TEN CONSTRUCTION PROCESSES
Ten construction processes: the complete sequence from site entry to handover
Every step of office renovation construction has a strict logical sequence.
1. Site preparation and hoarding installation
Prerequisites
Construction can only commence after receiving written approval from the Management Office. The first step is to set up construction hoarding: a 2,400mm high sealed hoarding will separate the construction area from the office area, with the top of the hoarding sealed with fire-rated rockwool to prevent dust from penetrating into adjacent office areas. Completed concurrently: protection installation for public area floors and walls, application for temporary construction power connection, and setup of the site safety notice board. Hoarding setup is the core protective process for renovation during business hours and cannot be omitted.
2. Demolition Works
Noise control process
Demolish existing partition walls, ceilings, flooring, and M&E installations according to the demolition plans. Demolition principles for Hong Kong office renovation: only demolish areas specified in the design plans; retain structural walls, main cable trunkings, main fire services pipes, and other installations not slated for demolition. Jackhammering is a high-noise process and must be carried out within the noise control periods approved by the property management office (usually restricted to lunch breaks or after office hours). Demolition waste must be cleared daily and must not be accumulated in public areas.
3. M&E Rough-in
Critical Process — Most Prone to Error
4. Inspection and Acceptance of Concealed Works (QC1)
The only inspection opportunity before sealing
The ceiling closing-up stage is the most critical quality control checkpoint in the entire construction process. The BW MEP engineer, project manager, and designer must conduct a joint on-site inspection to verify every detail: conduit locations must match the lighting and power layout; refrigerant copper pipes must have intact insulation foam; drainage pipe slopes and drain point positions must be correct; sprinkler head locations must align with the approved fire safety plans; and low-voltage conduits must have sufficient cross-sectional area reserved. If the inspection fails, the construction team must rectify the issues immediately, and ceiling closing-up is strictly prohibited. Once this critical milestone is sealed, resolving any issues would require breaking the ceiling, resulting in extremely high costs.
5. Ceiling Works
Upon passing the QC1 inspection, ceiling construction can begin. Commonly used ceiling types in Hong Kong offices include: light steel keel gypsum board ceilings (for feature ceilings and cable trays), square mineral wool acoustic tile ceilings (600x600mm, commonly used in open-plan office areas), and exposed concrete slab with profile ceilings (for industrial style designs). After the ceiling framing is completed, the light fixture back boxes, AC grille frames, and openings for smoke detectors and sprinklers must be installed. The reserved positions must be cross-checked and verified against the design drawings before sealing the ceiling boards.
6. Partitioning works
Lightweight steel stud gypsum board partitions: Soundproofing performance depends on stud spacing (standard 400mm), the number of gypsum board layers (single layer Rw≈33dB; double layer + cavity rockwool Rw≈48dB), and ceiling joint sealing. Glass partitions: Aluminum frame glass (wired, frosted, clear glass) fixed with aluminum channels; glass thickness (generally 10–12mm tempered glass) and crash barrier height requirements need to be confirmed. All partition door frames must be positioned during this process, reserving a door frame horizontal and vertical tolerance of no more than 2mm.
7. Flooring Works
Flooring works are carried out after the completion of partitioning to ensure that the flooring surface extends beneath the partitions, preventing gaps in the flooring should the partition layout be changed in the future. Key construction points common in Hong Kong offices: ensure subfloor levelling (allowable tolerance of ±3mm/2m) before laying carpet tiles; for LVT/SPC flooring, treat joints and height differences of the original subfloor (padding should not exceed 3mm, otherwise screeding is required); for tiling in wet areas, apply waterproofing treatment (subfloor plastering + two coats of waterproofing paint), and lay floor tiles only after passing a 24-hour water ponding test.
8. Finishes and Joinery Works
Includes paint, wallpaper/wallcovering, wood veneer, corporate culture wall, and directional signage installation. Construction sequence: plastering → primer → topcoat (minimum of two coats); wood veneer is prefabricated in the factory and installed on-site; stainless steel etched parts or acrylic parts for the brand culture wall must be pre-templated on-site to confirm position and leveling. The BW designer will visit the site during the finishing process to confirm: the brand color code (NCS or RAL standard), wood grain direction, logo proportions, and the final installation position of the culture wall, ensuring design details are properly implemented.
9. E&M Fitting-out and System Testing (QC2)
E&M Fit-out and System Testing (QC2)
After completing the ceiling, partitions, and flooring, mechanical and electrical (M&E) second fix and full system testing are conducted. This is the second key quality control stage (QC2):
· Electrical: Installation of lighting fixtures, power sockets, and extra-low voltage (ELV) panels, and power-on testing to ensure all circuits run without tripping
· Air Conditioning: Installation and vacuuming of FCU/VRV units, refrigerant charging, and trial run testing for even airflow and temperature control response
· Fire Services: Installation and functional testing of sprinkler heads, smoke detectors, and manual call points, with confirmation via the linkage alarm panel
· ELV: Continuity testing of network and telephone points; integration and commissioning of access control, CCTV, and public address (PA) systems
· Smart Systems: Integration testing of Crestron/Teams Room video conferencing systems (if applicable)
10. Furniture Installation and Final Inspection (QC3)
Final handover
Furniture can only be installed after the finishing works are completely dry (paint requires at least 48 hours). BW's bespoke furniture is manufactured in our own factory, and our installation team is highly familiar with the drawings, controlling installation tolerance within ±2mm. Ready-made furniture is unboxed and installed on-site, and the BW brand designer will verify that the display and layout are consistent with the rendering. After the furniture installation is complete, a final completion inspection (QC3) is conducted: the project manager and designer will fill out the Punch List item by item. Once all defects are rectified and verified, BW will carry out a 4K ultra-high-definition photoshoot of the actual completed site, comparing it with the renderings one by one, and officially hand over the project after achieving a reproduction rate of ≥90%.
QC1 | Inspection of Concealed Works
Before ceiling boarding
Mandatory inspection after the completion of MEP rough-in and before ceiling boarding. The BW MEP Engineer, Project Manager, and Designer must all be present on-site to verify the alignment of conduit positions, drainage slopes, and fire services points against the drawings. No boarding is allowed if the inspection is not passed. This is the highest priority milestone for quality control in the entire construction workflow.
QC2｜E&M System Testing
Before furniture installation of furniture
Full-system power-on, cooling, and fire linkage testing. Confirm that all mechanical and electrical systems are functioning normally before furniture installation to avoid secondary damage caused by moving furniture for repairs if issues are discovered later. The fire test must ensure that the alarm system responds properly, which is a mandatory inspection item for the management office's reinstatement and handover acceptance.
QC3｜Completion, Inspection and Handover
Before official handover
Punch List defect inspection, with item-by-item rectification and verification passed. BW designer to verify the rendering restoration rate is ≥90%; formaldehyde environmental test report must meet the standard (≤0.05 mg/m³); 4K real-scene shooting for completion archiving. Formal handover after all documents are fully prepared, with the owner's digital confirmation of receipt.
4 Common Construction Sequencing Mistakes and Their Costly Consequences
Four common construction sequence errors and their consequences
Error
Consequences
BW Control Mechanism
Ceilings sealed before E&M inspection
If water leakage or wiring problems are discovered after completion, the ceiling will need to be hacked open for repairs, delaying the schedule by 2–3 weeks and doubling the cost
