If you let your villa out to holiday guests, the weeks before the first arrival are the best time to fix the little things that affect how the house looks and feels. Once the season starts, there's far less room to schedule work or find a tradesperson between bookings. This guide sums up what to walk round and check in a rental villa in Fethiye or Seydikemer before the season starts, and what's worth planning early.
Why a pre-season check matters
Guests arrive with photos in mind and compare the house to them. A faded facade, a stained wall or a loose door handle changes that first impression straight away. It's also much harder to find a gap between bookings and a tradesperson's schedule once the season is under way — some jobs (exterior painting, bigger repairs) simply can't be done with guests in the house. That's why it helps to finish the checks and small repairs before the season starts, ideally in spring.
Outdoor facade and garden checklist
- Facade and exterior walls: Look for cracks, damp staining, faded colour or mould. The best time for exterior painting depends on the weather — see when to paint exterior walls in Fethiye for details.
- Front door and other exterior doors: Check for peeling paint or varnish and whether hinges and locks work smoothly — the front door is usually the first thing a guest notices.
- Shutters and metalwork: Rust, sticking shutters and anything that's hard to open or close is worth catching early so it can be added to the job list.
- Terrace, pool surrounds and walkways: Slippery surfaces, cracked tiles and loose railings matter for safety, not just appearance.
- Outdoor lighting and socket covers: Any repair to outdoor wiring or lighting near moisture should be done by a qualified electrician — don't attempt this yourself.
Planning painting or renovation work?
Send a few photos of the wall, facade or bathroom on WhatsApp. We'll talk the job through with you and, if needed, come for a free site visit and prepare an itemised written quotation.
Indoor checklist
- Wall and ceiling paint: Check busy areas — hallways, the living room and the bathroom — for stains, scuffs or an uneven colour.
- Doors, windows and cupboard surfaces: Paint wears fastest on surfaces people touch often; these can be refreshed with a satin or more durable finish.
- Bathroom and kitchen: Check silicone seals, grout and any signs of damp — painting over a damp source without fixing it first never lasts.
- Wooden furniture and doors: Peeling varnish or paint on wood is one of the details guests notice most.
- Small mechanical and plumbing checks: If taps, drains or showerheads show any sign of leaking, that needs fixing before cosmetic work goes ahead — leave any work on water or gas lines to a qualified professional.
Walking round with this list before asking for a quote, and noting which items actually need work, makes it much easier to get a clear, comparable quotation — see 8 things every renovation quotation should include for what to look for in writing.
Why small jobs are worth planning early
Drying time, material lead times and a tradesperson's own schedule can turn even a "small" job into one that takes several days. Planning ahead matters especially when:
- Exterior work depends on the weather — a job planned for a rainy or very hot stretch can be pushed back.
- A particular colour or product needs to be ordered in, which takes time to arrive.
- The villa's owner lives abroad, since approvals and payment steps also take time — see renovating your Fethiye home from abroad for how that process usually works.
Frequently asked questions
Should I do the same check every season? Yes — whether or not the villa is in use, weather and time change surfaces, so an annual check-up habit reduces surprises.
Can small repairs be done while guests are staying? Where possible, stick to small, quiet jobs — anything involving paint smell or noise is best scheduled for a gap between bookings.
How can this check be done while I'm not at the villa? A first assessment can be done remotely from photos and video; anything that needs a closer look can be followed up with a site visit and written approval.
Send us photos and we'll work it out together
You can send current photos of the villa's facade and interior on WhatsApp. We'll work out together which items need paint or small repairs before the season, come for a free site visit if needed, and prepare an itemised written quotation. You can see the scope of our services on the painting and renovation page.
Planning painting or renovation work?
Send a few photos of the wall, facade or bathroom on WhatsApp. We'll talk the job through with you and, if needed, come for a free site visit and prepare an itemised written quotation.
This guide is for general information. Every home is different; for your own home, ask a company that has seen the work on site for a written quotation.