Warsaw
Apartment finishing in Warsaw
Skim coat, painting, laminate, skirting, interior doors and lights. Post each stage in the app separately and Warsaw tradespeople send offers at their own price.
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A price-list range
the exact amount comes in the offer
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Fixings included
materials are bought separately
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You pay the tradesperson
directly, for the work done
What the job covers
A flat handed over in developer standard (stan deweloperski) means bare walls, a screed floor and wires hanging from the ceiling. The platform has no turnkey contractor with a site manager, a cost estimate and one contract for the whole flat. Tradespeople on the platform do not take interior design, machine plastering or screeding either. Finishing is put together line by line: walls, then floors, then doors and lights. A different tradesperson can take each stage, and you pick the offer that suits you.
- Skim coat and wall filling
- Ceiling levelling and two coats of paint
- Laminate and vinyl flooring
- Skirting boards and ceiling coving
- Interior doors fitted with frames
- Ceiling lights and chandeliers
Apartment finishing in Warsaw: sample prices
Full price list| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Gypsum skim coating | 55–90 zł/m² |
| Walls and ceilings, one colour (2 coats) | 30–50 zł/m² |
| Ceiling levelling | 45–80 zł/m² |
| Floor panel installation | 50–90 zł/m² |
| Skirting board installation | 25–45 zł/mb |
| Interior door installation with frame | 400–700 zł/szt |
| Light installation (lamp, chandelier) | 80–550 zł/pkt |
| Ceiling cornice installation | 40–75 zł/mb |
Indicative prices. Minimum call-out: one pro's services must total at least the threshold 300 zł.
The order of finishing work
A developer-shell flat is finished from dirty work to clean. First electrics and plumbing, meaning extra points and connections, then skimming and filling the walls, priming and the first coat of paint. Only after that come floors, door frame installation and doors, and finally skirting boards, the second coat and the lighting.
There is a reason for this order. Doors fitted before the floor have to be trimmed later, and skirting fitted before painting collects dust from sanding the skim coat. Many people choose fitted carpet instead of laminate in bedrooms: it goes down after painting, right at the end.
Developer flats in Warsaw
New estates in Białołęka, Gocław, Wilanów or Wola are usually handed over with gypsum plaster and a screed. The plaster may be flat, but corners and window reveals often need correcting, and the screed is not always ready for laminate without grinding. When you take over the flat, check the walls and floor with a level and report defects to the developer before finishing starts. What gets painted over is harder to claim for later.
One contractor or several
You can give the finishing to one team or split it into stages in the app: painter, tiler, floor and door fitter, electrician. With several contractors, a simple plan with dates and who follows whom helps. Then nobody waits for the previous trade, and painting the walls does not land before the skim coat is sanded in the next room.
What affects the price
Each line is priced on its own, usually per metre or per item. The amount depends on:
- the walls the developer left: flat plaster or waves to fix
- the area of walls, ceilings and floors, not of the flat itself
- the flooring type and the number of thresholds between rooms
- how many doors there are and whether frames need trimming
- how many light points need connecting
What to watch out for
Laying floors before painting
The order is simple: electrics and bathroom first, then walls and ceilings, and floors, doors and skirting last. Paint and sanding dust ruin a new floor.
Fitting doors before the floor
Door frames go onto the finished floor. Fit them earlier and the door either scrapes or leaves a gap once the laminate is down.
Laminate on a damp screed
A developer screed takes weeks to dry. Moisture from below lifts the boards, so measure it before laying.
Wiring a light with the power on
Switch off the breaker in the fuse box before connecting a light; the wall switch is not enough. If the ceiling wires look damaged, call an electrician first.
Before the visit
- Photos of every room and ceiling, uneven spots close up
- The developer floor plan or rough measurements
- Chosen materials: paint, laminate, skirting, doors, lights (or agree who buys them)
- What is already done: electrics, bathroom, kitchen
- Access to the flat and building management consent, if required
Often needed together
One job often leads to another. Here are the pages for related work.
Related guides
Apartment finishing across Warsaw
Questions about apartment finishing
Can I order turnkey finishing?
Not as one contract with a site manager and a cost estimate for the whole flat. You post the stages in the app, get offers for each and set the order yourself. Some tradespeople take several stages at once.
Where do I start with a developer-standard flat?
With electrics and the wet work: bathroom and tiling. Then skim coat, ceilings and painting, and finally floors, doors, skirting and lights.
How much does finishing a flat cost?
Every line has a range in the table and the price list. The exact amount comes in the offer, based on photos.
Are materials included?
No. The range covers labour and small fixings. You buy the paint, flooring, doors and lights, or ask the tradesperson to buy them and pay separately. Rubbish removal and carrying materials in are also charged separately.
What about tiling?
There are tilers on the platform, but tiling prices are not in the price list yet. Describe the job in the app and you will see the amount in the offer.
Who issues the invoice?
The tradesperson doing that stage. They are also responsible for their own work.
How long does finishing a two-room flat take?
It depends on the scope and the number of people, but usually from a few weeks to two months. Skimming and the bathroom take the longest, because materials need to dry.
Can I move in while the work is going on?
Better not during sanding and painting. While doors, skirting or lights are being fitted, the flat is usually usable.
Who buys the finishing materials?
Usually the client chooses the finishes and the handyman advises on quantities. Building materials such as filler or primer can be bought by the handyman, if you agree on that.
Describe the job in the app.
Handymen send offers at their own price, and you pick one.