How to keep costs under control during construction - Part 1- Joinery

As architects, one of our key aims at the construction stage is to ensure a smooth process for our clients - one where the project can be delivered within the original budget and without unnecessary delays. This is the first in a series of posts exploring how to keep costs under control once works are on site, highlighting areas where client decisions can have a significant impact on the pace and cost of the build.

In this first article, we focus on joinery design and delivery. Joinery covers all built-in elements such as wardrobes, kitchens, banquette seating, bathroom cabinetry, and dressing rooms.

🏠 Part 1 - Joinery

🏠 Part 2 - Specifications

🏠 Part 3 - Services

The temptation to tweak mid-build

It’s natural to want your project to be perfect, especially when you’re investing so much time and energy into your home. It’s not uncommon for clients to want to tweak a detail once construction is underway—perhaps you’ve spotted an inspiring image or your needs have evolved slightly.

While changes can always be made, it’s important to be aware that altering joinery designs at this stage often triggers a cascade of additional work. What might appear as a simple revision on paper can quickly lead to unforeseen costs and programme delays.

The hidden layers behind joinery changes

1. Additional Drawings & Coordination

Every bespoke piece of joinery—whether it’s a kitchen, built-in wardrobes, or bathroom cabinetry—has been carefully planned and coordinated well before construction begins. When a change is requested on site, the joinery company must produce updated shop drawings to reflect the revised design.

Your architect will then need to review and check these drawings for technical accuracy and coordinate them with the broader project layout, including structure and services. Even small adjustments can require hours of behind-the-scenes input across several consultants.

Once finalised, the builder may need to adapt their work on site—whether that’s altering stud walls, reconfiguring plasterboard, or adjusting openings. These tasks inevitably come with additional labour, materials, and programme implications.

2. Electrical Rewiring & Impact on Other Trades

Electricians may need to be called back to site to run new points

Joinery is often closely integrated with electrical services. Cabinetry may house sockets, lighting, or appliances, so any change to the layout means the electrical plan may also need to change.

This could involve reopening plastered or even decorated walls to reroute wiring, moving sockets, or repositioning fittings. Additional coordination is then required with electricians, and remedial work will likely be needed from decorators to reinstate finishes. Even seemingly small alterations—like repositioning a built-in bedside table—can have knock-on effects across multiple trades.

3. Plumbing Alterations (In Kitchens or Bathrooms)

In wet areas such as kitchens or bathrooms, changing joinery may also mean altering plumbing layouts. Moving cabinetry could require repositioning sinks, taps, or appliances, which may in turn involve reopening finished walls or lifting floors.

Plumbing changes require careful coordination between multiple trades and may also trigger inspection or sign-off delays from building control or warranty providers.

4. Increased Quantity Surveying (QS) and Administrative Work

Every time a change is made during construction, whether to joinery or another part of the project, it is classed as a variation to the contract. Variations don’t just affect physical works on site—they also trigger additional administrative work behind the scenes.

The contractor’s quantity surveyor (QS) will need to price the change, revise the contract sum, and issue updated cost schedules. Your architect or contract administrator will then need to review these proposals, negotiate if necessary, and formally issue the variation under the building contract.

While this process is essential for keeping financial control and protecting all parties, it takes time and adds professional fees. In short, with each variation comes an extra layer of paperwork and project management, which contributes to both additional costs and potential delays.

Final thoughts

We fully appreciate that design decisions can evolve as your home takes shape on site, and as architects, we are here to guide and support you through that process. We’ll always aim to accommodate meaningful changes where they add real value to your project.

However, it’s worth keeping in mind that even modest joinery adjustments mid-construction can have wider implications—not just on physical works and the trades on site, but also on the administrative side of the project. Each change triggers additional coordination and increases the time spent by consultants and the contractor’s team, from quantity surveyors revising costs to your architect reviewing and issuing formal variations under the building contract.

By finalising joinery design and other key details before construction starts, you help protect your project from unnecessary costs, delays, and complexity. Ultimately, it helps keep your project on track, on budget, and as stress-free as possible.