It depends on your time, experience, and risk tolerance. If you want a single person in charge, a fixed price, and no project coordination, choose a turnkey solution. If you have the skills, time, and reliable contacts, hiring the tradespeople separately can be somewhat cheaper. In practice, the decision between a turnkey renovation and one contracted by tradespeople comes down to who is responsible for any mistakes: with tradespeople, you are.
Should you hire a company to coordinate everything, or call the bricklayer, plumber, and electrician separately? For most home renovations in Mallorca, the turnkey option is worthwhile because it concentrates responsibility in a single point of contact; working with individual tradespeople is only cost-effective if you have the time, expertise, and reliable suppliers. That's the fundamental decision when comparing a turnkey renovation versus one handled by individual tradespeople: it's not just about the price, it's about who's responsible when something goes wrong. Here, we compare both approaches with real figures, a table of factors, and data from 2026.
What is the difference between a turnkey renovation and one carried out by trades?
The difference is who conducts the orchestra. turnkey, A company signs a fixed-price quote, coordinates all the trades, and delivers the finished house. by trades, You hire and organize each specialist yourself, and you assume their coordination.
- Turnkey: a contract, a responsible party, a deadline, a price.
- By trades: with multiple contracts, you are the site manager and the point of contact for everyone.
- Mixed: You hire out the "dirty" part (masonry, plumbing, electricity) to a company and buy some of the finishes yourself with their 10% discount on materials.
The first concentrates decisions and risk within the company; the second gives you control in exchange for time. Everything else stems from that.
Which is cheaper: a turnkey project or hiring the tradespeople separately?
On paper, trades operate separately; in reality, they're almost never as separate as they seem. By hiring yourself, you avoid the company's coordination limitations, but you pay for it with your time and the risk of cost overruns when one trade overlaps with another. The average cost of a comprehensive reform it was moving in 2025 between 650 and 950 €/m² Depending on quality and region, the Balearic Islands are in the high end due to their island logistics. This range is similar in both models; what changes is what isn't visible:
- Cost overruns due to lack of coordination: If the plumber leaves a leak and the tiler has already sealed the wall, someone else has to do the work again. With a turnkey project, the company takes care of it; with separate trades, you do.
- Labor cost: Serious models set the price upfront. At Tecnic Project, a kitchen costs €3,990 + VAT and a bathroom €3,415 + VAT, fixed from the start, without the classic "we'll see.".
The honest conclusion: by working with tradespeople you save money if everything goes well; by going turnkey you're covered when something goes wrong.
Comparison of turnkey renovations versus renovations by trades: table by factors
When deciding between a turnkey renovation or one carried out by tradespeople, it's worth considering the seven factors that truly tip the scales, not just the initial budget.
| Factor | Turnkey | By trades |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Something higher (includes coordination) | Lower on paper |
| Coordination | The company makes it | You do it |
| Deadlines | A unique, closed calendar | It depends on coordinating several schedules. |
| Responsibility | Unique: a company | Divided among each trade |
| Warranty | One interlocutor covers the whole | Each guild is responsible for its own affairs. |
| Risk of cost overruns | Low (fixed price) | Stop if there is a lack of coordination |
| For whom | For those who want to delegate and sleep soundly | Someone who has time, skills, and connections |
If most rows point you to the left column, your profile is turnkey; if you have real experience coordinating construction projects, the right column is viable. To refine your choice, it helps to understand the order to renovate a house before assigning the jobs.
Who is responsible for the defects and what warranty does each model cover?
Here's the difference that's often overlooked but carries the most weight. In a turnkey project, a single company is responsible for the entire system; in a trade-based project, each specialist is only responsible for their part, and proving who's at fault is up to you.
The Law 38/1999 on Building Regulations (LOE, official textit establishes warranties of 1 year for finishes, 3 for habitability, and 10 for structural damage, and also applies to renovations when there are substantial or structural changes construction contract of the Civil Code (Articles 1588 et seq.) also makes the contractor responsible for the breach (art. 1101).
- By trades: If dampness appears, you'll have to find out if it was the plumber or the builder, and each will look the other way.
- Turnkey: You file a claim with a single responsible party, and they resolve the issue. At Tecnic Project, that coverage is for 1 year on the renovation and 2 years on materials.
When it comes to making a claim, a single written contract saves months: both the OCU like the Ministry of Consumer Affairs they remind us that, without clear dates and responsible parties, defending your rights becomes much more complicated.
How long a reform takes depends on who coordinates the unions
Less than you think if a company coordinates it; more than you expect if you coordinate it yourself. The bottleneck is never an isolated task, but rather fitting everyone's schedule into the right order.
More than half of renovation companies in Spain admit to experiencing delays, and in high-demand areas, the accumulated backlogs can exceed four months. Because work is done by trade, every gap in one professional's schedule slows down the others: if the electrician doesn't arrive for three weeks, the drywall installer won't start either. Turnkey projects, on the other hand, have a single schedule with planned overlaps and someone pushing each phase forward.
A family business With recurring work in Mallorca, he has the guilds "reserved" and links phases without downtime: that is the silent advantage of professional coordination.
Frequently asked questions about turnkey renovations
What does it mean for a renovation to be "turnkey"?
This means that a single company handles everything: design, permits (if needed), material procurement, trade coordination, and construction, right up to delivering your finished home. You work with a single point of contact, a fixed budget, and an agreed-upon deadline. The name comes from the idea that you simply turn the key and move in; the company takes care of the rest.
Is a turnkey renovation always more expensive than hiring tradespeople?
Not always. The initial estimate for hiring multiple trades is usually lower, but it doesn't include your time or the unexpected costs that arise when one trade interferes with another. If additional costs appear due to a lack of coordination, the difference disappears. And reputable companies set labor costs upfront and offer discounts on materials, so the theoretical savings of going it alone are reduced.
Who is responsible if a leak appears after a renovation by tradespeople?
That's the weakness of going through individual trades: you'll have to prove which trade caused the problem, because the plumber will say it was the construction work and the bricklayer will say it was the installation. Each trade is only responsible for their part. In a turnkey renovation, you make a claim against a single company, which assumes the warranty for the entire project and decides who will carry out the repairs.
Do I need a written contract if I hire the tradespeople myself?
Yes, and with each trade separately. A construction contract with start and end dates, a detailed budget, and a penalty clause for delays is your only real protection; without it, claiming for breach of contract becomes much more complicated. By working with different trades, you multiply contracts and management; with a turnkey project, you sign a single contract that covers the entire renovation.
When NOT to hire a turnkey renovation company
The turnkey model isn't the answer for everything. There are clear cases where working with tradespeople (or a hybrid approach) makes more sense:
- Intervention of a single, very specific office. Changing a tap or painting a room doesn't require coordinating tradespeople; just call the professional directly. (Replacing a bathtub with a shower tray does involve plumbing, masonry, and tiling, and in that case, a fixed price—€1,375 + VAT at Tecnic Project—is worthwhile again.)
- You have a job, time, and contacts. If you are in the sector or have already coordinated work and have trusted tradespeople with availability in their schedules, you can save money by managing the work yourself.
- The "turnkey" budget comes without a breakdown. If they give you a fixed price but don't itemize the components, the problem isn't the model, it's the company. Before ruling it out, learn how to choosing the best renovation company and ask for another itemized quote.
In a comprehensive reform With several jobs at stake, however, delegating remains the most cost-effective option in terms of time and peace of mind.
Decide with a renovation company in Palma that sets the price
If, after comparing turnkey renovations versus those done by various tradespeople, you decide to delegate, the next step is to speak with someone who can give you a fixed price in writing. At Tecnic Project, renovation company in Palma with over three generations of experience, we offer fixed-price labor, a guarantee, and 100% financing. Discover how our service works Turnkey renovation in Mallorca and request a no-obligation quote via WhatsApp, phone or form.
