Few terms are used with such wildly different meanings in construction as the word "turnkey". Some mean by it bare walls ready for painting; others mean a fully furnished home ready to move into — the difference between the two is significant, and it can be measured in a serious amount of money.
The term often means something different
In some offers, "turnkey" only means the structure and the plastered walls being finished — the flooring, the kitchen units or even the painting appear as separate line items. This is not necessarily a dishonest practice, but it can lead to misunderstandings if the offer does not spell out its exact content.
What does it mean with us?
As a general contractor, a turnkey handover means the home is handed over in the technical scope fixed in the contract, in a state that is genuinely ready to move into: with finished flooring, installed building services, and the interior fit-out agreed in advance.
At the start of every project, we record in writing, item by item, exactly what is included in the turnkey price — so the client knows precisely what to expect on handover day.
What to watch for when you hear this word elsewhere
- Ask for an itemised technical scope, not just the label "turnkey".
- Check whether the price includes the building services, the flooring and the painting too.
- Clarify who is responsible for warranty repairs after handover.
The moment of handover
A project is not really closed out when the structure goes up, but at the moment of handover: when the client receives the key to a home where everything is ready to move into. That is the moment we accompany the entire process for — from design all the way to general contracting.
