The short answer
The RIBA Plan of Work splits any building project into eight stages, numbered 0 to 7, so everyone knows what should happen and when. In plain English they are: 0 Strategic Definition (is the project the right idea?), 1 Preparation and Briefing (agree what you want and survey the building), 2 Concept Design (the first layout and look), 3 Spatial Coordination (firm up the scheme and usually submit planning), 4 Technical Design (the detailed drawings to build from, including building regs), 5 Manufacturing and Construction (the builder on site), 6 Handover (finishing and snagging) and 7 Use (living in and maintaining it). For a home project you rarely need every stage formally, but the structure explains the order work is done and where your sign-offs fall.
RIBA stage numbers get used constantly by architects, but they are simply a shared map of a project. Here is what each one really means for a homeowner.
The eight stages
- 0–1Decide and brief
- 2Concept design
- 3Firm up + planning
- 4Technical drawings
- 5–7Build, handover, use
Stages 0 to 2: deciding and designing
The early stages are about settling what you are building before any detail is drawn:
- Stage 0 — Strategic Definition: the very first thinking. Is an extension the right answer, or would moving, converting the loft or reorganising the existing space serve you better? It is the "should we even do this?" stage.
- Stage 1 — Preparation and Briefing: you agree the brief (what you want, your budget, your constraints), and the building is surveyed so design starts from accurate dimensions. Site information and any early consultant advice is gathered here.
- Stage 2 — Concept Design: the architect produces the first real design — outline layouts, the overall form and how it might look. You react and the design is refined. This is the least costly stage to change your mind.
Stages 3 to 4: firming up and detailing
The middle stages turn an agreed idea into something approved and buildable:
- Stage 3 — Spatial Coordination (often still called developed design): the concept is coordinated into a resolved scheme, with structure, services and layout working together. For most home projects, the planning application is prepared and submitted at this stage.
- Stage 4 — Technical Design: the detailed information needed to build — construction build-ups, insulation, structure, drainage and specifications — is produced. This is where the building regulations package and the drawings the builder works from are created, usually with input from a structural engineer.
| Stage | Plain-English name | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Strategic Definition | Is this the right project? |
| 1 | Preparation + Briefing | Agree the brief, survey the building |
| 2 | Concept Design | First layout and look |
| 3 | Spatial Coordination | Firm up scheme, submit planning |
| 4 | Technical Design | Detailed building regs drawings |
| 5 | Manufacturing + Construction | Builder on site |
| 6 | Handover | Completion and snagging |
| 7 | Use | Living in and maintaining it |
RIBA Plan of Work 2020 stage names. Source: RIBA.
Stages 5 to 7: building, handover and living in it
The final stages take the project from drawings to a finished, occupied building:
- Stage 5 — Manufacturing and Construction: the work is built. If your architect is appointed for this stage, they administer the contract, visit site, answer the builder's questions and check the work matches the design.
- Stage 6 — Handover: the building is completed and handed over. Snagging — sorting out small defects and unfinished items — is dealt with, and final certificates are issued.
- Stage 7 — Use: you are living in the finished space. Any defects that appear within an agreed period after completion are put right, and the building is maintained over its life.
For a typical home extension you do not commission each stage as a separate formal exercise, but the numbering still maps neatly onto what happens. A common pattern is to use an architect heavily through Stages 1–4, then decide whether to keep them on for Stage 5 oversight or hand the build to a contractor.
Frequently asked questions
Do small home projects use all the RIBA stages?
Not formally. A loft or extension still follows the same logical order, but the early and late stages may be light-touch. The numbering mainly helps you understand the sequence of work and where your fee and sign-offs fall.
Which RIBA stage is planning permission submitted?
Usually Stage 3 (Spatial Coordination), once a concept has been agreed and coordinated into a resolved scheme. The detailed building regulations drawings are produced afterwards at Stage 4.
What changed between the old and new RIBA stages?
The 2020 Plan of Work renamed some stages — for example, the old developed design stage became Spatial Coordination (Stage 3) — and tidied the structure into eight stages numbered 0 to 7. The overall logic of the journey is unchanged.
Sources & further reading
- RIBA — the RIBA Plan of Work 2020
- RIBA — guide to working with an architect
- Planning Portal — applying for planning permission
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific project. They are guidance, not a quotation.