How many stages should a renovation be paid in?

Four to six stages suits most domestic projects. Fewer than four means each payment covers too much work to check properly; more than six adds admin without adding protection. Each stage should end at something you can see finished: a weathertight shell, first fix complete, certificates issued.

What should the final stage payment be?

Around 10% to 15% of the total, tied to snagging and completion rather than to a date. It covers the finishing items and gives the builder a clear trigger for the last payment: the agreed snag list closed and the paperwork handed over. It stands in for the completion half of a retention; later defects are covered by the contract’s defects period, not by held money.

Can I use these templates in my contract?

Yes, as a starting point. Adjust the stages and shares to your quote, write the stage descriptions into the contract or the quote’s payment terms, and have both sides sign. The values here are illustrative; the generator produces a version for your own project total.

Templates

Stage payment schedules by project type

Six worked schedules with illustrative values. Use them to agree the shape of your payments, then build the version for your own project.

Build your own schedule

How to use these

Fund each stage before it starts, and release it when the work for that stage is done and checked.
Where a contract would hold a retention, a funded snagging stage covers the completion half of it. Defects that appear after handover remain a matter for the contract’s defects period, not for held money.
Price any change to the scope in writing and add it as its own stage before the extra work begins.
Shares are illustrative. The right split follows your quote, not the other way round.

Single-storey rear extension, £60,000

A typical six-stage schedule for a single-storey rear extension with a new kitchen-diner, excluding kitchen units.

Stage	What it includes	Share	Value	Check before approving
1. Groundworks and foundations	Site set-up, excavation, foundations poured and inspected, drainage connections	15%	£9,000	Building control has inspected the foundations and drainage before they are covered.
2. Shell to wall plate	Blockwork and brickwork to full height, steels installed, lintels, cavity insulation	25%	£15,000	Steels match the engineer’s drawings; the walls are at the agreed height and plumb.
3. Roof and weathertight	Roof structure, covering, rooflights, external doors and windows fitted	15%	£9,000	The building is genuinely dry inside: roof covering complete, glazing in, no tarpaulins.
4. First fix	Electrical cabling, plumbing and heating pipework, internal stud walls, before boarding	15%	£9,000	Cable and pipe runs match the layout; photograph every wall and ceiling before it is boarded.
5. Second fix and plastering	Plasterboard and plaster, sockets and switches, radiators, internal doors, floor screed	20%	£12,000	Everything that should work does: lights, sockets, heating. Electrical certificate confirmed as coming.
6. Snagging and completion	Decoration, flooring, making good, snag list closed, building control completion certificate	10%	£6,000	The snag list is closed and the completion certificate is in your hands.
Total		100%	£60,000

Open the generator for this project type (it starts from its own preset, so adjust the stages to match this schedule)

Double-storey or wraparound extension, £120,000

The same six stages at a larger value. Bigger projects often split the shell into two stages; this version keeps six for comparison.

Stage	What it includes	Share	Value	Check before approving
1. Groundworks and foundations	Site set-up, excavation, foundations, drainage, any underpinning or piling	15%	£18,000	Building control inspection passed; any piling or underpinning signed off by the engineer.
2. Shell to wall plate	Masonry to both storeys, steels, floor structure, lintels, insulation	25%	£30,000	First-floor structure and steels match the drawings; openings in the right places.
3. Roof and weathertight	Roof structure and covering, windows, external doors, rooflights	15%	£18,000	Dry inside, roof complete, glazing fitted and sealed.
4. First fix	Electrics, plumbing, heating, stud walls, staircase if included	15%	£18,000	Services routed as drawn; photographs taken before boarding.
5. Second fix and plastering	Boarding, plastering, sockets and switches, radiators, doors, screed	20%	£24,000	All services tested; certificates confirmed as coming.
6. Snagging and completion	Decoration, flooring, making good, snag list closed, completion certificate	10%	£12,000	Snag list closed; completion certificate received.
Total		100%	£120,000

Open the generator for this project type (it starts from its own preset, so adjust the stages to match this schedule)

Dormer loft conversion, £45,000

Five stages for a rear dormer conversion with a bathroom, after the design and structural calculations have been paid for separately.

Stage	What it includes	Share	Value	Check before approving
1. Structural steels and floor	Steels in, new floor joists, structural timbers, party wall works where needed	25%	£11,250	Steels and joists installed as the engineer’s drawings specify; building control interim inspection passed.
2. Dormer and weathertight	Dormer built, roof covering, windows and rooflights in	25%	£11,250	Weathertight means roof covering complete and windows in, not a tarpaulin over the dormer.
3. First fix and staircase	Stud walls, wiring, pipework, staircase installed	20%	£9,000	Stair layout matches the approved drawings; services photographed before boarding.
4. Second fix and plastering	Boarding, plaster, sockets and switches, radiators, doors, bathroom fitted	20%	£9,000	Lights, sockets, radiators and bathroom all working; electrical certificate confirmed.
5. Snagging and completion	Decoration, flooring, snag list closed, certificates issued	10%	£4,500	Snag list closed; electrical, window and completion certificates received together.
Total		100%	£45,000

Open the generator for this project type (it starts from its own preset, so adjust the stages to match this schedule)

Kitchen renovation, £25,000

Five stages for a kitchen where the builder supplies and fits the units. If you buy the units yourself, pay the supplier on their own terms and use these stages for the installation only.

Stage	What it includes	Share	Value	Check before approving
1. Strip-out and first fix	Old kitchen out; water, gas, electrics and drainage moved to the new layout	20%	£5,000	Pipe and cable routes match the design before anything is boarded over.
2. Units delivered and fitted	Base and wall units installed and checked against the design	35%	£8,750	Inspect the delivery on the day it arrives; doors aligned and layout as sold.
3. Worktops	Templating, cutting, fitting, joints finished, sink and taps in	15%	£3,750	Joints sealed, sink plumbed and draining, no chips or mismatched grain.
4. Second fix, tiling and appliances	Appliances connected and tested, tiling and splashbacks, lighting live	20%	£5,000	Every appliance run; gas and electrical certificates confirmed as coming.
5. Snagging and completion	Decoration, making good, snag list closed, certificates handed over	10%	£2,500	Snag list closed and certificates received.
Total		100%	£25,000

Open the generator for this project type (it starts from its own preset, so adjust the stages to match this schedule)

Bathroom renovation, £12,000

Four stages for a full bathroom refit with new sanitaryware, tiling and a shower.

Stage	What it includes	Share	Value	Check before approving
1. Strip-out and first fix	Old suite out, pipework and wiring rerouted, waste and ventilation	25%	£3,000	Pipework pressure-tested and photographed before boarding.
2. Tanking, boarding and tiling	Waterproofing to wet areas, boarding, floor and wall tiling	30%	£3,600	Tanking complete before tiling; tiles level, grout and silicone sound.
3. Sanitaryware and second fix	Bath or shower, basin, WC, taps, shower screen, lighting and extractor	30%	£3,600	Everything fills, drains and runs without leaks; extractor and lighting working.
4. Snagging and completion	Decoration, sealing, making good, snag list closed	15%	£1,800	Snag list closed; electrical certificate received where new circuits were added.
Total		100%	£12,000

Open the generator for this project type (it starts from its own preset, so adjust the stages to match this schedule)

Garden landscaping, £18,000

Five stages for a hard and soft landscaping project with a patio, retaining wall and planting.

Stage	What it includes	Share	Value	Check before approving
1. Clearance and groundworks	Site clearance, excavation, levels set out, waste removed	20%	£3,600	Levels match the design; spoil removed as agreed.
2. Bases and drainage	Sub-bases compacted, drainage and ducting laid, footings for walls	25%	£4,500	Sub-base depth and compaction checked before paving goes down; drainage runs photographed.
3. Paving, walls and structures	Patio laid, retaining walls built, steps, pergola or fencing	30%	£5,400	Paving falls away from the house; walls plumb; structures fixed as specified.
4. Planting, lighting and finishes	Topsoil, planting, turf, lighting, irrigation	15%	£2,700	Plants as listed in the plan; lighting tested after dark.
5. Snagging and completion	Site clean-up, snag list closed, maintenance guidance handed over	10%	£1,800	Snag list closed; site left clean.
Total		100%	£18,000

Open the generator for this project type (it starts from its own preset, so adjust the stages to match this schedule)

Frequently asked questions

: Four to six stages suits most domestic projects. Fewer than four means each payment covers too much work to check properly; more than six adds admin without adding protection. Each stage should end at something you can see finished: a weathertight shell, first fix complete, certificates issued.
: Around 10% to 15% of the total, tied to snagging and completion rather than to a date. It covers the finishing items and gives the builder a clear trigger for the last payment: the agreed snag list closed and the paperwork handed over. It stands in for the completion half of a retention; later defects are covered by the contract’s defects period, not by held money.
: Yes, as a starting point. Adjust the stages and shares to your quote, write the stage descriptions into the contract or the quote’s payment terms, and have both sides sign. The values here are illustrative; the generator produces a version for your own project total.

Make the schedule real.

Each stage funded before it starts, held securely, released when the work is approved.