What to Expect During Each Phase of a Construction Project

If you’ve never run a building project, the hardest part isn’t the decisions. It’s not knowing which decisions are coming, or when. This is the whole sequence, laid out.

Before anything is built

Survey, design, approvals, and pricing. This phase feels slow and produces nothing you can stand in, which is exactly why people rush it. Every week spent here saves considerably more later. Your decisions: the scope, the budget, and who is building it.

Groundworks and foundations

Excavation, drainage runs, foundations, and the ground floor slab. Noisy, muddy, and the phase most exposed to weather. Your decisions: almost none, which is a relief after the last phase.

Structure and weathertight

Frame, roof, windows, and external doors. This is the phase where progress suddenly becomes visible and morale improves sharply. Your decisions: window and door specifications, ideally settled long before this point because of lead times.

First fix

Everything that has to happen before the walls close: wiring, pipework, ductwork, and structural carpentry. Your decisions: socket and switch positions, lighting layout, and anything that needs a cable. Changing your mind after this phase is expensive, so walk the site with your electrician while the walls are still open.

Second fix and finishes

Plastering, joinery, kitchens, bathrooms, tiling, and decoration. The longest phase psychologically, because it looks nearly finished for weeks. Your decisions: finishes, ironmongery, and paint colours.

Snagging and handover

We walk the building with you and write down everything that isn’t right, then fix it before the final invoice. You receive warranties, certificates, and as-built drawings. Your decision: whether the list is complete before you sign it off. Take your time over that one.