple Contractors Slow Everything Down

The checklist above isn't complicated — but coordinating it across separate vendors is where turns fall apart:

• Scheduling gaps. Each contractor books on their own calendar. A two-day gap between every trade adds a week or more to the turn.
• No accountability between trades. When the painter blames the drywall repair and the cleaner blames the painter, the property manager plays referee.
• Repeat visits. Missed items mean calling vendors back — and waiting for them again.
• Five invoices, five points of contact, five things to chase.

Turn Your Units Faster — With One Call

If your make-readies are taking longer than they should, the problem probably isn't the work — it's the coordination.

LEAP Facility Services provides complete make-ready and property maintenance services for property managers, HOAs, and multi-family communities throughout Pflugerville, Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, Hutto, Cedar Park, and surrounding Central Texas areas. With over 18 services under one roof — handyman repairs, drywall, painting, flooring, deep cleaning, and carpet cleaning — we handle your entire turnover with one team, one schedule, and one point of contact.

Call us today at (737) 412-1670 or request your free estimate online to streamline your next unit turn.