Practical completion: are you actually ready?
Calling practical completion before the project is ready is expensive. It triggers timelines, releases obligations and hands purchasers a building that may not stand up. Here is how to know whether you are genuinely ready.
What practical completion really means
Practical completion is the point at which the works are complete except for minor defects that do not prevent the building from being used for its intended purpose. The judgement call, "are the outstanding items minor," is exactly where projects get into trouble. A structured readiness check replaces that judgement with evidence.
The register has to be fit for purpose first
Before anything else, the defect register must be one source of truth, cost-coded, and closed only on reinspection. If the register is behind or fragmented, you do not actually know your position. Our guide on running a defect register covers this in detail.
The areas that decide readiness
- Fire and life safety. These are certification blockers. Fire doors, passive fire, hydrant and detection systems have to be tested and documented.
- Wet areas and waterproofing. The classic source of post-handover pain: falls, membranes, sealants and drainage tested under load.
- Services commissioning. Mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and vertical transport commissioned and witnessed, with records collected rather than promised.
- Documentation and handover pack. As-builts, O&M manuals, warranties and statutory certificates assembled for the occupation certificate.
Make readiness a number, not a hope
The strongest sign a project is ready is that the team can answer "are we ready for PC" with a number and a trend, not a feeling. Close-out velocity, open exposure by trade and a readiness percentage turn a subjective call into a defensible one.
Run the test. Download the one-page Practical Completion Readiness Checklist, or see what a slipped handover costs with the exposure estimate.
What is the difference between practical completion and final completion?
Practical completion is when the works can be used for their purpose, with only minor defects outstanding. Final completion is later, after the defect liability period, when remaining defects have been rectified.
What happens if you call practical completion too early?
You can trigger the release of retention and obligations, hand over a building with unresolved defects, and expose yourself to disputes and rework at a worse commercial position.
How do you prove a project is ready for practical completion?
With evidence: a fit-for-purpose cost-coded defect register, inspection and commissioning records, tested fire and life safety systems, and a complete documentation pack, summarised in a readiness report.
Run your close-out on a system built for it.
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