Read the specification before drawing the finish plan
Stan deweloperski is a starting condition to verify in the documents. Develia’s explanation illustrates how specifications differ between projects; its historical marketing examples are not a universal delivery standard. Build your own list from the contract, technical annex, drawings and actual handover condition. Check plaster, screed, electrical fittings, water connections, radiators and ventilation individually.
For this independent Warsaw example, the flat has 50 m² of floor area, unfinished floor surfaces and an accepted internal layout. The owner adds finishes, a bathroom and a kitchen. The purchase price, legal costs of buying, balcony work and changes to structural or common elements are excluded. A “turnkey” label is insufficient: ask whether it includes lighting, doors, sanitary fittings, kitchen, appliances and loose furniture.
Keep developer handover separate from the fit-out
The developer legislation’s handover process and the subsequent fit-out contract concern different responsibilities. Make a dated defect record before alterations obscure the original condition. Record each item’s location, photographs, the developer’s response and the agreed next step. Do not automatically pay the finishing crew to repair a developer defect without resolving responsibility and the implications for the claim.
| Item | Evidence to obtain | Budget action |
|---|---|---|
| Uneven or damp substrate | Measured condition and relevant specialist assessment | Keep remedial scope open until diagnosed |
| Outlet in the wrong place | Compare delivered position with the agreed plan | Separate developer defect from owner-requested relocation |
| Ventilation outlet | Building documentation and competent assessment | Design cabinetry around an approved solution |
| Door opening and finished floor height | Measured drawing including chosen floor build-up | Confirm door order after coordination |
Build the move-in budget
The following invented amounts are gross, with each supplier’s applicable tax already included. They are neither Warsaw market rates nor an estimate for every 50 m² flat. Finish products exclude sanitary fittings, doors, lights and kitchen items shown separately. Work includes preparation, laying finishes and bathroom installation; kitchen installation is included in the kitchen line instead.
| Budget line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Finishing work and bathroom installation | 42 000 |
| Floor and wall finish products | 28 000 |
| Sanitary fittings | 9 000 |
| Kitchen including installation | 24 000 |
| Appliances | 10 000 |
| Internal doors including fitting | 6 000 |
| Light fittings | 3 000 |
| Loose furniture | 9 000 |
| Delivery and carrying | 2 500 |
| Design and checks | 2 000 |
| Moving and final cleaning | 1 500 |
| Subtotal | 137 000 |
| Reserve: 10% of first seven lines | 12 200 |
| Funding provision | 149 200 |
Here the reserve applies to PLN 122,000, not the purchase price or every administrative expense. If a package already includes the PLN 9,000 sanitary fittings, subtract that separate line before adopting the package. A larger invoice is not necessarily a larger total project if it replaces purchases already budgeted elsewhere.
Choose products before moving services
Set the kitchen layout, appliance models and bathroom positions before ordering electrical and plumbing alterations. Check door swings, finished levels, clearances and access to valves. A kitchen designer and competent installers should resolve service requirements together; a rendered image cannot establish whether a shared ventilation connection or new power demand is feasible.
Measure again when the surfaces that govern furniture dimensions are complete. Establish who signs off the final dimensions and who bears the cost if a late change makes an approved order unsuitable. Protect completed floors and allow for the product-specific drying and installation conditions in the programme.
Plan dates around decisions and checks
Use dependencies rather than a universal number of weeks: original handover issues resolved, design approved, service alterations checked, wet work sufficiently dry, finishes installed, final kitchen measurement, fabrication, installation and functional checks. Request actual lead times for the selected doors and cabinetry. Delayed access to the flat or a wet screed can shift several later bookings.
If moving is delayed by a week, add the real extra housing and storage costs to the forecast. An illustrative additional PLN 1,400 would increase the original provision to PLN 150,600 if the reserve is preserved. If it is paid from reserve instead, show PLN 10,800 remaining rather than counting both treatments.
Prepare the flat for living, not just photographs
- Close developer-related issues with evidence before covering them.
- Approve the installation and finish drawings together.
- Confirm every package inclusion and owner purchase.
- Book inspections of work that will become concealed.
- Test installed services and appliances with the appropriate specialists.
- Collect product documents, final measurements and an agreed defects list.
Keep the developer file and the fit-out file separate in the project record. That makes it easier to identify who supplied an item, which payment it belongs to and whom to contact if a problem appears after moving in.
Sources, date and scope
Checked on 19 October 2026. Local examples concern Warsaw unless stated otherwise. PLN figures are invented calculation examples, not a price list, market average or offer. Each article describes a separate project. Gross figures and VAT apply only under the stated assumptions. Check technical scope, professional qualifications, approvals and support conditions for the individual property.