Case 1 — fire protection missed at first fix

A south London loft conversion was at plasterboard stage when an independent inspection picked up that standard plasterboard had been used above the stair, not fire-rated board. Strip out, replace, redo. Three weeks of delay, a real but manageable cost — and a Completion Certificate at the end.

Case 2 — steel without padstones

A Surrey conversion had the floor joists already hung from new steels when the bearings were checked. No padstones. The wall below was already showing hairline cracks. The engineer specified retrofit padstones and a structural repair. Avoidable in five minutes at the right stage.

Case 3 — escape window 30mm too small

A dormer escape window was ordered to a generic 'compliant' spec but installed in a slightly altered opening. The clear openable area fell below standard. New unit, new lead times, certificate delayed by six weeks.