What 'turnkey construction' should actually include — and what to put in writing

"Turnkey" is meant to signal that you hand over a plot and receive a finished home. In practice the term is used loosely enough that two quotes described the same way can differ by thirty percent — because they cover different things.

What a full turnkey scope covers

• Architectural design, structural drawings and 3D elevation
• Statutory approvals and sanctioned plan
• Excavation, foundation and structural work
• Brickwork, plaster, waterproofing
• Electrical and plumbing, including fixtures
• Flooring, doors, windows, painting
• Kitchen and wardrobe fit-out, where specified
• Handover cleaning and snag rectification

What quietly falls outside it

Boundary walls, landscaping, solar, and modular furniture are the four most common exclusions. None of them are unreasonable to exclude — the problem is discovering the exclusion after the structure is up.

The clauses worth insisting on

A line-item BOQ. A bill of quantities that names brands and grades, not "premium quality fittings". If the contractor will not put the brand in writing, you cannot hold them to it.

Staged payments tied to milestones, not dates. Payment on slab completion, not payment in month four. This aligns the contractor's cash flow with actual progress.

A delay clause with a number in it. A per-week figure against the contracted handover date. Its real function is not compensation — it is that a contractor who has agreed to one takes the schedule seriously.

A defect liability period. Twelve months minimum after handover, covering structural and waterproofing defects.

We build to this scope and put all four clauses in our own contracts. If you are comparing quotes from elsewhere, ask for the same and see how the numbers change.