RIBA Stages Explained: A Simple Guide for Clients

The RIBA Plan of Work organises the process of briefing, designing, constructing and operating a building into eight stages, numbered 0 to 7. Each stage has a defined outcome, core tasks and information exchanges, giving the client and project team a shared structure for decisions and approvals.

For a client, the value is practical: it shows what should be agreed before design begins, when the design should be reviewed, when planning and technical approvals are addressed, and what must be ready before construction and handover.

It is a process map, not a contract or a one-size-fits-all programme. The RIBA Plan of Work 2020 Overview explains that it does not allocate tasks to specific parties; appointments, responsibilities, deliverables and stage overlaps must be defined for each project according to its scale, procurement route and risks.

The RIBA Stages at a Glance

In the RIBA framework, Stage 0 confirms the preferred way to meet the client’s requirements, while Stage 7 focuses on efficient use, operation and maintenance. The stages between them turn that strategic decision into an approved brief, coordinated design, construction information, a completed building and an effective handover.

Why Do the RIBA Stages Matter?

Construction projects are a chain of dependent decisions. The brief and site constraints affect the design; design decisions affect cost, planning, safety and buildability; and the procurement strategy affects when contractor input is available and how the design and construction stages overlap.

The stage structure creates review points at which the team can confirm the current information, outstanding risks and client decisions before committing further time or cost.

For clients, this can provide:

• A clear sequence from business case to operation
• Defined stage outcomes and client approval points
• Better coordination between designers, consultants and contractors
• Regular updates to cost, programme and project risk
• A controlled move from concept design into technical design and construction
• Clear requirements for handover, aftercare and building information

This is particularly valuable for clients who do not commission projects regularly. Instead of treating drawings, surveys, cost plans and programmes as separate outputs, the stages show how each item supports a decision and what must be resolved before the next stage.

RIBA Stage 0: Strategic Definition

Stage 0 tests the business need before design starts. The question is not “What should we build?” but “What is the best way to achieve the client’s requirement?”

A retailer may need more trading space, a landlord may need to improve an underperforming asset, or an operator may need additional EV charging capacity. The answer might be a refurbishment, extension, new build, change in operating model, different site or no construction project at all.

The client team compares the realistic options against the business case, budget, programme, site constraints and key risks. For an EV charging scheme, for example, feasibility depends on confirmed electrical capacity or the cost and programme for a new connection, as well as charger layout, vehicle circulation, civils, drainage, access and ongoing maintenance. This reflects the strategic option-testing described in RIBA’s Stage 0 guidance.

What should the client decide at Stage 0?

• What business or operational need must be met?
• Which options could meet it, including non-construction options?
• What project budget is available, including fees and enabling works?
• What site, planning, utility or stakeholder constraints could make an option unviable?
• What programme or operational deadline must the solution meet?
• Which option offers the best balance of outcome, cost and risk?

By the end of Stage 0, the client should have agreed the preferred way to meet the business need and recorded it in the business case. If the preferred option is a building project, Stage 1 develops the project brief, budget, programme, site information and team needed before design begins.

RIBA Stage 1: Preparation and Briefing

Stage 1 converts the agreed business case into an approved project brief. It is a preparation stage, not a design stage.

The brief must state what the project has to deliver: spaces and capacities, operational requirements, quality and performance standards, sustainability targets, budget, programme, approvals and any requirements for handover or building use.

The team also assembles the site information needed for design. On an existing building, that may include measured and condition surveys, asbestos and structural information, utility searches, title constraints and existing fire or services records. The surveys required depend on the site and scope, but known information gaps should be recorded rather than carried forward unnoticed.

The client should also confirm the advisers required, their appointments and responsibilities, the procurement strategy, information requirements, decision-making process and project programme.

What normally happens at Stage 1?

• Preparing and approving the Project Brief
• Testing the brief through proportionate feasibility studies
• Agreeing the Project Budget and initial cost basis
• Assembling available site information and commissioning required surveys
• Defining the planning and statutory approval strategy
• Establishing the procurement strategy and Project Programme
• Defining roles, design responsibilities and information requirements
• Appointing the client and design team advisers required for the project
• Confirming decision-making, reporting and change-control arrangements

The Stage 1 outcome is an approved Project Brief that can be accommodated on the site within the agreed parameters, together with the information and appointments needed to start design. If the brief, budget or surveys are incomplete, Stage 2 may develop around false assumptions, causing redesign, delay or cost growth later.

RIBA Stage 2: Concept Design

Stage 2 is the first design stage. The design team develops the architectural concept and strategic engineering approach in response to the approved brief.

The concept normally establishes the overall arrangement, scale, access, appearance, key adjacencies and outline specification, alongside early structural and building-services principles. The cost plan and programme should be updated as the concept develops so affordability and delivery are tested, not assumed.

For commercial projects, the concept must work operationally as well as visually. The intended users, servicing, maintenance, compliance, security and future operation should influence the design from the outset.

For a retail fit-out, that means resolving customer and staff circulation, stock deliveries, back-of-house space, fire strategy and the effect of the works on trading. For an EV charging project, the concept must integrate the electrical connection and distribution, charger positions, cable routes, bay geometry, vehicle tracking, accessibility, lighting, drainage, signage, impact protection and safe maintenance access.

What should the client review at Stage 2?

• Whether the concept meets the approved brief and Project Outcomes
• How the proposed layout will work for users, operations and servicing
• Whether the structural and building-services principles are credible
• Whether planning constraints and relevant pre-application advice have been addressed
• Whether the updated Cost Plan remains aligned with the Project Budget
• Whether key site risks and survey information gaps have been resolved or recorded

The brief may be refined at Stage 2, but changes should be deliberate and recorded. The stage should conclude with an approved Architectural Concept, outline specification, updated Cost Plan and Stage Report, giving the team a stable basis for spatial coordination.

RIBA Stage 3: Spatial Coordination

Stage 3 tests and coordinates the approved concept; it should not become a second attempt at concept design.

Architectural, structural and building-services information is developed together so that layouts, structure, plant, services and interfaces can coexist. Design studies and engineering analysis are used to validate assumptions made at Stage 2.

This is where issues such as structural zones conflicting with ceiling heights, ducts crossing beams, plant rooms lacking maintenance access, or drainage and utility routes clashing with the site layout should be resolved before technical detailing.

What happens during Stage 3?

• Coordinating the architectural, structural and building-services design
• Undertaking design studies and engineering analysis to validate Stage 2 assumptions
• Updating the Cost Plan and outline specification
• Reviewing the emerging design against Building Regulations requirements
• Updating fire, health and safety, planning, sustainability and other project strategies
• Using the agreed change-control procedure for changes to the approved concept
• Preparing the planning submission and identifying conditions or supporting information
• Confirming significant materials, systems and performance requirements
• Completing and approving the Stage 3 report before technical design

The RIBA Plan of Work 2020 Overview states that a planning application can be submitted at the end of Stage 3 once the design is spatially coordinated and signed off. An earlier submission is possible, but a mid-stage gateway should define the information required and confirm that the proposal is robust enough to develop after consent. The Stage 3 outcome is a coordinated design with only minor interface adjustments expected at Stage 4.

RIBA Stage 4: Technical Design

Stage 4 completes the design information required to manufacture and construct the project.

The output includes coordinated technical drawings, specifications, schedules, calculations and information produced by specialist subcontractors. Exactly who prepares each item depends on the responsibility matrix, appointments and procurement strategy; it should not be left to assumption.

Stage 4 is therefore not simply “more detailed drawings”. It closes design responsibility gaps, resolves interfaces and turns the approved spatial design into information that can be priced, approved, manufactured and built.

What is produced at Stage 4?

• Detailed architectural drawings, details and room information
• Structural and civil engineering drawings and calculations
• Mechanical, electrical and public-health layouts and specifications
• Material, product, door, finish and equipment schedules
• Specialist subcontractor design and manufacturing information
• Coordinated fire, access, health and safety and maintenance information
• Building Regulations application information and responses
• Tender, Employer’s Requirements or construction information, as required by the procurement route
• An updated responsibility matrix and Stage 4 design programme
• Final coordination of interfaces between designers, systems and packages

Before Stage 4 begins, the responsibility matrix should confirm which party is producing and reviewing each piece of design information. RIBA’s Stage 4 guidance notes that the procurement strategy may split Stage 4 or cause it to overlap with Stage 5; however, information for a particular package must be complete and coordinated before that package is manufactured or installed. Building Regulations applications and pre-commencement planning conditions also need to be addressed before relevant work starts.

RIBA Stage 5: Manufacturing and Construction

Stage 5 is the manufacture, construction and commissioning of the project in accordance with the building contract and Construction Programme.

The contractor leads site delivery and supply-chain coordination. The client, design team and project manager retain the roles defined in their appointments, which may include responding to site queries, reviewing contractor information, monitoring quality, administering the contract and reporting on cost and progress.

The design should be substantially resolved before each work package starts. Site queries and unforeseen conditions will still arise, but late client changes or unresolved design interfaces can lead to rework, delay and additional cost.

Responsibility for inspections, quality reporting, contract administration and responses to site queries should be agreed before work starts; none of these duties arises automatically from using the RIBA stages.

What should clients expect during Stage 5?

• Site mobilisation, logistics, temporary works and construction-phase safety arrangements
• Manufacture and procurement of materials, equipment and specialist components
• Construction in accordance with the Building Contract and Construction Programme
• Inspection and reporting on Construction Quality by the appointed parties
• Review of contractor information and resolution of Site Queries
• Controlled instruction and valuation of changes and variations
• Cost reporting, interim valuations and forecast final cost updates
• Testing and Commissioning of building systems
• Compilation of verified as-built, asset, health and safety and Building Manual information
• Preparation of the Defects List and assessment of Practical Completion

The client should receive regular reporting that distinguishes completed work, forthcoming decisions, programme position, cost forecast, change, risk and quality issues. Stage 5 ends when manufacturing, construction and Commissioning are complete and Practical Completion is certified. Handover planning and information collation should begin before that point, not after it.

RIBA Stage 6: Handover

Stage 6 starts when the building is handed over following Practical Completion; it covers Aftercare, defects rectification and contractual close-out.

A workable handover requires more than keys and certificates. The client and facilities team need verified information, user training, Commissioning records and clear responsibilities for outstanding defects so the building can be occupied and operated safely.

What is normally included in the handover?

• The Practical Completion certificate and agreed Defects List
• Verified as-built information, Asset Information and the Building Manual
• The Health and Safety File and relevant fire safety information
• Testing, Commissioning and statutory certification records
• Training for building users and Facilities Management teams
• Transfer of keys, access systems, warranties and operating information
• Confirmation of outstanding approvals and pre-occupation conditions
• Initial Aftercare and any required Seasonal Commissioning
• Management and close-out of defects, the final account and contractual actions
• A project performance review to capture lessons for future projects

Any defects recorded at Practical Completion, or identified during the contractual defects period, should be managed and closed in accordance with the Building Contract. The final account and Final Certificate are dealt with after handover in line with the contract; they are not automatically complete on the day the client takes possession. RIBA’s Stage 6 guidance also recommends Aftercare and a project performance review so operational issues and lessons are captured.

RIBA Stage 7: Use

Stage 7 covers the building in use: operation, maintenance, performance monitoring and, where commissioned, Post Occupancy Evaluation.

At this point, the Facilities Management and Asset Management teams normally lead. The design and construction teams may have no continuing duties unless separately appointed, but feedback on actual performance can identify adjustments and inform future projects.

The review should compare real outcomes with the targets set in the brief, such as energy use, user comfort, accessibility, maintenance demands and operational cost. Performance gaps can then be investigated and systems fine-tuned rather than accepted as inevitable.

What happens during Stage 7?

• Facilities Management and Asset Management
• Planned maintenance, inspections and in-use compliance
• Monitoring energy, water, comfort and other agreed performance measures
• Gathering feedback from users, operators and maintenance teams
• Post Occupancy Evaluation where this has been commissioned
• Updating the Building Manual, Asset Information and safety records
• Fine-tuning building systems and maintenance arrangements
• Planning future alterations, refurbishment, repurposing or end-of-life work

Stage 7 starts alongside Stage 6 and can continue for the life of the asset. RIBA’s Plan for Use guidance treats feedback and performance evaluation as part of delivering a building that works as intended, not simply as a retrospective exercise.

Do All Construction Projects Follow the RIBA Stages Exactly?

The stages are a common framework, not eight fixed-duration blocks.

The programme for a small fit-out will differ from a new development with planning, complex services or phased occupation. Each stage should be proportionate to the scope, but its outcome and required information still need to be defined.

Stages can overlap. RIBA notes that Stages 4 and 5 often overlap, while Stage 7 starts concurrently with Stage 6. The procurement strategy determines when contractors and specialist designers join, who produces Stage 4 information and which packages can move into construction.

For each project, the team should agree:

• The outcome required from each stage
• The drawings, reports, schedules and other information to be delivered
• Who will produce, review and approve each item
• Which client decisions and stage gateways are required
• The dependencies and risks created by any stage overlap or early start

At Which RIBA Stage Is Planning Permission Submitted?

The default sequence in the RIBA Plan of Work 2020 Overview is to submit a full planning application at the end of Stage 3, after the design is sufficiently spatially coordinated for further development with only minor changes.

An outline application may be made at Stage 2, and a full application can be submitted before Stage 3 is complete if the project establishes a clear mid-stage gateway and produces the required information. The timing should follow the planning strategy and local authority requirements rather than the stage number alone.

Clients should also distinguish planning from technical approval. Planning consent establishes whether the proposed development is acceptable in planning terms; it does not mean the Stage 4 technical design or Building Regulations process is complete.

What Is the Difference Between RIBA Stage 3 and Stage 4?

The practical distinction is:

• Stage 3 proves that the architectural and engineering design works together.
• Stage 4 completes the technical information needed to manufacture and construct it.

At Stage 3, the team validates the concept, resolves spatial clashes, develops the project strategies, updates the Cost Plan and prepares a coordinated proposal for client approval and planning.

At Stage 4, each designer and specialist completes the drawings, calculations, specifications, schedules and manufacturing information assigned to them.

If Stage 3 decisions remain open, Stage 4 becomes iterative rather than technical. That can cause repeated detailing, inconsistent tender information and changes after packages have been ordered or work has started.

When Should a Project Manager Be Appointed?

For most clients, appointing the project manager during Stage 0 or Stage 1 gives the best opportunity to shape the project before design commitments are made.

Early involvement allows the project manager to establish the programme, decision-making and reporting structure; coordinate consultant appointments and surveys; align procurement with the design programme; and ensure cost, risk and approvals are reviewed at each stage.

A later appointment can still improve delivery, but it may leave less scope to correct an unrealistic brief, missing site information, unclear responsibilities or a procurement decision already embedded in the programme.

CCM’s construction project management services support the project lifecycle from early planning and procurement through design coordination, cost and programme control, site oversight and handover.

How CCM Supports Projects Through the RIBA Stages

The RIBA stages are most useful when the information and decisions from one stage are carried into the next.

For example, a Stage 1 operational requirement should be tested in the Stage 2 concept, coordinated at Stage 3, specified at Stage 4, checked during Stage 5 and confirmed at handover. If that chain breaks, the finished building can comply with the drawings yet still fail to support the client’s operation.

Countrywide Construction Management supports commercial, retail and energy projects by coordinating architectural design, construction project management, budget and cost control, construction risk management, CDM support and on-site monitoring within one delivery structure. This gives clients a clear route for decisions, responsibilities and reporting from the early brief through to construction and handover.

Taking the Next Step

The RIBA Plan of Work does not remove project risk or replace clear appointments, but it gives the client and project team a shared process for controlling decisions and information. Its value lies in completing the right work before moving on: agreeing a viable business case, writing a testable brief, approving a costed concept, coordinating the design and completing the information required to build and operate the project.

Frequently Asked Questions