The Construction Phases

What actually happens on site, in order, and what to check at each stage before it is covered up. Concrete and plaster hide everything. Once a stage is buried, your only options are trust or demolition.

Your architect should inspect and certify each stage before you release payment — see Choosing a Contractor.

Before Work Starts

• BLP issued and the local authority informed that construction is starting — see Building and Land Use Permit (BLP)
• Contract signed, with payment stages and variation procedure — see Choosing a Contractor
• Structural engineer's drawings on site
• Contractor's insurances confirmed — see Financing Your House
• Site water and electricity arranged, and it is clear who pays
• Neighbours informed
• Photograph the empty site and the boundary pegs

1. Site Setting Out and Excavation

The building is marked out on the ground and foundation trenches are dug.

Check before proceeding:

• The house position matches the approved plan, including setback distances from every boundary — a house built too close to a boundary is a permit breach and very expensive to resolve
• Orientation is as designed
• Excavation depth matches the engineer's drawings
• Trenches are on firm ground, not loose fill
• Levels correct — including any raising of the house for flood risk, per Architect

2. Foundation

Footings, reinforcement, and concrete.

Check before the concrete pour — this is your last chance:

• Steel diameter, spacing, and number of bars match the engineer's drawings
• Correct concrete cover to the steel (spacers/chairs in place, steel not sitting on the soil)
• Reinforcement is clean, tied, and stable
• Correct concrete grade ordered
• Photograph the reinforcement thoroughly from several angles
• Curing plan agreed — concrete must be kept wet, not left to dry in the sun

3. Columns, Ground Beams, and Backfilling

Check:

• Column positions and sizes match the drawings
• Starter bars and lap lengths as specified
• Formwork straight, plumb, and properly braced
• Any plumbing or conduit passing through the foundation is placed before backfilling
• Backfill compacted in layers, not dumped
• Anti-termite treatment applied if specified
• Damp proof membrane laid where specified

4. Walls / Blockwork

Check:

• Block type and size as specified
• Walls plumb and courses level
• Openings for doors and windows in the right places and the right sizes — measure them against the plan now
• Lintels over openings as specified
• Room dimensions measured against the plan before plastering

5. Roof Slab Casting

The biggest single pour of the project, and a milestone with real consequences — the roof slab grant in Government Schemes, Refunds and Grants relates to this stage.

Check before the pour:

• Formwork and props adequate and properly supported — slab formwork failure during a pour is a serious safety event
• Steel layout, spacing, top and bottom reinforcement, and cover verified against the engineer's drawings
• All conduits, sleeves, and openings placed before the pour — for plumbing stacks, electrical drops, and any future stair or opening
• Concrete grade confirmed
• Pour planned to complete in one continuous operation
• Photograph everything before the pour
• Curing arranged for the days after — kept wet, and props left in place for the period the engineer specifies
• Slope and outlets for roof drainage as designed — a flat slab that ponds water will leak eventually
• Waterproofing specification confirmed and included in the contract

⚠️ Do not let props be removed early to speed the next stage. The concrete has not reached strength.

6. Plumbing and Electrical Rough-In

Pipes and conduits are chased into walls and slabs before plastering.

Check before plastering closes it all in:

• Plumbing pressure-tested for leaks
• Drainage falls correct, and connected to the septic tank or sewer per WMA — Wastewater
• Socket, switch, and light positions match the agreed electrical layout — walk the house room by room and confirm each one at its actual height and position. Changes are free now and expensive later.
• Provision for water heater, air conditioning units, and outdoor points
• Data and TV conduits run, kept separate from power — see Internet and Telephone
• Provision for future solar panels if planned — see Architect
• Earthing arrangement in place, as CEB will require
• Photograph every wall and ceiling before plastering, with something in shot for scale

7. Plaster, Screed, and Waterproofing

• Plaster thickness and finish as specified
• Screed falls correct in bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, and terraces — water must run to the drain
• Wet areas waterproofed and, ideally, water-tested before tiling
• Roof waterproofing applied as specified and tested
• Walls checked for straightness before tiling begins

8. Finishes

Tiles, doors, windows, joinery, sanitary ware, painting, kitchen.

• Materials match what was specified and approved — check deliveries against the specification, not just the invoice
• Tile layout agreed before laying starts
• Doors and windows fitted square, sealed, and operating properly
• Window and door frames sealed against water ingress
• Sanitary ware installed and tested
• Electrical fittings installed and every circuit tested
• Painting: correct preparation and number of coats

9. Externals

Frequently excluded from the main contract — confirm with your contractor.

• Water tank and pump installed and working
• Boundary wall and gate
• Driveway and paths, with drainage away from the house
• Ground levels sloping away from the building
• Landscaping

10. Snagging and Handover

Before the final payment, walk the house with your architect and write a snag list.

• Every room inspected in daylight: walls, ceilings, floors, paint
• Every door and window opened, closed, and locked
• Every tap, shower, and WC run and checked for leaks
• Every socket, switch, and light tested
• Drainage checked by running water
• Tiles checked for hollow sounds and lippage
• Snag list agreed in writing with dates for completion
• Retention held back until snags are cleared and the defects liability period ends — see Choosing a Contractor
• As-built drawings, warranties, and manuals collected
• All keys handed over

Then proceed to After Completion.

⚠️ Important Note

🚨 The single most valuable habit on site: photograph every stage before it is covered. Reinforcement before concrete, conduits before plaster, foundations before backfill. It costs nothing, and it is the only evidence you will ever have.