Walk the house from gate to bedroom
Record how you enter, store belongings, gather as a family, step into the garden and reach the private floor. This reveals awkward stairs, unused rooms and broken links between living room and terrace. Changes to openings or stairs require structural checks before they become promises in a design.
Do not bury external works in the interior price
Roof, facade, drainage, garden and pool each have their own technical decisions and programme. Assess the envelope and service connections before agreeing finishes. The estimate should state what is included, optional and only priceable after investigation.
Define dependencies before promising a completion date
External works can affect interior dryness, while replacing service connections may alter finishes across several floors. A villa programme therefore follows dependencies: investigation, technical approval, concealed work, closing structures and only then final finishes. If the owners remain in the house, safety, access and phasing need separate planning. Timing also depends on owner decisions and procurement, not only the site team.