Introduction

If you’re getting more “We list next week—can you refresh the place fast?” calls, you’re not alone. Pre-sale make-ready work is becoming its own category: tight timelines, focused scopes, clear outcomes. Why it matters: buyers expect move-in ready, agents want days-not-weeks, and you need a repeatable way to price and deliver without burning your crew out. In this guide, we’ll break down what’s changing, how it affects your schedule and margin, and the moves that help you turn make-ready into a dependable, profitable line of work.

Table of Contents

• Key Takeaways
• The Make-Ready Boom: Current State
• What's Changing In Make-Ready Scopes
• Operational Impact: Scheduling, Materials, Risk
• Pricing That Works Under Tight Timelines
• Your 30-Day Action Plan
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Key Takeaways

• In general, pre-sale make-ready timelines are compressing to 5–10 working days, with start expectations inside 48–72 hours.
• Commonly, budgets cluster at roughly 1–3% of the home’s price, so scope clarity and rapid proposals are critical.
• Many contractors find 60–70% of tasks are repeatable (paint, flooring, deep clean, fixture swaps)—perfect for standard packages.
• Contractors often report that same-day proposals reduce back-and-forth by about half and speed approvals.

The Make-Ready Boom: Current State

Pre-sale work used to be a side hustle between bigger projects. Not anymore. Agents and investors want consistent crews who can deliver predictable results on a short clock.

The Problem

• Scopes are fragmented and rushed, which creates change-order friction and margin erosion.
• Decision makers shift (seller, agent, sometimes a stager), so approvals stall and the clock keeps ticking.
• Without standardization, every job feels custom—slow to price, slow to start.

The Solution

Treat make-ready as a product, not a one-off. Build repeatable scope bundles, color kits, and fixture standards so you can price and schedule in minutes.

Real-World Data Point

• In general, listing teams aim for 10–15 days from “go” to “photos,” pushing contractors to deliver in 5–10 working days.

Example

You get a three-bed, two-bath, 1,600 sq ft home. The agent wants “fresh paint, new LVP in living areas, new vanity lights, and a deep clean.” With pre-built bundles, you select: Interior Paint Standard, LVP 800 sq ft, Lighting Refresh, Deep Clean. You price on the spot and set the crew plan. Proposal goes out same day. Approval lands next morning. Work starts within 48 hours.

What's Changing In Make-Ready Scopes

The jobs are lighter but sharper: finish refresh, not full remodel. What’s new is the speed and the expectation of turnkey.

Trend 1: Speed-to-Start Is the New Differentiator

• Commonly, agents want a hard start date within 2–3 days and clear daily progress.
• Many contractors report that firm finish dates matter more than minor price differences in this niche.

Move

Block “fast-turn windows” on your calendar each month. Reserve one crew that can flip between small tasks without setup drag.

Trend 2: Light, High-Impact Finishes Dominate

• In general, 60–70% of line items cluster around: whole-house paint, LVP/laminate swaps, fixture/trim updates, caulk/grout touch-ups, and deep cleaning.
• Commonly, stagers and agents prioritize neutral palettes and durable, scuff-resistant finishes.

Move

Create a single neutral interior paint system (walls, trim, ceilings) and a standard LVP spec that is always in stock locally. Keep two fixture lines you can source same-day.

Trend 3: Investor and Cash-Offer Pipelines

• In general, investor portfolios expect consistent pricing and 5–7 day turns for “rent-ready” or “list-ready”—they value reliability.
• Many contractors find repeat investors provide steadier volume with fewer site visits when bundles are clear.

Move

Offer portfolio clients a simple menu: Basic, Standard, Premium make-ready, each with defined inclusions and published lead/finish times.

Operational Impact: Scheduling, Materials, Risk

Your process makes or breaks margin here. The work is simple; the orchestration isn’t.

The Problem

• Every trip to the store kills your day. A missing transition strip can add hours.
• Unknowns (subfloor moisture, hairline cracks, old shutoff valves) turn “touch-up” into a callback.
• Juggling these with larger projects creates crew whiplash and schedule slippage.

The Solution

Standardize SKUs, pre-stage materials, and run a tight prestart checklist that catches common gotchas. Use a simple daily milestone plan: demo, prep, install, finishes, clean, photo.

Practical Improvements

Data Points Contractors Report

• In general, a standardized SKU list can cut store trips by 30–50%.
• Commonly, a 20-minute prestart checklist prevents at least one callback on 30–40% of turns by catching small issues (loose valves, minor moisture, missing plates) before finish work.

Example

Before: Painter shows up, color not final, loses the morning. LVP crew arrives, finds uneven thresholds and no transitions on site; job slides a day.

After: Color kit approved in proposal. Threshold kit pre-staged (3 profiles, two colors). Crew executes without interruptions. Finish on time.

Pricing That Works Under Tight Timelines

Make-ready pricing rewards clarity and speed. The mistake is trying to custom-estimate every corner.

The Problem

• Custom pricing on rushed jobs creates errors and unpaid “small extras.”
• Hidden conditions (subfloor rot, water-stained ceilings) blow budgets if not framed correctly.

The Solution

Use package pricing plus limited add-ons with clear assumptions and exclusions baked into the proposal. Include a simple path for authorized extras.

Common Structures That Work

• Package menu: Basic (paint touch-up + deep clean), Standard (full paint + LVP main areas + fixtures), Premium (add bath refresh and exterior spruce).
• Add-ons: Ceiling stain block per room, subfloor patch per sq ft, valve swap per fixture, grout re-color per bath.
• Assumptions: “Surfaces are sound; no remediation included. Moisture-related repairs are additional as listed.”

Data Points From the Field

• In general, contractors target a 20–25% gross margin on make-ready to cover compressed schedules and coordination time.
• Commonly, unclear scope and unpriced “little fixes” can eat 3–5 margin points; clean assumptions and add-on pricing protect profit.

Example Proposal Flow

You voice-capture on site: “Whole-house paint standard package, LVP 800 sq ft, two vanity lights, deep clean, add-on: stain block in living, two valve swaps.” A clean, signable proposal goes out the same day with assumptions and optional add-ons separated. Approval arrives via e-signature. You convert to an invoice when accepted.

Tip: Tools like Donizo let you turn a site walk into a professional, branded, e-signable proposal fast using voice, text, and photos—then convert accepted proposals to invoices in one click.

Your 30-Day Action Plan

You don’t need a new company—just a tighter playbook.

Week 1: Define the Product

• Build three make-ready packages with inclusions, exclusions, and lead/finish windows.
• Lock a single interior color system (walls/trim/ceilings) and a standard LVP line with matching trims.

Week 2: Kit Materials and Templates

• Create room-based kits: paint (tape, caulk, patch), flooring (underlayment, transitions), lighting (anchors, wire nuts, plates).
• Draft proposal templates with clear assumptions and add-ons ready to toggle on/off.

Week 3: Fast Proposal Workflow

• Collect scope via voice on site and send same-day proposals. Many contractors find this reduces approval delays significantly.
• Use e-signature to secure green lights quickly and avoid “I thought we agreed” debates.
• With Donizo, capture scope by voice, generate a branded PDF, send it with client portal access, and get a legally binding e-signature—all in one workflow.

Week 4: Execution and Feedback Loop

• Run a 20-minute prestart checklist: water shutoffs, stain locations, subfloor checks, door clearances, exterior touch-ups.
• Track one metric: days from first visit to signed approval. In general, cutting this by even 1–2 days keeps your calendar healthier and increases throughput.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Fast Should I Promise a Make-Ready Turn?

In general, 5–10 working days from start to finish is competitive for light refresh scopes (paint, LVP, fixtures, clean). If exterior or multiple trades are involved, set 10–15 days. The key is to publish your typical durations by package and stick to them.

What If Hidden Conditions Blow Up the Budget?

Price common unknowns as add-ons in the proposal with simple triggers: moisture patch per sq ft, stain block per room, valve swap per fixture. Include assumptions like “no remediation included” and get e-signed acknowledgment. That way, when something pops up, it’s already priced and approval is fast.

Do I Need Permits for Make-Ready Work?

Usually not for cosmetic work (paint, flooring, fixtures). Electrical, plumbing, or structural changes can require permits depending on your jurisdiction. When in doubt, check local rules and keep scopes to like-for-like swaps unless you plan time for permitting.

What Margin Should I Target?

Contractors commonly target 20–25% gross on make-ready to cover speed, coordination, and small risk items. If your team is still dialing in the process, start higher to protect against callbacks and learning curve.

How Do I Keep Approvals From Dragging On?

Send one clear, signable proposal the same day as the visit. Many contractors find that a professional PDF with e-signature cuts approval time significantly. With Donizo, you can capture details by voice on site and send a branded, e-signable proposal quickly.

Conclusion

Pre-sale make-ready is a different game: focused scopes, fast clocks, and expectations for turnkey results. Standardize what repeats, package your offering, and tighten approvals. The payoff is steady volume and cleaner margins. If you want to remove proposal lag, try Donizo: speak the scope on site, send a professional PDF with client portal access, get a legal e-signature, and convert to an invoice in one click. Less back-and-forth, more booked work.