How much does it cost to finish a house in a developer’s standard?

Table of contents

• Advantages of buying a house in a developer’s standard
• What does the developer’s condition include?
• Finishing a house – costs in practice
  • Installation of door frames
  • Preparing walls and ceilings
  • Laying the floor
  • Fittings & Equipment
  • Furnishings
• Estimated costs of finishing individual rooms
• Ways to reduce costs
• How much does it cost to finish a house? Summary

The term “turnkey finishing” is clear to everyone. The walls of the house are painted, the floors are laid, and the rooms are equipped with the necessary household appliances and sanitary facilities. The owner is left with the issue of furniture. All other matters related to the variants of arrangement and selection of devices are agreed with the developer and closed so that the house is released ready to move in. The situation is different when it comes to the shell state. The date is not entirely precise. Let’s try to systematize the concept and average how much it costs to finish a house in the developer’s standard.

Advantages of buying a house in a developer’s standard

Poles are eager to buy a house in a raw state. The answers that are most often given after asking about this preference usually concern the desire to choose the arrangement on your own, the freedom to buy materials and the possibility of implementing your own, unconventional solutions. Another element is the lack of trust in renovation companies that are supposed to prepare a turnkey apartment, but most often the decision is determined by looking for savings. How much do you have to spend on average to finish a house in the developer’s standard? What does it depend on and what can you actually expect when buying a house in the raw state?

What does the developer’s condition include?

There are no precise guidelines for the developer’s condition. Companies can use various solutions, so all issues relating to the standard of the house are included in the contract. Most often, the standard includes:

• electrical, water, sewage, heating and ventilation installations,
• windows and window sills outside and inside the building,
• concrete screed on the floor,
• external doors, but no internal doors,
• plaster inside and outside the house, smoothed walls and ceilings prepared for painting or wallpapering,
• heating.

Finishing a house – costs in practice

What is the cost estimate for finishing a house? The cost of finishing a house is influenced by many factors. It depends on the size of the house, what the final expectations are – what standard you are aiming for. There is an average division into economy, intermediate or premium – high version. Certainly, it is not possible to give a specific amount, but knowing the scope of work to be done, you are able to adopt an approximate price range, taking into account the selected materials that will be used to finish the interior. The final sum is also determined by whether you will use the help of professionals, what the cost of their services will be and whether the labor or any part of it will be done by yourself.

However, it is worth noting that although in 2021-2023 the prices of materials increased significantly, in 2024 they began to stabilize. This gives a good outlook for 2025.

Installation of door frames

This is the first point of work to be done before you move on to preparing the walls and floors that could be damaged during the installation of the frames. Their price starts from PLN 150. It should be remembered that door frames require precise embedding for the door to function properly and fulfill its insulating and aesthetic tasks. This process begins with the selection of appropriate frames, adapted to the thickness of the walls and the type of door (e.g. solid, glazed, sliding). Depending on the type of frame, the installation process may require the use of different installation techniques and materials, thus the cost is not clear.

Preparing walls and ceilings

Paints, gypsum, plasters, adhesives, wallpapers and accessories for their application – here the cost should be calculated taking into account the surfaces. The materials needed to prepare the walls are available at different prices. If you need a professional team, the average price of painting and wallpapering will be about PLN 20 per square meter, priming is PLN 2-12, and tiles are PLN 125. Of course, the final rates vary depending on the location.

Laying the floor

The cost of finishing the house also includes floors, of course. One of the cheapest options will be to choose panels that have recently become popular. When using the services of a renovation team, PLN 42 per square meter should be added to the cost of materials, parquet will be PLN 20 more expensive per square meter, and laying tiles is a price of approximately PLN 140 per square meter. Of course, the amount for materials should be added.

Fittings & Equipment

Fittings and equipment are components that are essential for the functionality of the bathroom, kitchen and other utility rooms. In the context of the bathroom, fittings include bathroom faucets, showers, bathtubs, washbasins, as well as toilet flushing systems. The choice of these elements should be based on the criteria of quality, comfort of use, aesthetics and water efficiency. In the kitchen, kitchen fittings (e.g. sinks, taps) play a key role, as well as household appliances, which should be selected with ergonomics, energy efficiency and integration into the overall interior design in mind. Therefore, it is difficult to present a price range – it depends on the preferences of people furnishing the apartment.

Furnishings

After finishing the work, you should also take into account the furnishing of the house. This is the last step that allows you to move into your dream four walls, while providing the functionality needed by residents for everyday life. Decisions regarding furniture should be preceded by detailed planning, taking into account the layout of the rooms, the needs of users, as well as the style of the interior. Due to the multitude of available options, it is extremely difficult to estimate the cost of furnishing.

It is assumed that the average cost of finishing a house with an area of approx. 100 m2 From the turnkey developer standard in the intermediate standard, it is within the range of 50-100 thousand zlotys, but this is an issue that depends on many components, so each analysis should be carried out meticulously and individually. The costs of finishing a house can vary significantly depending on the materials chosen, location, size of the house and standard of finishing. It is therefore estimated that the finish can cost up to about 30-40% of the value of the construction itself.

Estimated costs of finishing individual rooms

Taking into account the costs of finishing on the basis of individual rooms, the estimated layout is as follows:

• Bathroom: Finishing the bathroom costs about PLN 10-20 thousand, taking into account the price of tiles, their location, as well as the purchase and installation of sanitary facilities and bathroom furniture.
• Kitchen: The cost of finishing the kitchen is about PLN 20-45 thousand, taking into account the purchase of kitchen furniture and household appliances.
• Living room and bedrooms: The cost of painting materials and basic equipment for these rooms is about PLN 3-8 thousand.

Ways to reduce costs

It is no secret that finishing an apartment carries considerable costs. That is why many people are looking for ways to save money so as not to damage their budget so much. Therefore, you can reduce the cost of finishing by opting for a basic interior standard. It is also important to make decisions by comparing the prices of materials in different stores and negotiating prices for building materials. However, it is important not to save on the quality of materials. Otherwise, it will only be an apparent saving, and the house may soon need renovation, which will involve additional costs.

Before starting work, it is therefore worth carefully analyzing the available options for purchasing materials, also taking into account online stores that may offer more favorable prices. Pay attention to the costs associated with painting walls, laying floors and choosing materials for the bathroom and kitchen, as they generate the most expenses.

It is also worth taking into account the current possibilities of tax deductions related to renovations. In 2025, there is no general renovation relief, but there are other tax preferences, such as the thermomodernization relief or the rehabilitation relief, which may allow you to deduct some expenses.

How much does it cost to finish a house? Summary

To sum up, making the decision to finish a house in a developer’s standard opens the door to greater arrangement possibilities, allowing you to adapt every corner to your own needs and dreams. It is both an investment in space and in the comfort and quality of life of your family. Remember, however, that every choice of materials, every color decision, and even a small piece of equipment has an impact on the final cost of finishing. Therefore, it is difficult to clearly determine how much exactly such a project will be.

As you can see, the cost of finishing a house varies and it is influenced by many factors. To learn more, we encourage you to follow our blog.

Read also how to build a house for PLN 100,000 and whether building a house on your own is profitable.