Apartment Fit-Out in Istanbul: What Should You Agree with the Contractor Before Work Starts?
A clear agreement before fit-out begins helps you understand what the contractor will carry out, what you need to supply or approve, and how changes and handover will be managed. Start by identifying your apartment’s needs and priorities, then turn them into written items and responsibilities with the contractor.
Define the scope of work
Ask for a description of included and excluded work, identifying the rooms and areas covered and the elements that will remain unchanged. Clarify whether design work, drawings and furniture are needed and included in the quotation; they should not be assumed to be included. When comparing companies, ask what role each played in the work it presents, and assess how well its quotation meets your needs and the required specifications.
Agree on materials and supply responsibilities
Set out how materials, colours and finishes will be approved before purchase or installation, using clear specifications and samples where needed. Clarify who handles purchasing, transport, receipt, storage and installation, including materials you supply yourself. If an approved material is unavailable, agree that the alternative, its specifications and its effect on cost and timing will be submitted for approval before use.
Clarify the schedule and communication
Review the work stages and their expected dates, including the supplies and decisions they depend on. Set deadlines for approving your choices, identify who coordinates teams and suppliers, and agree on your main point of contact. Also agree on how progress will be monitored and the schedule updated when site conditions change, so the reasons for adjustments and their effects are clear.
Document changes before carrying them out
Some requirements may change during the work. Agree in advance that additions, omissions and substitutions will be recorded, with a description of the change, its effect on cost and timing, and approval before implementation. Keep an updated copy of approved items and choices instead of relying on scattered verbal agreements that are difficult to refer back to.
Define handover and how outstanding items will be resolved
Agree on review points during the work and acceptance criteria tied to the approved specifications. Define how issues will be recorded, who will resolve them, the agreed completion date and how their closure will be confirmed. Also clarify which available care and operating instructions, documents and warranties you will receive, according to the work and products included.