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Stage 5 of 8

Finishing works and utility connections

Once the structural frame is complete, many finishing activities begin in parallel. The building may look almost ready, but this does not mean that it has reached the relevant administrative stage or that its use is already permitted.

Current topicFinishing works and utility connections
What to do now

Ask for an up-to-date, dated specification and the status of utility connections.

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Where this stage fits

  1. 01 Land, planning and designBefore construction begins, clarify the rights over the land, the planning rules and the proposed design.
  2. 02 Building permitThe permit states what may be built, identifies the developer and lists the approved designs. It does not prove that construction has started or been completed.
  3. 03 Start of construction and foundationsAfter the opening of the construction site and the determination of the line and level, the work on the permitted construction begins - first on the excavation and the foundations.
  4. 04 Construction and Act 14Act Form 14 certifies acceptance of the structural frame. It is related to the concept of "rough construction", but the two do not always mean the same thing.
  5. 05 Finishing works and utility connectionsWork continues on the façades, building systems, common areas and utility connections. Even if the building looks finished, that does not mean it has been authorized for use.
  6. 06 Preparation for acceptance and Act 15With Act Form 15, the builder hands the construction and its documents to the developer, and its readiness for acceptance is recorded. This is not the final authorization for use.
  7. 07 CommissioningAccording to the category, the final document is a permit to use or a certificate of commissioning. The colloquial "Act 16" can mean a variety of things.
  8. 08 Property handover and maintenanceAt handover, the parties record the keys, the property's condition, meter readings and any observations. Maintenance and condominium obligations follow.

How this stage unfolds

What happens on site?

Visible construction work and the documents recording specific events are connected, but they are not the same thing. Check each separately.

Construction work

Once the structural frame is complete, work continues in parallel on masonry and partition walls, roof and façade layers, windows and doors, and the electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation and other building systems. Lifts, stairways, corridors, garages, landscaping and access may progress at different rates.

Different blocks and parts can be at different levels of readiness. A visibly finished facade can coexist with unfinished common parts or untested installations, and the works in the particular apartment do not show the state of the entire construction.

For the buyer

Why does it matter to the buyer?

Here the promised quality starts to become visible. The agreed degree of completion should describe not only floors and walls in the apartment, but also common areas, installations, facade, parking and surrounding environment.

Vague terms such as "turnkey" or "luxury common areas" have little value without a detailed specification. Differences may result in extra costs, delay or disputes at handover.

Who can help?

An independent structural engineer or relevant installation specialist can assess the apparent performance and indicate what requires separate testing. Operators and competent authorities only confirm procedures within their scope.

The lawyer compares the agreed specification, terms and remedies. The technical and legal assessments must align, especially when payment is linked to a broadly described physical stage.

Next stage

What usually comes next?

As completion approaches, the participants assemble the relevant test results, records and construction documents and prepare for acceptance. This leads to Act 15, although individual works may finish on different dates.

Before assuming that Act 15 is imminent, check which works and documents remain and whether they relate to the correct phase of your unit.

Before relying on this stage

What do you need to clarify?

Clarify exactly what will be done in the home, the common areas and the outdoor environment and who will cover the cost of the rest. Compare the description in the contract, the technical specification and the current condition on site.

Ask which utility connections are permanent, which procedures remain incomplete and whether any infrastructure serves more than one phase. Do not treat a promised deadline as an established fact without documentary evidence.

Before you continue

Checklist

Use this list when speaking with the seller or a specialist. A tick only records your progress; it does not verify the condition of the property or the works.

  1. 01

    Compare the technical specification, design solutions and visible performance for the housing, common areas and parking.

  2. 02

    Record which works are complete, which are in progress, and which cannot be judged by visual inspection alone.

  3. 03

    Ask which utility connections are permanent, which procedures remain incomplete and who is responsible for them.

  4. 04

    Distinguish the documents for the residential building from the permits and protocols for the substation, street, water supply or other infrastructure.

  5. 05

    Check how the contract describes the permissible changes, the quality, the deadline for fixing defects and the proof of the stage.

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Sources

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This content is educational and does not replace a qualified professional's review of the documents for a specific property.

Version 2 · The content is published but has not yet been reviewed by a specialist.

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