▽ +06.00Turnkey
Turnkey delivery under one responsibility
From the frame or shell to a building ready to live in or operate: architectural works, finishes, waterproofing and coordination through to key handover, to the approved drawings and specifications.
The idea
What does turnkey mean?
Turnkey is one contract and one responsibility: the contractor takes the project from an agreed starting point — a concrete frame or a building in shell condition — and hands it over ready to use, with its finishes and the systems in its scope installed, tested and documented.
It differs from itemised finishing, where the work is split across several contractors and the gaps fall between trades: a bathroom membrane pierced by a fixing, tiles laid over an untested roof — and no one clearly responsible.
Because our core speciality is waterproofing and building protection, in a turnkey project the protection layers are planned with the finishes from day one, and tested before anything covers them.
| Item | Turnkey | Itemised, several contractors |
|---|---|---|
| Responsibility | One party through handover | Split between contractors |
| Coordinating the trades | The contractor’s job | The owner’s or their representative’s job |
| Programme | One sequenced programme | Separate programmes that may clash |
| Waterproofing layers | Tested before the finishes, protected to handover | At risk between trades |
| Handover file | One file for the project | Scattered papers |
Scope
What a turnkey package usually covers
Each project’s exact scope is set in its offer, from the drawings, specification and finishes schedule.
Waterproofing and protection first
Roofs, bathrooms, kitchens and tanks waterproofed, thermal insulation installed, and flood tests done before the finishes.
WaterproofingArchitectural works
Blockwork, plaster, screeds and levelling, and surfaces prepared for the finishes.
General contractingFloors
Tiles and stone, or resin floors and microcement, to suit the use.
Flooring systemsPaints and coatings
Interior and exterior wall and ceiling paints, and protective coatings.
Paints & coatingsElectromechanical works
Services and installations within the scope set by the offer.
Facades
Facades, glazing and aluminium, and protection of exposed concrete.
General contracting
Sectors from our project record
Stages
Seven stages to the keys
Site handover and survey
The site as found — levels, dimensions and visible defects — surveyed and recorded before work starts.
Drawings and approvals
Shop drawings where needed, and samples and data sheets approved before supply.
Programme and sequence
Trades ordered so that protection is done before anything covers it.
Execution and hold points
An inspection request at each stage before the next one begins.
Tests
Flood tests for roofs and wet areas, and the other tests the scope sets.
Snagging and cleaning
Snags listed and closed out, then the final clean.
Handover
The keys and the handover file: material approvals, inspection and test records, and the warranty.
Quality
Questions
Questions clients ask
What is the difference between turnkey and itemised finishing?
In turnkey, one contractor takes all the works and the coordination between them through handover; in itemised finishing the owner contracts several parties and coordinates them.
Where does a turnkey project start?
From a point the contract defines: from the foundations within general contracting, from the concrete frame, or from a building in shell condition.
How are the price and the duration set?
From the drawings, specification, finishes schedule and BOQ; the offer comes itemised, with a programme.
Do I choose the materials and colours?
Yes. Samples and data sheets are approved before supply, and a finish mock-up is made where needed before the rest.
In what order are the works done?
Protection before whatever covers it: waterproofing is installed and tested before tiles and finishes, and services are fixed before walls and ceilings are closed.
What do I receive at handover?
The keys and the handover file, with the material approvals, inspection and test records, and the warranty according to the approved system, manufacturer recommendations and the project agreement.
Next step
A shell or a finished frame?
Send the drawings and finishes schedule for an itemised turnkey offer with a programme.