Property Development Project Phasing Schedule

What a good one includes

• Clear critical path milestones for site acquisition, environmental site assessments, and municipal zoning approvals.
• Detailed timelines for civil works, utility connections, and site grading before vertical construction begins.
• A logical sequencing of building parcels or blocks that shows how early phases can be occupied while later phases are still under construction.
• Integration of funding drawdowns and target pre-sale/pre-leasing milestones matched to specific construction gates.
• Defined weather and supply chain float periods built into high-risk construction windows, like foundation pours and roofing.
• A structured transition plan outlining inspections, occupancy permit acquisitions, and final walk-throughs for each phase.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overlooking the dependency of early phases on shared infrastructure, such as starting vertical builds before main sewer lines are operational.
• Underestimating the lead times required for utility company hookups and municipal sign-offs, which frequently stall final handovers.
• Creating overly aggressive overlapping phases that crowd the site with too many subcontractors, leading to safety hazards and physical bottlenecks.
• Failing to align the construction schedule with the sales and marketing launch, which can lead to expensive carrying costs on finished but unsold inventory.

Frequently asked questions