Who decides when a stage of building work is complete?

The short answer

Completion should be assessed through the project agreement, the milestone's defined work and criteria, relevant evidence and any professional role required by the contract.

It is not automatically decided by:

• the customer alone;
• the builder alone;
• Assurr;
• Building Control;
• a quantity surveyor on every project.

Different projects allocate the decision differently.

What should a milestone say?

A useful milestone connects:

• a clear stage name;
• the work items included;
• completion criteria;
• drawings, specifications or standards;
• evidence requirements;
• dependencies;
• any professional certificate;
• the amount attached;
• the review and query process.

Compare these two examples.

Weak:

First fix complete: £18,000

Stronger:

First-fix electrical installation completed to the agreed locations, including cable routes, circuits and back boxes. Required concealed-work photographs recorded. Excludes second-fix accessories and final decoration. Value: £6,500.

The stronger version explains why the work can be complete even though the room is not finished.

Does the customer approve completion of the stage?

The customer may have a defined review role. They should be able to check the agreed work, evidence, changes and any open questions.

But the customer should not be expected to become an electrician, structural engineer or building inspector. Where technical certification is required, the project should identify the relevant competent person or professional input.

The customer's useful task is often to identify whether:

• the agreed items appear to be addressed;
• the required evidence exists;
• an expected document is missing;
• a visible exception needs explanation;
• a change has been recorded;
• the correct stage is being requested.

Does Building Control decide?

Not automatically.

Building Control works within its statutory role. An inspection or approval does not necessarily mean:

• every item in the customer contract is complete;
• the work has no defects;
• the builder has satisfied every specification;
• the customer must approve payment for the entire stage;
• the payment amount is correct.

The Building Control record may be important evidence, but it is not the same event as contractual completion or a payment decision.

Do we need a quantity surveyor for every payment?

No universal rule says every domestic payment needs a quantity surveyor.

For a large extension administered under a formal contract, professional certification may be appropriate or required. For a straightforward lower-value bathroom or roofing job, the parties may use defined bilateral review with proportionate evidence.

The process should match the value, complexity, risk and contract.

What if one item is unfinished?

One outstanding item does not always mean the whole stage is incomplete. Equally, a builder should not label a stage complete when a critical requirement has not been met.

The parties need to ask:

• Is the item part of this milestone?
• Is it minor or does it prevent the stage outcome?
• Does it block later work?
• Can it be valued separately?
• Can the parts approved for payment and the queried parts be separated fairly?
• What correction or completion date is agreed?
• What payment consequence does the contract provide?

If the milestone is worth £30,000 and a separable £800 item is queried, partial approval can distinguish the part approved for payment from the queried part. The approved amount creates a release request. Provider processing and contractual effect remain separately governed.

What does approving payment for a milestone mean?

That depends on the contract and configured process. It may record that the agreed stage has reached its review outcome, authorise a payment instruction or unlock later work.

It does not automatically mean that Assurr has inspected the work, that no latent defect exists or that payment for unrelated parts of the project is approved.

The approval screen should state the effect clearly before the customer acts.

Before approving payment for a stage

Check:

• what the milestone includes
• what it expressly excludes
• the completion criteria
• required evidence
• accepted variations
• open queries
• outstanding items
• professional or Building Control records
• payment amount and effect
• what alternative action is available if something is unclear

The strongest time to define completion is before work starts. The second-best time is before a payment disagreement begins.