A renovation process built around decisions, deliverables and written control—not a four-step marketing promise. You see what happens next, what must be decided, and what should be in writing before construction begins.
High-value renovation carries real variables: existing structure, hidden services, heritage fabric, planning policy, lease restrictions, neighbour procedures, access and long-lead finishes. The purpose of pre-construction is not to pretend those variables do not exist. It is to find, allocate and price as many of them as the project reasonably allows.
That means the design must become sufficiently technical before the construction price is treated as fixed. It also means client selections, provisional allowances and excluded work are visible. A short quotation cannot substitute for coordinated drawings, a specification and a contract.
Do not move from concept to construction simply because the layout looks right. Move when the agreed design, approvals route, structural intent, specification, contract scope, programme and commercial assumptions are aligned.
Not every project needs every consent or consultant. The sequence is adapted after the property and brief are understood.
We establish the property, desired outcome, ownership position, likely scope, budget parameters and any dates that genuinely matter. If the project is not a fit, that should become clear early.
A written summary of the brief and the recommended next investigation or appointment.
The team reviews existing fabric, structure, services, access, planning or heritage context and—where relevant—leasehold and neighbour constraints. Specialist surveys are identified rather than silently assumed.
Measured information, initial risk register, consent route and viable scope options.
Layouts and interventions are tested against the brief, structure, daylight, circulation, heritage significance and budget. The aim is to select a coherent direction before detail multiplies.
Preferred concept, key client selections and authority to progress the chosen scheme.
Depending on the project, this can include planning, listed building consent, a lawful-development route, Building Control, structural design, party-wall procedure or a Licence to Alter. These are separate approvals with different decision-makers.
Required submissions and a coordinated technical package suitable for pricing and construction.
The construction scope is assembled from drawings, specification and known site conditions. Inclusions, exclusions, allowances, client-supplied items, change procedure, programme basis and payment terms are made visible.
Agreed contract documents, contract sum or pricing basis, payment schedule and named responsibilities.
Before site opens, the team coordinates long-lead orders, access, protection, waste, working hours, temporary services, neighbours, inspections and the information still required from the client.
Pre-start meeting, construction programme, logistics plan and outstanding-information schedule.
Work is sequenced against the programme, with inspections and client decisions recorded. Discoveries and requested changes are assessed for design, cost and time effects instead of being allowed to drift into the final account.
Progress record, decision log, written variations and updated programme where required.
Snagging, applicable inspections and commissioning are completed before the agreed handover. The client receives the documents scheduled for the project and a written route for raising post-completion items under the contract.
Practical-completion record, keys, applicable certificates and warranties, operating information and aftercare contacts.
A listed townhouse, lateral apartment and rear extension cannot honestly share one website timeline or payment percentage. They can share a disciplined framework.
| Point in the project | What should be clear | What protects the client |
|---|---|---|
| Design / feasibility appointment | The work being commissioned, fee, outputs, exclusions and next decision. | A written appointment before chargeable work starts. |
| Before construction contract | Drawings, specification, price basis, allowances, programme, responsibilities and required approvals. | Enough coordinated information to understand what the construction price includes. |
| Start / mobilisation | Any start payment, procurement commitment or mobilisation amount and what it funds. | The exact arrangement stated in the contract—not a generic website promise. |
| During construction | Stage payments or valuations, due dates, supporting progress and any agreed retention. | Payments linked to defined progress and assessed under the contract. |
| Change | Description, reason, cost, time effect and related design consequences. | Written approval before implementation wherever practicable. |
| Completion | Snag status, handover documents, final account, any retention release and aftercare route. | A documented completion process rather than an informal key handover. |
The right structure depends on procurement, project duration, bespoke orders and the selected contract. We will show the actual schedule before you sign. That is more useful than publishing a percentage that may not apply to your project.
The people and professional appointments vary by scope, but the responsibility split should be explicit before the relevant stage begins.
A reliable fixed quotation follows enough survey, design and specification work to define the scope and expose the main constraints. Quoting before structure, consents, access and finishes are understood simply moves uncertainty into allowances or later variations.
There is no responsible universal answer. A largely internal freehold refurbishment follows a different route from a listed property, basement, extension or leasehold apartment. We identify the likely approval path at feasibility stage and issue a project-specific pre-construction programme.
Yes. Before the relevant work starts, the appointment or contract should identify the project lead, design and engineering responsibilities, any separate professional appointments, and the site contact. The named people depend on the agreed scope rather than a generic website team list.
The contract sets the payment schedule for that project. Construction payments should be linked to defined stages or assessed progress, with due dates and the basis of valuation recorded before work starts. Any design fees, mobilisation payment, retention or final payment are stated expressly rather than assumed from a generic percentage.
A proposed change is recorded with its effect on price, programme and related work before it is instructed wherever practicable. Urgent safety or opening-up discoveries may require a faster decision, but they should still be documented so the cost and programme record remains clear.
The handover schedule is project-specific. It may include the agreed snag record, Building Control completion documentation, electrical or gas certificates, product information, manufacturer warranties, operating information, keys and the written aftercare route. The contract should state what applies to your project.
Share the property, the intended work and any documents already available. We will use that information to suggest the right first step rather than forcing every enquiry into the same process.