Work backwards from occupation
List the required occupation date, landlord access date and current lease handback. Leave separate time for design, reviews, procurement, construction, testing and defects. The critical path may run through an approval or a long-lead item rather than site work.
Decisions that unlock progress
Confirm headcount assumptions, room requirements, layout, technical interfaces and material selections at agreed milestones. Late changes to enclosed rooms can affect ceilings, sprinklers, ventilation, lighting and power at once.
Plan for the building
Review permitted working hours, noisy works, lift capacity, loading access, shutdown procedures and submission requirements with management. These differ by property and must be checked against the current fit-out manual.
Handover is a workstream
Schedule testing, staff orientation, as-built information, operation manuals and the defects process. Separate practical completion from the date when the business can use every system confidently.