The True Cost of a Rental Turnover, Itemized (2024 Numbers)

TL;DR: A full rental turnover between tenants typically costs $1,000 to $4,000 per unit, split roughly between cleaning and paint ($300-$800), repairs and small replacements ($400-$1,500), and lost rent during vacancy days ($300-$2,000+ depending on how fast you re-lease). Landlords who track these costs by category, not as one lump "turnover expense," catch the line items that are quietly inflating every turn.

_Last reviewed: July 2026 · 8 min read_

Most landlords know turnover is expensive. Few can tell you where the money actually went last time. That gap matters, because the categories that eat your budget (a $600 carpet replacement versus a $60 wall patch) are the ones you can plan around or avoid entirely.

Okoniq Property Hub logs each turnover expense by category and unit, so you can see over time whether cleaning, repairs, or vacancy days are the real cost driver for your properties.

What does cleaning and painting actually cost per unit?

Cleaning and paint together usually run $300 to $800 for a standard one- or two-bedroom unit. A professional deep clean (carpets, appliances, bathrooms, baseboards) averages $150 to $300 depending on square footage and how the previous tenant left it. Full repaint of a 900 square foot unit with basic contractor-grade paint runs $400 to $900 in most markets, though many landlords only repaint every second or third turnover if the walls held up.

Drywall damage is where costs jump unexpectedly. Nail holes and scuffs are a $50 patch job. But rushed patching often creates bigger problems, and common drywall patching mistakes like skipping primer or using the wrong joint compound mean you're repainting the same spot twice within a year. Budget for it once, done right, rather than twice, done fast.

What repairs and replacements show up most often?

Appliance repairs, lock rekeying, and outlet or fixture fixes account for most of the "surprise" line items in a turnover budget. A single service call for a broken oven igniter or a stuck ice maker can run $150 to $300 if you call a technician for something fixable in 20 minutes. Learning to diagnose common oven problems yourself or troubleshoot why an ice maker stopped working before booking a service call can save $100-$250 per incident.

Rekeying locks between tenants costs $15-$40 per cylinder if you do it yourself, or $75-$150 for a locksmith to handle a full unit. This is non-negotiable for safety, but it's also an opportunity: pairing it with security upgrades under $100 like a video doorbell or smart deadbolt can justify a small rent bump and reduce your liability exposure at the same time.

Older units sometimes reveal deeper issues at turnover, like ungrounded outlets. If you're still running two-prong receptacles, upgrading to grounded three-prong outlets safely costs $8-$15 per outlet in materials plus labor, and it's the kind of fix that's far cheaper to handle proactively than after an insurance claim.

How much does vacancy time actually cost you?

Every day a unit sits empty costs you exactly one day's rent divided by 30, and it adds up faster than most owners expect. On a $1,500/month unit, each vacant day costs $50. A turnover that takes 10 days from move-out to move-in costs $500 in lost rent alone, on top of the repair and cleaning bills.

| Turnover speed | Days vacant | Lost rent (on $1,500/mo unit) | |---|---|---| | Fast (list before move-out, quick clean) | 3-5 days | $150-$250 | | Average | 10-14 days | $500-$700 | | Slow (major repairs, re-listing delays) | 21-30 days | $1,050-$1,500 |

The single biggest lever here is starting repairs and marketing before the old tenant is even out, when your lease and local law allow scheduled showings during the final weeks.

What's the total, and how do the pieces add up?

Total turnover cost for a standard unit lands between $1,000 and $4,000 once cleaning, paint, repairs, and vacancy days are combined. A "light" turnover (good tenant, minor scuffs, quick re-lease) might total $800-$1,200. A "heavy" turnover (damage, deferred maintenance discovered during the walk-through, slow re-lease) can hit $3,000-$4,500, especially if a major system issue surfaces, like water damage that wasn't visible until the furniture moved out.

The pattern worth watching: repairs deferred during a tenancy almost always resurface at turnover, at a higher cost than if they'd been addressed when first noticed. A $40 drywall patch skipped for two years can become a $200 repair once moisture or further cracking sets in.

FAQ

What's the average cost of a rental turnover in 2024?

Most owner-operators report $1,000 to $4,000 per unit turn, with the wide range driven mostly by how much repair work surfaces and how many days the unit sits vacant.

Should I repaint every single turnover?

Not necessarily. If walls show only minor scuffs and the last paint job is under two years old, a touch-up costs $50-$100 versus $400-$900 for a full repaint, and holds up fine for most tenants.

How can I reduce vacancy days between tenants?

Start marketing and schedule the walk-through inspection during the outgoing tenant's final two weeks, and line up your cleaner and any repair contractor in advance so work starts the day keys are returned, not a week later.

Is it worth doing small repairs myself instead of hiring out?

For diagnosable issues like an oven igniter or ice maker jam, yes, it commonly saves $100-$250 per call. For anything involving gas, structural, or electrical work beyond outlet swaps, hire a licensed pro.

Does deferred maintenance during a tenancy really increase turnover costs?

Yes. Small issues like hairline drywall cracks or slow leaks tend to compound while unaddressed, and by turnover they're often 2-4 times more expensive to fix than if caught during a routine mid-lease check.

This is educational information, not financial advice. Talk to a CPA about which turnover costs are deductible in the year incurred versus depreciable over time.