Renovation Contract Checklist: 15 Clauses to Verify

The apartment renovation contract turns the contractor's verbal promises into obligations: what they do, for how much, by when, and how results are accepted. Many clients sign a standard template without matching it to the estimate and payment schedule — then on site hear "that wasn't included" or "per contract we pay by calendar date, acts are optional."

Profmaster delivers turnkey renovation under contract with an attached estimate and milestone acts. Below are 15 points to verify before signing: from scope to warranty and termination. We cover estimates separately in how to read an estimate; contractor selection in how to choose a contractor.

In short: the contract must clearly answer what we do, how much we pay and when, how we approve changes, and what happens if work is not accepted.

How contract, estimate, and acts connect

Three documents work together:

Document	Role
Contract	Framework: parties, timeline, payment, warranty, liability
Estimate (appendix)	Detailed scope and prices at agreement
Acts	Confirmation of completed scope by stage

Simply put: estimate = "what and for how much," contract = "on what terms," act = "what is done and accepted."

If contract and estimate conflict, signed documents and acts usually govern. Before any deposit you need a single package, not a contract "to follow later."

15 contract points: summary table

#	Point	What to verify	Risk if missing
1	Parties and details	Tax ID, address, authorized signatory	Claims to wrong party
2	Scope and property	Apartment, area, access limits	"Where we work" disputes
3	Estimate appendix	Detail, date, version number	Uncontrolled scope
4	Start and end dates	Calendar or stage-based	Endless renovation
5	Work schedule by stage	Demolition → rough → finish	Chaos and downtime
6	Price and payment	Total, currency, stages, deposit	Paying for unfinished work
7	Acceptance acts	Form, signing deadline, objections	No payment basis
8	Change orders	Approval, price before start	Budget growth
9	Materials	Who buys, brands, receiving	Defects and downtime
10	Concealed work	Photos, diagrams, act before cover	Cannot verify
11	Acceptance and punch list	Repair deadlines, re-inspection	Defects "later"
12	Warranty	Term, scope, exclusions, claims	No remedy
13	Liability	Deadlines, penalties, force majeure	One-sided sanctions
14	Termination and refund	Exit terms, payment for fact	Stuck in conflict
15	Exclusions list	Debris, furniture, permits	Hidden costs

Each block in detail below.

1–2. Parties, scope, and property

Header details must match the proposal and invoice. Confirm the contractor's signatory is authorized.

Scope should be specific: "renovation work at [address], [area] m², per estimate No. … dated …." Generic "turnkey renovation" without estimate reference is a weak client position.

3. Estimate as appendix

The estimate must be an integral appendix with number and date. Scope changes need a new version or addendum, not verbal tweaks.

Contract element	Why
Version number and date	Prove what you signed
Units and quantities	Acceptance disputes
Contingency or options	Unforeseen work
Price validity	Material cost changes

Line-item reading: estimate guide. Budget benchmark: capital renovation calculator; contract price after survey.

4–5. Timeline and staging

Timelines may be calendar ("120 working days") or stage-based. Clarify when the clock starts — site access, key handover, or demolition complete — not "on signing" if the flat is still occupied.

Stage	What to fix in contract
Demolition	Duration, debris removal, building protection
Rough	Screed, plaster, waterproofing
MEP	Concealed work, diagrams, photos
Finish	By zone or room
Handover	Final acceptance, document transfer

Main risk: "90 days" in the contract but no interim milestones — the contractor technically complies by rushing everything into the last two weeks with defects.

6–7. Price, payment, and acts

Contract total must match the estimate (with or without VAT as agreed). Payment schedule should follow signed acts, not "the 25th of each month" without acceptance.

Payment	Typical tie
Deposit	Signing + agreed material purchase
Interim	Act per stage (rough, MEP, bathroom…)
Final	Final acceptance act, punch list closed

Specify days for the client to sign an act or send reasoned objections (e.g. 3–5 business days). Silence should not automatically mean acceptance if you have not inspected — but blocking payment forever without cause is unfair too.

More on payments: renovation payment schedule.

8. Change orders and design changes

The change-order clause is critical. Healthy wording:

• need for work not in the estimate is identified;
• contractor sends description, scope, price, timeline;
• client approves in writing before start;
• additional work act or addendum is signed.

Bad wording	Consequence
"Extras billed as needed at contractor rates"	Uncontrolled charges
"Client pays all necessary work"	Blurred responsibility
No response deadline	"We already started" pressure

Design changes (different tile, moved outlets) follow the same process as technical extras.

9–10. Materials and concealed work

Fix:

• who buys rough and finish materials;
• how equivalents are approved;
• who receives goods on site;
• what happens with defects and shortages.

For concealed work (wiring, pipes, waterproofing, screed) — photos/video and acts before floors and walls are closed. Contract may require as-built diagrams and equipment passports.

In resale, concealed scope often appears after demolition — see secondary checklist.

11–12. Acceptance and warranty

Final acceptance uses an act and punch list. Set contractor deadlines to fix defects (e.g. 14–30 days by type) and right to re-inspect.

Warranty in contract:

Parameter	What to write
Term	Overall and by work type (often finish 12–24 months)
Scope	Which defects are covered
Exclusions	Mechanical damage, third-party work, normal wear
Claims	Channel, response time, site visit

Details: renovation warranty. Warranty without a clause is a weak argument when tile cracks six months later.

13–15. Liability, termination, exclusions

Check symmetry: if late payment has penalties, contractor delays should have liability too (or downtime compensation when the contractor is at fault).

Termination: exit conditions, payment for work done, who owns purchased materials.

Not included — explicit list in appendix or schedule:

• debris removal (if not in estimate);
• kitchen and built-in furniture install;
• AC and appliance install;
• layout permits and fees;
• delivery and carry-up if excluded.

Main risk: ten-page contract with exclusions in fine print. Read appendices as carefully as the total.

Sample wording: what the client should actually see

Below is not legal boilerplate — it is the logic your contract should reflect. If wording is vague, ask for written clarification.

Topic	Strong meaning	Weak meaning
Scope	Work per estimate No. … dated …	"Turnkey apartment renovation"
Payment	Within N days after stage act signed	"As agreed by parties"
Change orders	Written approval before start, separate act	"Client pays all necessary work"
Concealed work	Photo record, act before cover	"Accepted after finish"
Warranty	N months from final act, exclusions listed	"Quality warranty" with no term
Termination	Pay for work done per acts	"Deposit non-refundable" with no terms

In short: the contract needs document references (estimate, act), numeric deadlines, and procedures (extras, acceptance, warranty). Generic words without procedure invite dispute.

VAT, receipts, and closing documents

Clarify contractor tax status and what you receive per payment:

Question	Why
VAT or simplified tax?	Match contract total to estimate
Closing docs on deposit?	Invoice, act, receipt for claims
Materials separate or bundled?	Different proof in disputes
E-document flow?	Act signing speed

For a private client, payment trail matters: without acts and closing documents, proving a stage was paid and accepted is hard. A contractor avoiding acts "for tax reasons" creates risk for both sides.

Typical signing mistakes

Mistake	Consequence
Sign without reading appendices	Pay for "excluded" items
No estimate version in contract	Scope disputes
Large deposit without milestones	Lost control
No change-order clause	Quiet budget growth
Verbal warranty only	No claim tool
One-sided penalties	Weak negotiation position

Checklist for the client

Before signing

• Party details match proposal and invoice
• Property address and area correct
• Estimate attached; number and date match agreed version
• Contract total = estimate total (VAT as agreed)

Payment and acts

• Schedule tied to acts; deposit within reason
• Act form and objection deadline defined
• Final payment after acceptance
• Change orders only after written approval

Quality and risk

• Concealed work: photos and acts before cover
• Materials: buyer, equivalent approval
• Warranty: term, scope, claim process
• Exclusion list read in full

Cross-check

• Estimate reviewed per guide
• Acceptance per checklist
• Budget vs Moscow costs 2026

When to contact Profmaster

Contact us if:

• you received a template contract and are not sure it covers your scope;
• the contractor refuses to attach the estimate or document change orders;
• you need a turnkey contract with acts, warranty, and clear payment schedule;
• you plan full or designer renovation and want one document package before deposit;
• you want a second review of another company's contract before signing.

Profmaster:

• prepares contract with detailed estimate after survey;
• fixes stages, acts, and warranty in one package;
• approves change orders in writing before start;
• has delivered turnkey renovation in Moscow and the region since 2006.

Services, projects, contacts — to request a sample contract and consultation.

Summary

The renovation contract protects you only when estimate, stages, payment by acts, change orders, acceptance, and warranty are aligned. The 15 points here are not legal trivia — they are a practical filter; gaps in the contract are usually filled with on-site extras.

Do not sign "to start faster." Match the contract to the estimate and ask questions first — that costs less than arguing whether pipe replacement was included in "turnkey" after the floor is tiled.