Explainer
A pre-sale makeover only works if it's fast, fixed and finished on time. Here's how to tell a company that can deliver that from one that will leave you chasing trades the week before your listing.
The single most important question. You're working to a listing date, so "we'll see how we go" isn't good enough. A proper pre-sale company gives you a fixed quote and a locked start-to-finish date before any work begins.
Coordinating a painter, a plasterer and a handyman yourself is where pre-sale jobs fall apart. Look for one crew under one project manager, running the stages back-to-back — that's what makes a four-week timeline real.
You want a company that will tell you what not to do — what won't return its cost before a sale — not one that upsells a renovation. The right scope is "spend only where it sells".
Ask who stands behind the work. A refresh arm backed by an established builder — with a Master Build–style guarantee and proper insurance at the group level — is a very different proposition from a one-off operator.
Hire on fixed price + locked finish date, one crew under one project manager, a sale-focused scope that tells you what NOT to do, and proper backing and guarantee. Ask to see recent pre-sale jobs.
Common questions
Whether the price is fixed and the finish date guaranteed, whether it's one crew or you're coordinating trades, what they'd tell you not to spend on, who backs the work, and to see recent jobs.
Because you're working to a listing date. Open-ended quotes and trade-by-trade scheduling cause blown budgets and slipped campaigns. A fixed price and locked date keep your sale on track.
For a pre-sale, almost always. One crew running repair, paint and fit-off back-to-back under one manager is what makes a fast, on-time finish possible.
Answer a few quick questions and get a ballpark price and a finish date in about 30 seconds — emailed to you as a PDF. No charge, no pressure.