General contractor in Milan: one contract, one point of responsibility

A traditional construction company carries out specific trades on a commission basis: masonry, systems, finishes; but the responsibility for coordinating them remains entirely with the client. With a general contractor, the structure changes fundamentally: one single contract, one single point of contact, one single legal and financial liability for the entire site.

The most common scenario: the plumber falls three weeks behind. With a traditional company, that is the client's problem. They must chase, follow up, and renegotiate. With Renewall as general contractor, that delay becomes our problem, with financial consequences on our end written into the contract. This is not a formal distinction. It is a difference in who is accountable.

In the traditional market, the gap between initial estimate and final cost averages around +40%. Not because renovations are inherently unpredictable, but because many firms fail to identify all cost items before work begins: the scope of work is incomplete, trade overlaps are not mapped, and subcontractors arrive on site without real coordination. The client ends up discovering the true cost along the way.

Our average variance is +5.8%. That figure is not the result of miscalculation or overlooked contingencies. It stems almost entirely from client-requested additions: modifications, extras, or changes to the original scope, agreed in writing and approved before execution. The difference between +5.8% and +40% comes down to a feasibility study. We do it before signing any contract.

The lump-sum contract fixes the price for the agreed scope of work. If technical issues arise during the site, a hidden conduit, a structure that differs from expectations, a more complex trade than anticipated, those costs are absorbed by us. The client receives no additional charges for anything already included in the project specifications. This is possible because the preliminary feasibility study identifies all cost items before the contract is signed, reducing unforeseen events to near zero.

If the client wishes to modify or add something beyond what was agreed: a different finish, an additional room, a specification change. That becomes a change order: formalised in writing, priced and agreed upon, executed only after explicit approval. This is precisely why the +5.8% variance we record originates from clients choosing to evolve the project, not from gaps in our initial analysis.

The architect's role remains unchanged: they retain artistic direction, project oversight, and the relationship with the client. Renewall receives the executive design, develops its own detailed quotation, and formalises the lump-sum contract based on the scope of work agreed with the designer. We do not replace the architect: we structure the execution around their work.

During construction, no modification is carried out without the designer's authorisation. Checks are continuous and documented. We have an established working relationship with studios such as Erker Studio, All Out Lab, and Bello Dias: the process is proven, the language is shared, and the collaboration is structured; not improvised.

The project timeline is an integral part of the contract: start date and delivery date are both binding. In the event of a delay attributable to Renewall, financial penalties apply automatically, deducted directly from milestone payments or the final balance, with no need for the client to initiate disputes or legal proceedings. The mechanism is defined in the contract before the site begins.

Over the past 12 months, no delays attributable to Renewall have been recorded. There are situations that fall outside the penalty framework: client-supplied materials with missed delivery windows, design decisions made during construction, and documented force majeure events. These cases are identified in the contract; not left open to interpretation.

The market standard for a construction site liability policy is around €2–3 million. Renewall operates with €5 million in coverage. The difference is not trivial when working in high-value buildings, where the worth of adjacent properties (neighbouring apartments, shared common areas, structural elements) can be substantial. An uncontained water leak, a partial structural failure, damage to finishes in an adjoining unit: these are rare but real events.

The policy covers third-party damage, water infiltration into neighbouring units, damage to common areas, and structural failures. This is not an optional extra: it is the clearest measure of how far a general contractor is prepared to stand behind their work. Before signing any contract, verifying the insurance coverage is a precaution we recommend to every client.

Our primary area of operation is Milan, Brianza, and Lombardy. We also work regularly in Monza, Como, Lecco, Varese, Bergamo, and Brescia: provinces where our site logistics are well-established and our supplier network is active. Managing sites outside our home base is part of Renewall's operational competence, not an exception.

For significant projects, we also operate beyond Lombardy: Piedmont, Liguria, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna, within an approximate radius of 100 km from Milan. In these cases, coordination requires more detailed logistical planning, which we assess with the client before formalising any commitment.

These are two distinct concepts that are often conflated. "Turnkey" describes the outcome: the client receives the finished space, ready to use, without having to manage the site, suppliers, or phases of work. "General contractor" describes the contractual model: a single entity that assumes the legal and financial responsibility for the entire project.

A construction company can offer a turnkey service without being a general contractor. It executes everything, but does not bear contractual accountability for coordination in the way a GC does. Renewall combines both: the result is turnkey delivery, the structure is that of a general contractor, with a price fixed at contract signing, delay penalties, and sole legal liability for the entire site.