BD House Design

Interior Design

New Flat Interior Checklist: From Handover to Move In

What to inspect when the developer hands over your keys, and how to plan, budget and finish the interior without costly rework.

By: BD House Design editorial team
Published: 28 September 2026
Read: 4 min

Key points

  • Inspect the flat before you sign the handover letter. Seepage, weak water pressure and bad slopes are the developer’s job to fix.
  • Plan the whole flat on paper first, including electrical points, before any ceiling or carpentry starts.
  • In 2026, flat interiors in Dhaka run from about ৳900 per sq ft for basic work to ৳4,000 or more for premium.
  • Work in order: ceiling and wiring, plumbing and tiles, carpentry, paint, then lights and curtains.

Step 1: check the flat at handover

Walk through the empty flat in daylight, ideally after rain, with a notebook and your phone camera. Write every defect on the handover sheet so the developer fixes it before your interior team starts.

Worker Drilling
Fix before you finish. Moving a socket after the wall is painted and panelled costs three times more.

Step 2: plan the whole flat before buying anything

A good interior starts with a furniture layout for every room, drawn to scale. From that layout the designer places switches, sockets, lights, AC units and storage. Only then should ceiling and carpentry begin.

Bedroom Master
Bedroom layout. Bed, wardrobe, dressing and study placed before wiring.
Flat Living Minimal
Order of work. A typical 1,200 sq ft flat takes 8 to 10 weeks.
  • Measure every wall, window and beam; beams decide where ceilings and wardrobes can go.
  • List what you own and will keep, so the design fits it.
  • Decide storage early. Most Dhaka flats need more wardrobe and kitchen storage than buyers expect.
  • Plan lighting in layers: ceiling light, task light and one warm accent per room.

Room by room interior ideas

Drawing Room Classic
Drawing room. The guest room of the house. Keep it formal and easy to clean.
Dining Pendant
Dining. A pendant over the table and a crockery unit on the side wall.
Bedroom White Flat
Master bedroom. Full height wardrobe, dressing unit and a reading light.
Bedroom Bright
Children's room. Study desk by the window and plenty of low storage.
Kitchen Handleless
Kitchen. Cabinets are most of the budget. Read our cabinet materials guide.
Bathroom Small White
Bathroom. Wall hung fittings and a glass partition make small baths feel bigger.

For more ideas, see drawing room, bedroom and bathroom designs.

What a flat interior costs in 2026

৳900 to 1,500
per sq ft, budget execution
৳1,500 to 2,500
per sq ft, mid range
৳2,500 to 4,000+
per sq ft, premium
৳25 to 60
per sq ft for design drawings only
RoomTypical cost range
Living room৳1.5 to 5 lakh+
Master bedroom৳1 to 3 lakh
Bathroom (each)৳60,000 to ৳1.8 lakh
Home office or guest room৳50,000 to ৳1.2 lakh
Kitchen, mid range modular৳1.5 to 3 lakh

Source: Intros Space, Interior Design Cost in Bangladesh 2026. For a 1,200 sq ft flat, mid range work comes to about ৳18 to ৳30 lakh. See our interior design cost guide.

Spend where you touch

Put money into kitchen hardware, wardrobe hinges, bathroom fittings and the sofa you sit on daily. Save on decorative wall panels and ceiling patterns, which are easy to add later.

Materials that handle Bangladesh humidity

  • Marine plywood for kitchen base cabinets and bathroom vanities.
  • PVC board or aluminium under sinks and anywhere water sits.
  • Moisture resistant gypsum board for bathroom and kitchen ceilings, or PVC panels. Compare them in our gypsum vs PVC ceiling guide.
  • Anti fungal interior paint on walls that face the monsoon.
  • Laminate or tile floors rather than solid wood, which swells in the wet months.

Questions to ask an interior firm

If you want written quotes from checked firms, our flat interior design page explains how we match you with up to three companies.

Flat interior checklist: common questions

What should I check when a developer hands over a new flat?

Check for seepage, water pressure, bathroom and balcony slopes, hollow tiles, earthing and sockets, AC points, windows, doors, gas line and meters. Record every defect on the handover sheet.

In 2026, about ৳900 to ৳4,000 or more per sq ft depending on quality. Mid range work for 1,200 sq ft is roughly ৳18 to ৳30 lakh.

A typical 1,200 sq ft flat takes 8 to 10 weeks on site after design approval. Premium work or imported materials can add time.

Ceiling and wiring first, then plumbing and tiles, then carpentry and kitchen, then paint and polish, and finally lights, curtains and furniture.

Marine plywood for wet areas and good quality commercial plywood for dry furniture. Avoid plain particle board in kitchens and bathrooms.

BD

Written by the BD House Design editorial team with input from the registered architects, engineers and interior firms we work with. How we research and check our pages.

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