Most delays and cost overruns we see don't happen on the site — they happen before it, in paperwork and checks that get skipped in the rush to start building. Here are the five we ask every client to complete first.
1. Confirm your title and land-use documents
Before any design work begins, make sure your sale deed, mutation records, and land-use classification are in order. Municipal approval offices will reject a building plan over a mismatch here, often months into the process.
2. Get a soil test, not just a site opinion
A soil test tells your structural engineer what kind of foundation your plot actually needs. Skipping it to save a small fee is one of the most common reasons for foundation cracks appearing within the first few years.
3. Fix your budget in writing, with a contingency
Set aside 10–15% above your construction estimate for changes you'll inevitably want once walls start going up. Decide this number before signing a contract, not partway through the build.
4. Check utility connections at the plot, not just on paper
Water, sewage, and electricity connection points can be further from your plot than official maps suggest. A short site visit with your contractor before finalising the layout avoids expensive rerouting later.
5. Put your payment schedule on paper
Tie every payment to a visible construction milestone — foundation complete, structure complete, and so on — rather than to calendar dates. This protects both you and your contractor if the schedule shifts.
None of these steps take more than a week combined, and each one removes a common source of dispute later in the project. If you'd like us to walk through any of them with you, a site visit is always free.