Completing a semi-finished flat without ripping it out

What semi-finished usually includes

In Egypt, semi-finished (نص تشطيب) usually means plastered walls and ceilings, electrical and plumbing first fix, and door frames, with the rest left to the owner.

• Plaster on walls and ceilings, and sometimes a floor screed.
• Electrical first fix: conduit and boxes, and sometimes the cable and the board.
• Plumbing first fix: supply and drainage pipes for the bathrooms and kitchen.
• Door frames, and sometimes the outside windows.
• Usually not included: floors, doors, gypsum ceilings, paint, the kitchen, sanitary ware and air conditioning.

The definition is not fixed. Each developer writes its own specification in the contract annex, so read that annex before handover and compare every item with what is actually there.

Check before you build on someone else's work

Before you complete anything, inspect what was handed over, because a defect hidden under floors and paint is harder and costlier to fix later.

• Plaster: flatness with a long straightedge, square corners, cracks, and areas that sound hollow when tapped (plaster that has come away from the wall).
• Electrics: conduit routes and box positions, and whether the conduit and cable sizes suit the loads you plan.
• Plumbing: a pressure test on the supply pipes, and a check that the drains flow and are not blocked with plaster debris.
• Bathrooms: if the developer waterproofed them, a flood test of the floor for 24 to 48 hours and a look at the ceiling below. If not, waterproofing is the first item in completing them.
• Door frames and windows: plumb and level, with openings the right size for the doors you want.
• Window sills and balconies: falls that shed water outwards.

Write down every observation with a photo and hand it to the developer before you sign the handover. The full list is in our handover checklist guide.

What usually gets redone

Even when the developer's work is sound, some things usually change, because they were done for a generic layout rather than the way you live.

• Socket and switch positions, especially by the bed, where the television goes, and in the kitchen.
• The number of circuits and the board, if you will run several air conditioners, water heaters and electric kitchen appliances.
• The bathroom layout, if you move the bath, shower or basin.
• Kitchen points, if your kitchen design differs from the original drawing.
• Air-conditioning pipes and condensate drains, which are often not provided at all.

Changes at this stage mean limited cutting into the plaster, which is far less than breaking up finished tiles and paint later.

The next steps, in order

Completing a semi-finished flat follows the usual finishing order, starting with a check of what is there.

1. Inspection and drawings

   Review what was delivered, then final drawings for the layout, electrics, plumbing and air conditioning.

2. Changes and missing first fix

   Moving sockets and points, adding the air-conditioning first fix, and repairing any plaster that needs it.

3. Waterproofing and testing

   Waterproofing bathrooms, kitchen and balconies, then a water test.

4. Gypsum board

   Suspended ceilings and concealed lighting.

5. Floors and wall cladding

   Porcelain or marble, and bathroom and kitchen wall tiling.

6. Paint and fit-out

   Filler and paint, then doors, kitchen, sanitary ware and lighting, then cleaning and handover.

What sets the cost

The cost of completing a semi-finished unit depends on the condition of the developer's work, the number of changes and the final materials.

• The condition of the plaster and first fix: sound, or in need of repair or redoing.
• How much the layout, electrics and plumbing change.
• The floor and wall-cladding materials.
• The air-conditioning type.
• How much gypsum board ceiling there is.
• The overall level of finish.

We do not quote a price per metre. We survey the unit and write an itemised quotation that separates what is built on the existing work from what must be redone.

If the flat is in a compound

Compounds usually have their own finishing rules, and it is best to know them before you fix any dates. Ask about:

• Registering the contractor or workers with the management.
• Whether the owner must pay a fit-out deposit or fee.
• Working hours and permitted days.
• Which changes are allowed to the façade, windows and balconies.
• How materials come in and debris goes out.

Get all of this in writing from the management, because the rules differ from one compound to the next.

How Itmam completes a semi-finished unit

We visit the unit, check what the developer delivered, measure it, and write you an itemised quotation before any work starts.

On a finishing contract you pay each supplier directly and the tax invoice is in your name; our fee for supervision and execution is agreed in writing before work starts.

Kitchens, wardrobes, doors and vanities are made in our own workshops, and stone is templated, cut and installed by the same team. Materials are also available supply-only.

We work in Alexandria, on the North Coast and in New Cairo, where many units are handed over semi-finished.