Verification guides
Stage payments, explained without the argument.
Practical, balanced guidance for homeowners and builders on what construction stage payments mean, how to define each milestone before the work reaches it, and what independent verification does and does not say.
Builder stage payments explained
Most domestic building projects are paid in stages rather than in one payment at the end. Each stage is meant to represent an agreed point in the work.
Read the guideIs my extension ready for a stage payment?
Being asked for a stage payment is normal. Wanting to understand what you are paying for is also normal, and it does not mean you distrust your builder.
Read the guideBuilder payment disagreements: a calmer route
Most payment disagreements on domestic projects are not about dishonesty. They are about two people describing the same work differently.
Read the guideIndependent construction progress inspection
An independent progress check answers a narrow, useful question: has the agreed stage of work been reached?
Read the guideHow to prove you have completed the stage
Good builders lose time and goodwill defending work that was genuinely done. The problem is usually evidence, not workmanship.
Read the guideHow do I know when a building stage is complete?
'Complete' is the most expensive undefined word in residential construction.
Read the guide