Renovating an apartment with Act 15: working with the developer before Act 16

When an apartment is at Act 15, renovation does not start only with craftsmen and materials. It starts with a conversation with the building developer. Until the building reaches its final commissioning stage, the developer still controls common areas, access, elevator use, power, water, security, other teams, and finishing work in the building.

The developer still controls the building

This is the main difference from a normal occupied building. At Act 15, the developer is still finishing the building and usually does not want uncontrolled movement of owners, individual craftsmen, suppliers, and outside teams.

The first question is not “can we install tiles?”, but “how do we enter the building?”. There may be security, access hours, a list of workers, specific delivery rules, or restrictions on materials and working days.

Why owners want to start early

The most common reason is financial. The mortgage may already be running, while the family still pays rent elsewhere. Waiting for Act 16, then starting renovation, then installing furniture and moving in can push the real move-in date by months.

Clients therefore need more than a craftsman. They need a company that can work inside a building while the developer is still present and while temporary rules are still active.

The real challenges

• Access may be controlled by the developer or security.
• The elevator may not be active or may be available only at certain times.
• Power may exist but be too weak for normal renovation work.
• Water may be temporary, limited, or available only from a shared point.
• Waste must be removed according to building rules.
• Materials must be protected because many teams may enter the building.

First we agree on access

Before discussing tiles and paint, we clarify who unlocks the building, when the team can enter, where materials can be stored, how common areas are protected, and whether heavy materials can be brought in.

If these points are not clear, craftsmen wait outside, suppliers wait downstairs, materials arrive on the wrong day, and the schedule starts breaking before the first real task begins.

Power may exist, but not be enough

Sometimes the building has power, but not enough for real work. A single temporary supply may serve many people and machines, which means breakers trip and work stops.

For this reason we can organize our own power solution when needed. If there is a stable agreement with the developer, good. If not, the renovation should not depend entirely on temporary building power.

The elevator is also part of the discussion

The elevator often makes the difference between an easy and a difficult start. It may physically exist but not be switched on, or the developer may allow it only for certain deliveries and only with protection.

If the elevator cannot be used, we plan carrying services and stair transport. This has to be included in the schedule and budget.

What renovation can be done at Act 15?

With proper organization, complete apartment finishing can be done: bathroom work, waterproofing, tiles, plastering, sanding, latex paint, drywall, suspended ceilings, flooring, skirting boards, lighting, and final installations.

More care is needed with changes that affect the building project or installations: wall demolition, new internal walls, plumbing route changes, or major electrical changes. These must be checked with the developer and the approved project.

Will it take longer?

Not necessarily. Act 15 itself does not make the renovation slower. Delays come when access, elevator, power, water, deliveries, and waste rules are unclear.

In some buildings there is even a practical advantage: because nobody lives there yet, longer working days may be possible when the developer allows it. The key is clear coordination before the team starts.