The correct order
- Strip-out & enabling — remove everything coming out before anything goes in.
- Structural — steels, openings, underpinning. Everything downstream depends on this being signed off.
- First fix — wiring, pipework and carpentry hidden inside walls and floors.
- Plaster — only once first fix is inspected and walls are closing up.
- Second fix — sockets, sanitaryware, doors, kitchen, once plaster is dry.
- Decoration & flooring — last, to protect the finish.
Where it goes wrong
The classic failure is plastering before first-fix is fully inspected, then chasing walls back open for a missed cable. The second is decorating before flooring, then damaging fresh paint.
Drying time is real, not padding. Plaster and screed need to dry before they're covered or you trap moisture and store up failures.
What to ask your builder
- A written sequence with inspection hold-points, not just a price.
- Who books building control and when.
- Realistic drying allowances in the programme.
Ready to put this into practice?
Tell us about your project and let verified builders bid for it — or check any builder by their CB number.