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Grey structure or a complete build?
Choose the responsibility you want to retain
Grey structure and turnkey are useful starting terms, but they do not describe the same scope in every proposal. A grey structure generally leaves more finishing choices and procurement with the owner. A more complete build places a larger defined package with one team. Neither option is automatically better. The right choice depends on your drawings, available time, procurement preferences and ability to coordinate the remaining trades. ARCH 360 helps you separate those responsibilities before work is priced. Ask what will be physically complete at the end of the proposed appointment and which decisions or purchases remain yours.
Write down the grey structure boundary
Start with the foundation and work upwards. Identify excavation, disposal, concrete, reinforcement, masonry, stairs and roof work. Then ask about plaster, waterproofing, service conduits, pipework, tanks and external elements. An item that one contractor treats as standard may be excluded by another. The quotation should explain who provides materials, how quantities are measured and what testing or inspections are allowed for. Drawings and specifications should name the intended system and material requirements. Avoid relying on phrases such as best quality without a measurable definition. Where a detail is unresolved, mark it as an open item rather than letting an assumption become a site decision.
Specify what complete means
For a complete or turnkey package, move through the building room by room. Record flooring, wall finishes, ceilings, lighting, sanitary fittings, doors, glazing and joinery. Clarify kitchen equipment, wardrobes, air conditioning, appliances, loose furniture, landscaping and utility connections. These items are often assumed rather than stated. Agree whether the price uses named products or allowances and how an alternative is approved. The handover definition should identify testing, snagging, operating information and any documents to be provided. A complete build is still a written scope; the label alone is not a guarantee that every item a household needs is included.
Plan the transition between trades
Owners who choose a grey structure should plan the next stage before the structure is finished. Service routes, wet-area details and opening sizes affect later installations. If different contractors handle the stages, agree how the first team records completed work and how the next team inspects it. Photograph concealed routes and preserve the latest drawings. Identify who protects completed elements and who handles damage caused by a later trade. Ordering long-lead finishes late can delay an otherwise ready site, so discuss a decision schedule early. The programme should identify which selections depend on completed measurements and which can be settled sooner.
Review both options against one brief
Bring the same drawings and requirements to both scope discussions. Compare inclusions, exclusions, specifications and responsibilities before comparing totals. Consider the time you can commit to site decisions and supplier coordination. Ask the local ARCH 360 office to explain a proposed scope item by item, and keep the accepted version with the project records. Our construction page covers the wider coordination process; the supervision and BOQ page explains the documents that help assess quantities and progress. For a property that already exists, a renovation survey may be more useful than choosing a new-build label at the outset.
Questions before you begin
Does grey structure include plumbing?
It depends on the written scope. Confirm separately whether conduits, pipework, fixtures, testing and connections are included.
Does turnkey include furniture and appliances?
Only if listed. Ask about fitted joinery, loose furniture, appliances, cooling equipment and external work before accepting the scope.
Can I complete finishing later?
That can be discussed. The structure and services still need to anticipate the later work, with protection and handover responsibilities clearly recorded.