Detroit Renovation for Investors and Landlords
Rent-ready, inspection-ready, or sale-ready.
Great Lakes PMG renovates Detroit rentals and investment houses with our own crew. We scope the work to what the house has to do next, whether that's passing a rental inspection, leasing at a higher rent, or selling for the best price the street will support.
- In-house renovation team with 350+ Detroit renovations since 2006
- A written scope and budget you approve before work starts
- Leasing, management, or a sale through our licensed brokerage when it's done
Four kinds of Detroit renovation, scoped to the exit.
A rental and a flip need different renovations. A rental needs durable finishes and mechanicals that pass inspection and hold up to tenants. A flip needs the kitchen, baths, and curb appeal buyers pay for. We start with what the house has to do next, then scope the work to it.
Rent-ready rehab
Bring a newly bought or long-vacant house up to a rentable, inspection-ready standard.
- Safety, mechanical, and code items that rental and Section 8 inspections check
- Durable flooring, paint, fixtures, and appliances built for tenant wear
- Kitchens and baths updated where they move the rent
Real example: Inverness, renovated and tenanted within weeks of purchase.
Turnover and make-ready
Turn a unit fast after a move-out so it re-leases, ideally at a higher rent.
- Cleaning, paint, repairs, and flooring where it's worn
- Items flagged at the move-out inspection, fixed before the next showing
- Upgrades only where they earn a higher rent
Real example: Bentler, three turns that took the rent from $800 to $950.
Full rehab
Take a tax-auction, land bank, or long-vacant Detroit house back to livable.
- A walkthrough before you buy, so the budget is known up front
- Mechanicals, roof, windows, and systems where the house needs them
- Finished to rent or to sell, depending on your plan
Real example: Greenview, a $10,000 auction house rehabbed to the Section 8 inspection standard.
Renovation for resale
Renovate for owner-occupant buyers and the highest after-repair value the street will support, without overbuilding.
- Kitchens, baths, floors, and curb appeal, where buyers look first
- Resale comps before the budget is set
- Listed and sold through our licensed brokerage if you want
Real example: Stansbury, bought for $35,000 and sold for $134,000. See Detroit fix and flip.
How a renovation runs with us.
The same four steps on every project, whether you're across town or across the country.
Walkthrough
We walk the house, ideally before you buy, and agree on the goal: rent it, turn it, or sell it.
Scope and budget
You get a written scope and budget, room by room. Nothing starts until you approve it.
Renovation
Our in-house team does the work, with before-and-after photos. Changes to the scope come to you before they happen.
Lease, sell, or hand off
We place a tenant and manage it, list and sell it through our brokerage, or hand you the keys.
Real Detroit renovations, real numbers.
Finished photos from three houses our team renovated, and what each kind of Detroit renovation typically costs.
Rent-ready in 2019, renovated again for buyers in 2025.
See the renovation
Kitchen, floors, paint, lighting, and the exterior buyers see first.
See the renovation
Kitchen, floors, a finished upstairs bedroom, and the porch.
See the renovationWhat Detroit renovations typically cost
Typical ranges for a Detroit single-family house, by type of renovation.
| Renovation | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Light turnover | $1,000 to $5,000 |
| Rent-ready rehab | $13,000 to $20,000 |
| Heavy turnover | $20,000 to $40,000 |
| Full rehab of a vacant or auction house | $20,000 to $50,000+ |
| Renovation for resale | $40,000 to $55,000 |
Ranges, not quotes. Your house gets its own written scope and budget after a walkthrough. For line-item ranges, from flooring to roofs, see the Detroit renovation cost guide, or see every Detroit case study.
What decides a Detroit renovation budget.
Two Detroit houses at the same price can need very different renovations. These are the things that move the number, and we go through each one at the walkthrough.
The house's age
Much of Detroit's housing is old enough to hide surprises: original wiring, galvanized plumbing, and lead paint. A contingency belongs in every budget.
Mechanicals and the roof
A furnace, water heater, electrical panel, or roof can each change the budget more than any finish. We check them first.
Rental or resale finish
Renters need durable and clean. Buyers pay for updated kitchens and baths. Scoping to the wrong one wastes money or leaves it on the table.
Inspections and compliance
Detroit rentals need city compliance, and voucher rentals must pass the housing authority's inspection. Scoping for them up front avoids paying twice.
Vacancy and break-ins
A house that sat empty may be missing copper, fixtures, or appliances. What's gone changes the scope before any upgrades start.
Holding time
Taxes, insurance, utilities, and loan interest run every month the house isn't earning. A faster renovation is part of the return.
How much does it cost to renovate a house in Detroit?
Our cost guide breaks down Detroit renovation budgets by type, plus typical ranges for each line item. Or build your own budget with the renovation cost calculator.
One Detroit team, from the walkthrough to the lease or the sale.
Great Lakes PMG has renovated, managed, and sold Detroit houses since 2006. Our renovation team has completed 350+ Detroit renovations, and because we also manage rentals and run a licensed brokerage, we renovate with the next step in mind: what tenants wear out, what inspectors check, and what buyers pay for.
Clarence leads our renovation work and has run full rehab projects from purchase through rent-ready. On your project, he's the one running the renovation.
Detroit renovation FAQ.
Who do you renovate for?
Real estate investors and landlords: owners getting a house ready to rent, flippers renovating for resale, and landlords turning a unit between tenants. Many of our clients live out of state. We focus on investment property, not owner-occupied remodeling.
How much does it cost to renovate a house in Detroit?
It depends on the house and the goal. On our published case studies, rent-ready rehabs on Detroit single-family houses ran about $13,000 to $20,000, and renovations for resale ran about $40,000 to $55,000. Every project gets its own written scope and budget after a walkthrough. Detroit renovation cost guide →
Can you renovate a rental to pass a Section 8 or city inspection?
Yes. Most of our rental rehabs are scoped to pass inspection the first time, because a failed inspection delays the lease and the rent. Greenview was rehabbed to the Section 8 inspection standard and has housed voucher tenants for eight years. Section 8 landlord guide →
I live out of state. How do I keep track of the work?
You approve the scope and budget before work starts, and you get before-and-after photos of the work. You make the decisions; you are not coordinating contractors from another state. Investing in Detroit from out of state →
How long does a renovation take?
It depends on the scope, permits and inspections, and material lead times, so we do not quote a standard timeline. For a sense of pace on rent-ready work: Inverness was bought in September 2023 and had a tenant by mid-November, and Artesian was bought in September 2024 and renovated by December.
Do I have to use your property management after the renovation?
No. We can hand you the keys, lease and manage the house, or list and sell it through our licensed brokerage. Use the whole team or just the renovation. Detroit property management →
Can you help me buy a house to renovate?
Yes. Our investment consulting covers finding and analyzing the house, the purchase through our brokerage, and the renovation plan before you buy, so the budget is known before you commit. Investment consulting →
Talk through your renovation.
Tell us about the house and what you want it to do next. We'll talk through the scope, what drives the budget, and how we'd run the work.