Real estate development
A control at every handover.
Large developments rarely fail in one dramatic event. They slip in small steps between stages, where responsibility passes from one party to another.
Eight stages, eight gates
The development lifecycle we control
- 1Master planning and feasibilityAgreed project brief
- 2DesignDeliverables register
- 3Authority approvalsApprovals tracker with owners and target dates
- 4Sales launchSales licence tracker
- 5ProcurementProcurement strategy
- 6ConstructionBaseline schedule
- 7Utilities and infrastructureUtilities readiness tracker started early
- 8HandoverHandover readiness checks
| Stage | Typical risks | How the PMO controls it |
|---|---|---|
| Master planning and feasibility | Unclear brief, unrealistic phasing, land or title issues | Agreed project brief, phasing plan, land and title due-diligence tracker |
| Design | Late client decisions, scope creep, undefined consultant deliverables | Deliverables register, decision log, design stage gates, change control |
| Authority approvals | Master plan, design and building permit delays; approvals nobody owns | Approvals tracker with owners and target dates, escalation path to executives |
| Sales launch | Sales licence delays, reservations that do not convert to contracts | Sales licence tracker, sales and reservation reporting linked to the schedule |
| Procurement | Delivery model chosen too late, weak contracts | Procurement strategy, tender plan, contract and incentive structure aligned to milestones |
| Construction | Programme slippage, cost growth, poor ground conditions | Baseline schedule, progress and cost reporting, risk register, recovery plans |
| Utilities and infrastructure | Completed units that cannot be handed over without power, water or sewer | Utilities readiness tracker started early, coordination with service authorities |
| Handover | Defects, incomplete documentation, delayed title registration | Handover readiness checks, defects tracking, title and documentation tracker |
Lessons from the field
Each problem was visible months earlier, in the right tracker.
In a national housing programme in Saudi Arabia, our team saw completed homes held back by late utility connections, permits blocked by master plans that had not been re-approved, sales delayed by title registration, and reservations that never became contracts.
That is why our PMOs report leading indicators such as approvals, design decisions and procurement, not just progress.
Talk to us about your portfolio
Tell us where control is slipping. We'll tell you what we would look at first.