What to expect from your build, week by week
Most builds move through four phases: break ground, first fix, second fix, sign-off. Here's what each looks like from your point of view.
Every build is different, but they tend to follow the same shape: four phases tied to the four payment milestones. Here's what each looks like from your point of view.
Break ground
Site set-up. The builder arrives with their team, lays down protection, sets up storage, brings in initial materials. Demolition usually happens early — strip-out of existing finishes, removal of fixtures and fittings, sometimes structural openings. Things look worse before they look better.
Your involvement: low. The builder runs the site. You'll see daily activity. Expect mess, noise, and the visual shock of a stripped-back space. This is normal.
First fix
Structural and rough-in work. Walls go up where they need to. Electrical first fix runs cables. Plumbing first fix lays pipework. Anything that will be hidden by plasterboard or finishes is in by the end of this phase.
Your involvement: low to moderate. Some decisions surface — socket positions, switch positions, light layouts. Your designer or build advisor will walk you through them. The choices are easier to make on site than from a drawing.
Second fix / practical completion
Things start looking like rooms. Plasterboard goes up. Electrical second fix installs sockets, switches, and fittings. Plumbing second fix installs taps, basins, baths, and showers. Tiling, flooring, painting, and joinery come together.
Your involvement: moderate. More choices are visible — finish quality, fitting positions, the final look. Snags (small defects or unfinished items the builder needs to come back to) start appearing as items are installed; the builder usually maintains a running snag list. The article Snagging — the 28-day window covers what counts as a snag in more detail.
By the end of this phase, the space is practically complete — usable, livable, the project is recognisable as the thing it was supposed to be. You can move in. Snags may still exist; sign-off is the next phase.
Sign off
Snag clearance and final certificates. The builder works through the snag list, gets electrical and gas certificates issued, and tidies up. Once everything is complete to the agreed standard, you sign off — and the 12-month workmanship warranty starts.
Your involvement: high during the snag list. You'll walk through the space with the builder, agree what's a snag, and confirm when each one is cleared. Set aside time for this; rushing sign-off creates issues that surface months later.
Sequencing across the four phases
Most projects spend roughly: 10–20% of the time on break ground, 30–40% on first fix, 30–40% on second fix, and 10–20% on sign-off. Larger or more complex projects spend more on first fix; lighter renovations weight towards second fix and finishing. Your builder's programme will give you a project-specific breakdown.
What this means for you
Treat each phase as a discrete piece of work with its own rhythm. Most of your involvement comes in concentrated bursts — site visits, milestone approvals, snag walks — rather than every day. Trust your builder to run the day-to-day; the structure exists so you don't have to.
Related articles
- How construction payments work
- How to work best with your builder
- How to approve a milestone