Last updated: 6 October 2026
How do you account for renovation when buying?
Think of the property in two layers. The first layer is the visible surfaces. Paint, flooring, kitchen units and bathroom fittings belong here. The second layer is the hidden infrastructure. Water and electrical installations, waterproofing, window frames and the moisture condition of the structure belong here.
Surface work is easy to price. Anyone viewing the home can see that the paint is tired or the kitchen is dated, and the offer reflects that. The hidden layer is what upsets a budget. A problem in the infrastructure reopens every surface built on top of it.
Before making an offer, ask yourself one question. Does this home need new infrastructure, or only new surfaces? The answers lead to very different schedules and budgets.
What should you look for on a viewing?
Start with the corners. The corner where the ceiling meets an outside wall, the wall behind wardrobes and the area under windows are where damp leaves its first mark. A darkened corner, blistered paint or a musty smell tells you the problem goes deeper than the paint.
Next, turn on the taps. In the kitchen and bathroom, check the water pressure and how long hot water takes to arrive. Watch whether the basin and shower drain quickly. Low pressure in an older building usually points to old pipework.
Then look at the electrics. Note the age of the fuse board, the number of sockets in each room and whether the sockets are earthed. A room run on extension leads is a sign the wiring no longer matches how the home is used.
Finally, check the windows. Open and close them, look for condensation between the panes and feel for draughts around the frame. Replacing windows is one of the jobs that belongs at the very start of a renovation.
Which defects are minor and which are major?
As a rule, a defect that stays on the surface is minor and a defect that reaches below it is major. Worn paint, scratched laminate, old kitchen doors and a cracked socket cover are all minor. They are renewed in a few days and do not affect anything else.
Major defects spread in a chain. If the bathroom waterproofing has failed, the tiles come up. Once the tiles are up, the pipework is renewed. Once the pipework is renewed, the walls and floor are closed and finished again. One fault turns into four separate items of work.
A middle group sits between the two. Windows, internal doors and flooring are not large jobs on their own, but together they lengthen the schedule. Noting these three groups separately during a viewing makes the later sums much simpler.
What can fresh paint hide?
A home painted just before sale looks bright and clean. The same paint can hide a damp stain for a few months. This is not always bad faith. Many sellers repaint simply so the home shows well.
One practical check helps. If the home has been freshly painted, ask for a second viewing in different weather. A visit the day after heavy rain can reveal marks that are invisible on a dry day. Look behind furniture too, since those areas are rarely repainted.
Ask the same question about a newly tiled bathroom. Were the waterproofing and pipes renewed with the tiles, or was only the finish replaced? Knowing who did the work and what it covered reduces surprises in the years that follow.
Can you have a survey before buying?
Yes, and it is the step that clarifies the decision most. With the seller's permission, you visit the home together with a contractor. The contractor checks the pipework, damp, windows and surfaces and tells you which work is likely to be needed.
The aim is not a fixed price. Some things cannot be seen until a wall is opened. The aim is to know before signing whether the home needs only new surfaces or new infrastructure as well. That knowledge also helps when negotiating.
We carry out pre-purchase surveys in Kemalpasa and the surrounding area free of charge. If you send photos from your viewing on WhatsApp, we can give a first assessment before the visit. We are happy to talk in English.
Why do shared areas matter in a flat?
However good the flat looks inside, the roof, the facade and the shared installations affect the whole building. In a building where the roof leaks, the top floor flat keeps facing the same problem no matter how new its interior is.
We suggest asking the building management two questions. Is any work planned on the building soon, such as a roof renewal or external insulation? Is there a contribution already collected or still to be collected for it? The answers change what the flat will really cost you.
Look at the shared areas as well. Damp on the stairwell, water marks in the basement and cracks on the facade say a lot about how the building is looked after. A well kept building usually means fewer surprises inside the flat.
What else should you check in a detached house?
A detached house has no shared areas. The whole structure is yours, which means there is more to inspect. Start with the roof covering and gutters, cracks in the external walls and damp near the base of the walls.
In a house with a garden, watch where rainwater goes. If water collects against the walls, rising damp can appear on the ground floor. The fix for that lies outside the house and involves drainage and facade work.
Detached houses are often extended over the years with an extra room or floor. The extension was not built at the same time as the original house, so its pipework and insulation need to be assessed on their own. We look at that part separately during a survey.
Should you renovate before moving in?
If you can, yes. Work moves faster in an empty home, dust and noise do not disrupt your life, and the jobs that need demolition can be grouped together. Once furniture is in, everything is moved room by room and the same work takes longer.
When planning, allow for the time between completion and moving in. A full flat renovation usually takes 40 to 60 days depending on scope. A bathroom alone is typically 7 to 10 days and a kitchen alone 10 to 15 days.
If time is short, order matters. Infrastructure and wet rooms come first, meaning pipework, the bathroom and the kitchen. Painting and some surface work can wait until after you move in. The reverse does not work. Renewing pipes in a freshly painted home means repainting it.
Do changes made by previous owners matter?
Some changes made by earlier owners pass to the new owner. A removed wall, an enclosed balcony or a kitchen moved to a new position are typical examples.
Two questions apply to each change, whether it is structurally safe and whether it was permitted. You cannot tell by eye whether a removed wall was load bearing. For permits, check with the municipality and, where needed, a lawyer. We do not give rulings on this, but we will tell you plainly about any change we notice during a survey.
Our guide to renovation permits and rules covers which jobs need permission. If you are buying, it is worth reading that guide as well.
Would you like a second look at a home from people who renovate? We look at the wet rooms, the pipework and the windows and tell you which work stands out.