How long does a turnkey renovation take in Funchal

The four stages of a turnkey project

Turnkey means a single team coordinates everything, from the first drawing to a home ready to live in. The total time is the sum of four stages, and some can run in parallel.

• Listen: first meeting, measurements, photographs and agreeing what you want. It is quick if you already have plans of the home.
• Design: floor plans, elevations and 3D images, adjusted together. The time depends mostly on revisions and how fast decisions are made.
• Build: demolition, plumbing, electrics, flooring, joinery and painting. It is the longest stage and the one that depends most on others.
• Dress: fabrics, wallpaper, lighting and furniture. Many pieces can be ordered during the works, so they arrive in time.

Permits: when you need to apply to the Câmara

Not all works need a permit. Under the RJUE (the Portuguese legal framework for urban development and building), revised by the Simplex Urbanístico in 2024, interior works that do not touch the structure, the façade or the roof are exempt from prior control. Even with changes to the structure, interior works can be exempt if a qualified technician signs a statement of responsibility.

Other works, such as changes to the façade or extensions, may require a comunicação prévia (prior notice) or a permit from the Câmara Municipal do Funchal (Funchal town hall). Listed buildings or properties in protected areas have their own rules. Being exempt from prior control does not mean being exempt from rules: the works must still meet the technical standards.

As the rules changed recently, check your case with the technical team or with the Câmara before setting dates.

Building management and neighbours

In a flat, the condomínio (building owners' association) rules may set hours for noisy works, rules for using the lift and places for rubble. Works that affect shared parts, such as the façade or the water pipes, may need the association's approval.

Telling the building management and the neighbours in advance avoids stoppages halfway through the works. It is a simple step that saves weeks.

Materials and orders

Many delays do not start on site, but with the orders. Tiles, sanitary ware, window frames, made-to-measure sofas, fabrics and lamps have production times that vary from supplier to supplier.

The rule is to decide early. With the 3D project approved, the choices are fixed before the works start and the longest orders can go out straight away. Changing your mind halfway through the works almost always adds time.

The island factor: shipping to Madeira

Most materials and furniture reach Madeira by sea, in containers. There are cargo links from Lisbon and Leixões to the port of Caniçal, but ships do not sail every day.

So a piece that is ready on the mainland may still wait for the next ship and for delivery on the island. Plan that margin into the schedule and, where possible, choose materials in stock in Madeira.

What helps keep to deadlines

• Having every decision made before the works start.
• Having one person in charge of contractors, suppliers and deliveries.
• Making regular site visits and recording progress with photographs.
• Ordering pieces with long production times early.
• Keeping a margin in the schedule for permits, building management and shipping.

A turnkey project with a local team

At Traço Elementar, turnkey works are coordinated from the studio in Funchal, with trusted partners on the island. The same studio designs, oversees the works and dresses the home with pieces from the shop.

If you are planning a turnkey renovation in Funchal, book a first meeting. Once the team has seen the space and the scope is clear, it will give you the expected timeline for your case.