Findings sent
The current state in photographs, measurements, condominium title and permit status; by live video if you cannot attend.
Renovate with us
Renovate your Istanbul apartment from abroad
Prepare your Istanbul apartment for letting, sale or your own use with a written scope and a clear approval process. StayIstanbul coordinates architectural design, furnishing and renovation within the agreed project. You review the work list and budget before work begins, and follow progress through photographs and expense records.
All of Istanbul
Before / After · A real project
It was an empty flat. Now it is a home.
The same living room, two photographs: the flat as it was handed over empty, and after our in-house architects’ design and furnishing. Timing and budget are set per project after the site visit.
I Tired
The flat is tired. Every empty month is lost rent.
The paintwork needs redoing, the plumbing and electrics need checking, the kitchen shows its age. List it and the photographs say nothing; leave it and the months go by.
II The plan
First the site visit, then the written quote.
A site visit in person or by video, a photographic record of the current state, measurements and permit status. The itemised job list, the material options and the costs come to you in a single document, and the scope is fixed there.
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Renovation
III The work
The work goes on while you are away.
Our vetted trades do the work and we coordinate it. At the end of each stage you get a photographic report and a breakdown of what was spent. If something unforeseen appears, work stops and waits for your written approval.
IV Handover
The key comes back.
A photographic handover record, invoices, warranty documents and the project file. Materials, trades and delivery are passed through at invoice cost; moving on to letting or selling continues with the same team and in the same file.
V Process
You know where things stand, at every step.
Five steps from the site visit to handover. Nothing moves forward without your approval.
Job list ready
Itemised works, material options, trade and supplier costs, coordination fee — in one document.
Schedule and payment plan
Contract signed; payments tied to work stages, building and municipal permits obtained where needed.
Progress report
Stage photographs with what was done and what was spent; anything outside the scope stops and waits for written approval.
File closed
Handover record, invoices and warranty documents in your hands.
Work complete. Your home is ready for handover.
Scope
Five jobs, one point of contact.
Each starts with a site visit, is defined by a written quote and ends with a handover record. Which one you need is something we settle together at that visit.
- Rent-ready and sale-ready preparationFor owners who want an empty flat ready to listDetails
- Interior design and furnishingFor owners moving to furnished mid-term or short-term (Airbnb-style) lettingDetails
- Full renovationFor flats that need kitchen, bathroom, plumbing and electrical renewalDetails
- Architectural design and deliveryFor owners who want their own home or an investment property designed from the ground upDetails
- Remote project management and reportingFor owners living abroad or in another cityDetails
Prepare a brief before requesting a quote
Start with what the apartment needs to be ready for: a new tenant, a sale or your own move-in. Share the district, room layout, available photographs and the changes you are considering. Flag known leaks, electrical problems or access restrictions so they can be assessed at the site visit.
Separate essential repairs from optional improvements. A lighting fault and a new decorative finish serve different purposes; listing them separately makes it easier to choose a scope that matches your priorities. Do not assume that every cosmetic change will increase rental income or the sale price.
Compare the scope before comparing the total
A useful written quote identifies the work, material choices, labour and supplier costs, coordination fee and payment stages. Ask which items are included, excluded or still subject to inspection. Compare proposals on the same basis, including currency, tax treatment and delivery costs.
Use the renovation quote checklist to review proposals. Our renovation service scope guide explains the existing service categories and their handover documents.
Agree how decisions will be made from abroad
- Before starting: approve the written job list, selected materials and payment schedule.
- During the work: review stage photographs and the expense breakdown against that list.
- If additional work is identified: review the issue, proposed solution, extra cost and effect on timing before giving written approval.
- At handover: check the completed work, record outstanding items and collect invoices and available warranty documents.
The duration and coordination fee are set out after the site visit. Where permissions or specialist assessment are required, they must be identified for the proposed work; a general checklist cannot settle requirements for an individual building.
Scope and fee
What is included, what is not, and the fee.
Service fee
Our coordination and supervision fee is set out in the written quote after the site visit, according to the scope of the job.
We give no figures on the site: no two renovations are the same. The quote comes with an itemised job list and a payment schedule, and nothing outside the agreed scope starts without your written approval.
Frequently asked questions
What you will want to know about renovation.
How is the price set?
After the site visit we prepare an itemised written quote: job list, material options, contractor and supplier costs, our coordination fee and a payment schedule. Material and labour costs are passed through at invoice cost.
Which works need a permit?
Classic interior renovation inside the flat, such as painting, flooring, cabinetry, kitchen and bathroom renewal or lighting, usually needs no separate permit. If the work reaches the building’s common areas or its facade, the approvals needed are identified at the site visit and we take care of the process.
How do agreement and payment work while I am abroad?
The quote and agreement are sent by email and approved remotely; payments tied to work stages are made from your account in Turkey or by international transfer. If you are a rental-management client, the cost can also be met from the rent collected, with your written approval.
In whose name are furniture and items bought?
In your name; invoices are issued to you and warranties are kept in your property file. Items go on the inventory list and form the basis of the tenant’s move-in inventory.
Is the work guaranteed?
Manufacturer warranties for materials and appliances are handed over with their documents; for the works themselves, the contractor gives a written warranty undertaking in the agreement. Any defects noted in the handover record are put right by the contractor.
Do I need to be a rental management client?
No. Renovation can be taken on its own. If you are a management client, renovation, inventory and listing run in the same file with the same team; the renovation itself is agreed in a separate written agreement, and the listing opens from that same file once the work ends.
What is outside scope?
On the architectural side there is nothing we leave out: from an interior project to facade, common-area and whole-building work, our in-house architects take on every kind of architectural service. What the service fee does not include are the costs: permit fees, drawing fees, materials and labour are passed through at cost. Where the work needs engineering calculations, such as a structural or strengthening project, that project is prepared by a licensed engineer and its cost is passed through in the same way.
What if I cannot attend the site visit?
We do a live video site visit; the record photographs, measurements and observations are sent to you in writing straight afterwards. The quote is prepared on that basis.
Do you prepare flats for short-term (Airbnb) lets?
Yes. For owners who want to get their home ready for short-term (Airbnb-style) letting, we prepare the flat from the start: interior design and layout; durable furniture, appliances, lighting and textiles; installation, an inventory and a flat ready for listing photographs. Because short-term letting under Law No. 7464 needs a permit from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the unanimous consent of every unit owner in the building, we also check at the site visit whether the flat meets those conditions. You can take the preparation on its own as a renovation service; if the flat qualifies, StayIstanbul can run the short-term letting too.
Renovate with us
Tell us what your apartment needs
Share the district, intended use and a short description of the changes you want. Mention whether the apartment is occupied and whether someone can provide access. We can then discuss the site visit and the scope of a written proposal.
Or send an email:
hello@stayistanbul.com.tr