Construction Programmes for London Home Projects: Build Sequences, Milestones, and What to Expect

A construction programme is a schedule that sets out the sequence, duration, and dependencies of all the activities required to complete a building project. For London residential projects, a realistic, well-thought-through programme is one of the most valuable tools in the contractor's management toolkit — and one of the most important documents a client can ask to see before work begins.

This guide explains what a construction programme contains, how build sequences are structured for common London project types, and what realistic timescales look like.

A construction programme is not just a planning document — it is a management and communication tool. It serves several important functions:

For the contractor: it sequences the activities so that trades are on site at the right time in the right order, materials and plant are ordered in advance, subcontractors are booked to the correct programme, and delays in one area are identified and managed before they cause knock-on effects downstream.

For the client: it provides a realistic expectation of how long the project will take, what will happen and when, when key milestones (such as Building Control inspections, utility connections, and fitting-out stages) will be reached, and when the property will be habitable again (for occupied properties).

For subcontractors and suppliers: it gives advance notice of when they are needed, supporting reliable bookings and procurement.

For the design team and Building Control: it identifies when design information and inspection appointments are needed, allowing these to be programmed rather than chased at the last minute.

A project without a programme is managed reactively rather than proactively. In London's dense, access-constrained construction environment — where neighbours, traffic restrictions, noise limits, and trade availability all create constraints — reactive management typically leads to delays, cost overruns, and disputes.

A construction programme for a London residential project typically contains:

• A list of all activities required to complete the project, broken down to a level of detail that allows each activity to be monitored
• The duration of each activity in working days or weeks
• The dependencies between activities (which activities must be completed before others can start)
• The critical path — the sequence of activities that determines the minimum possible project duration
• Key milestones and inspection points (Building Control stage inspections, party wall surveyor access, utility diversions, etc.)
• Procurement lead times for key items (structural steel, bespoke joinery, windows, specialist subcontractors)
• A programme bar chart (typically a Gantt chart) showing all activities against a calendar

For fixed-duration or milestone-sensitive projects, the programme also includes float — spare time built in to absorb minor delays without affecting the overall completion date.

Rear extension (single storey, 25–30m2):

• Weeks 1–2: Groundworks, foundations
• Weeks 2–4: Masonry or structural steel to DPC, then rising walls
• Weeks 3–5: Roof structure, weatherproofing
• Week 5: Building watertight — trigger for first-fix work
• Weeks 5–8: First-fix electrics and plumbing, insulation, internal partitions
• Weeks 7–9: Plastering and drying time
• Weeks 9–12: Second-fix electrics and plumbing, kitchen/finishes fit-out
• Weeks 12–14: Decorating, external works, snagging
• Total: 14–18 weeks

Loft conversion (dormer, single bed and bathroom):

• Weeks 1–2: Scaffolding, structural beam installation
• Weeks 2–4: Dormer structure, roof alterations
• Weeks 4–5: Weathertight — first-fix trigger
• Weeks 5–8: First-fix electrics, plumbing, insulation, staircase installation
• Weeks 8–10: Plastering and drying
• Weeks 10–14: Second-fix, bathroom fit-out, decorating
• Total: 14–18 weeks

Full house refurbishment (three-bedroom terrace, occupied between completion):

• Weeks 1–3: Strip-out, asbestos removal where required, structural alterations
• Weeks 3–6: First-fix plumbing and electrics throughout, structural work completion
• Weeks 5–8: Plastering and drying throughout
• Weeks 8–12: Bathroom and kitchen installation, second-fix carpentry
• Weeks 12–16: Decorating, flooring, final fit-out
• Weeks 16–18: Snagging, commissioning, handover
• Total: 18–24 weeks

Basement conversion (shell only to habitable):

• Weeks 1–4: Enabling works, underpinning where required, excavation
• Weeks 4–8: Structural slab and walls, tanking
• Weeks 8–10: First-fix plumbing, electrics, drainage to sump
• Weeks 10–12: Insulation, studwork partitions, drying
• Weeks 12–15: Plastering, second-fix
• Weeks 15–18: Fit-out, decorating
• Total: 20–28 weeks (excavation and structural stage is the most variable)

A factor that is consistently underestimated in London residential programmes is drying time. New plaster requires approximately one week of drying time per millimetre of thickness (for standard backing coat plaster, 11–14mm) before it is ready for decoration — meaning three coats of plaster should be allowed approximately 4–6 weeks of drying time in normal winter conditions (less in summer with adequate ventilation and heating).

Attempting to decorate over insufficiently dried plaster is one of the most common causes of poor finish quality on London residential projects. A realistic programme will include a clear drying allowance after plastering and will not allow the decoration stage to begin before adequate drying has occurred.

rcbGroup provides a full construction programme for every project before work begins, and updates it throughout the project to reflect actual progress. Our programmes are prepared in advance of the build starting, with procurement lead times identified and subcontractors booked to the correct sequence.

If you are at the stage of reviewing contractor proposals for a London project, asking each contractor to provide a realistic build programme alongside their estimate is one of the most effective ways to assess the quality of their pre-construction planning.

Contact rcbGroup to discuss the programme for your London project.