How to Prepare Your Apartment for Renovation: Pre-Start Checklist

Preparing your Moscow apartment before renovation often saves 2–4 weeks of downtime and reduces fines from building management and neighbor conflicts. The owner is not responsible for laying tile but for access, documents, an empty work area, and agreed rules — without that the crew cannot start on schedule.

Profmaster has delivered turnkey apartment renovation in Moscow and the region since 2006. Below is a step-by-step checklist: what to do 2–3 weeks before start, on day one, and what to verify in the contract. Estimate reading: How to Read a Renovation Estimate. Acceptance: renovation acceptance checklist.

2–3 weeks before start

Contract and estimate

Action	Why
Approve staged estimate	Avoid one per-m² number
Agree schedule and noisy days	Neighbors and management
Fix extras process	Act before work
Check warranty and property liability	Disputes after flooding
Align material list	Procurement and lead times

How to read the document: estimate guide.

Move-out and storage

• Assess volume: capital renovation = full move-out.
• Book movers and storage/garage for furniture.
• Disconnect and remove appliances not in scope.
• Photograph as-is condition — floors, walls, meters, furniture left on site.

Building management

• Confirm noise hours and fines.
• Submit pass and freight elevator requests.
• Arrange waste removal (container, schedule).
• Learn water shutoff procedure on risers.
• Get emergency service and engineer contacts.

Neighbors

Short notice should include:

• start date and loudest stages (demolition, chasing);
• foreman contact;
• dust protection in the stairwell if applicable.

5–7 days before start

Clearing the apartment

Zone	Remove	May stay
Rooms	Furniture, rugs, decor	Only per contract act
Kitchen	Dishes, food, appliances	Built-ins per demolition scope
Bathroom	Personal items, curtains	Old fixtures if demolition included
Balcony	Storage, plants	Block crew access if out of scope
Hallway	Shoes, coats	—

Utilities

• Pause or relocate internet and intercom if panel is in work zone.
• Photograph meter readings for water, gas, power.
• Close valves while away if management allows.
• Redirect delivery and mail to temporary address.

Access

• Hand over keys or code per act; keep duplicate with trusted person.
• Agree where materials are stored in the apartment.
• Align crew hours with security.

On day one

Owner checklist:

• Apartment empty or work zones fenced and signed in act
• Meter readings recorded
• Crew and unloading passes active
• Waste container placed or booked
• Foreman completed walkthrough with pre-demolition defects logged
• Neighbors and management notified
• Temporary housing and connectivity ready
• Contract, estimate, and schedule in hand

Documents: what the package should include

Document	Content
Contract	Timeline, staged payment, warranty
Estimate	Labor + materials + reserve
Schedule	Stages, noisy work, deliveries
Survey act	Pre-demolition condition
Key handover act	Access and liability
Extras appendix	Price before execution
Warranty certificate	Term and scope

Compare the estimate with the reading guide before first payment.

Temporary housing and daily life

For 60 m² capital renovation, plan 3–5 months without living on site.

Option	Plus	Minus
Nearby rental	Site control	Budget
Family stay	Savings	Logistics
Part of apartment	Cheaper	Dust, noise, delays

If you stay in the apartment:

• isolate a zone with separate entry/bathroom;
• agree dusty work schedule;
• do not store food and clothes in demolition areas.

Money and payments

1. Advance — only after approved estimate and schedule.
2. Staged payment — after stage acceptance, not 50% upfront for everything.
3. Reserve — 10–15% for contingencies in secondary housing.
4. Extras — separate act before start.

Do not pay for finish work before rough and MEP acceptance.

Safety and insurance

• Check contractor liability insurance (neighbor flooding).
• Clarify who protects entry doors and elevator.
• Fix rules for smoking and open flame on site.
• For expensive finishes in new builds — 360° photo/video before start.

New build vs secondary: preparation differences

Task	New build	Secondary
Demolition	Minimal	Full or partial
Neighbors	Often none yet	Notice required
Screed	Check developer work	Often replacement
Passes	Through new building management	Old stock rules
Temporary housing	Sometimes possible in white box	Almost always move-out
Documents	EGRN, developer handover act	EGRN, layout verification

In secondary housing, run the pre-estimate survey checklist before moving furniture out — otherwise prep pauses for pipes and wiring.

Foreman communication: week-one agreements

1. Channel — messenger, email, response time.
2. Photo reports — daily or per stage.
3. Hidden-work acceptance — who attends, notice period.
4. Deliveries — who receives materials on site.
5. Changes — only through extras act.
6. Neighbors and management — who calls during riser emergencies.

Situation	Owner action
Supply delay	Confirm new schedule in writing
Discovery during demolition	Do not sign act without inspection
Neighbor noise complaint	Connect foreman and neighbor, share schedule
Crew idle time	Find cause: access, materials, payment

Common owner mistakes

Mistake	Consequence
Start without approved estimate	Extras and pauses
Furniture in demolition zone	Damage, disputes
No passes	Crew idle time, fines
Neighbors not notified	Complaints, inspections
Full advance payment	No quality leverage
No before photos	Cannot prove damage

Questions to ask the contractor before start

1. What is the minimum you need from me to begin?
2. Who orders the waste container and pays removal?
3. How is after-hours access arranged?
4. How often are site reports (photos, video)?
5. Who coordinates water shutoff on risers?
6. How is the first stage accepted — see acceptance checklist.
7. Where to reach someone for urgent issues off-hours?

Services and formats: services. Briefing booking: contacts.

24-hour pre-start checklist

• Keys and codes handed over; duplicate with trusted person
• Container placed or delivery confirmed
• Crew knows building and elevator rules
• Neighbors have foreman contact
• Temporary address and internet work
• First payment only on approved estimate
• Photos of all rooms and meters saved to cloud

After start: control without micromanagement

Frequency	What to check
Weekly	Photo report, schedule, deliveries
Per stage	Hidden-work act
Neighbor complaints	Noisy work schedule
Before payment	Estimate match and acceptance

You do not need to be on site daily — but documents and photos must arrive regularly.

Legal points

• Verify ownership in EGRN — renovating before title is risky.
• Rental: written landlord consent for layout changes and chasing.
• Mortgage: notify bank for load-bearing work if the loan requires it.
• Home insurance: does it cover an empty site during renovation?

Contractor contract: tax ID, address, warranty, neighbor flood liability, termination terms. Cross-check with estimate guide before advance payment.

Room-by-room preparation

Room	Action
Kitchen	Remove appliances, defrost fridge
Bathroom	Remove rugs, curtains, personal items
Bedroom	Remove cornices if in demolition scope
Balcony	Block access or include in scope
Storage	Clear completely

Sign an act: what stays on site and who is liable for safekeeping.

Payment and paperwork

• Advance — no more than 30–40% with staged scheme.
• Each payment — per work completion act.
• Clarify: VAT in estimate, wire transfer, material receipts.
• Keep all payment records through warranty period.

Children, pets, and valuables

• Kids' items — remove completely (dust at every stage).
• Aquariums, plants, instruments — climate-controlled storage.
• Jewelry and documents — safe or bank box.
• Antique furniture — separate appraisal and act if it stays.

Contractor communication

Channel	Use
Messenger	Photos, quick questions
Email	Acts, amendments
Foreman phone	Urgent site decisions
Shared sheet	Schedule and payments

Fix agreements in writing — verbal "we will do it tomorrow" does not extend deadlines in disputes.

Materials on site: who procures

Scheme	Plus	Minus
Contractor buys all	Single responsible party	Markup on materials
Owner buys finish	Brand control	Compatibility and delay risk
Mixed	Flexibility	Needs bill of materials in contract

Before start, approve a materials list with SKUs or class (not only "mid-range tile"). Door, kitchen, and bath delivery dates belong in the schedule; supply delay should not automatically become crew idle time without a documented act.

Insurance and liability

Clarify in the contract:

• who is liable for neighbor flooding when opening risers;
• protection of elevator and stairwell doors;
• material storage after hours;
• access for third parties (designer, kitchen supplier).

For capital renovation in secondary housing, budget a 10–15% reserve for contingencies — a normal line, not a suspicious markup.

Summary: minimum owner actions

Two weeks before start: approve estimate, move out, notify management and neighbors. On day one: act, keys, before photos, container. During work: weekly photo report and staged payment. After — acceptance. This rhythm cuts downtime and disputes without daily site presence.

Summary

Apartment prep means access, documents, and an empty site. Estimate and schedule before move-out, notify management and neighbors, before photos, staged payment, and acceptance — the minimum set without daily site presence.

What Profmaster can deliver

• Pre-start briefing — estimate, schedule, owner action list.
• Survey act with photos before demolition.
• Staged contract with payment after stage acceptance.
• Coordination of noisy work and clear schedule for neighbors and management.
• Turnkey renovation with site reports and final acceptance per checklist.