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Fit-off

Fit-off is trade shorthand for second-fix work: hanging fittings, plates, tapware, lights, doors. Each wet trade has its own fit-off visit. Used as 'second fix'.

By Chalkline. Last updated 14 May 2026. Verified 14 May 2026.

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Fit-off is the residential trade term for the second-fix visit of each trade, where the trade hangs and connects all the visible fittings and consumables after paint is done. Most builders and tradies use fit-off and second fix interchangeably; the only meaningful distinction is that “fit-off” tends to imply the trade’s specific deliverable list, while “second fix” is the overall site stage.

Fit-off by trade. Each wet trade has its own fit-off visit:

  • Sparky fit-off: hang the GPO and switch plates over the cable tails left at first fix; install light fittings; fit smoke alarms; energise the switchboard; commission RCDs; label circuits; final test and certificate.
  • Plumber fit-off: install tapware, mixers, basins, sinks, toilets, troughs; connect to the hot/cold tails; pressure test; commission the HWU; gas appliance light-up; final certificate.
  • Chippy fit-off: hang architrave and skirting (often paint-grade pre-primed); fit door hardware (locks, hinges, handles); install built-in joinery to its final positions; trim door frames.
  • Tiler fit-off: grout, silicone seal, install accessories (towel rails, soap holders, toilet roll holders) if part of scope.
  • Painter fit-off: final cut-in, touch-ups after other trades have completed, return for any defect-list paint marks.
  • HVAC fit-off: install grilles and diffusers, fit thermostats, commission the system, balance airflow.
  • Cabinet-maker fit-off: install drawer fronts, adjust soft-close mechanisms, fit cabinet hardware, deliver and fit splashbacks.
  • Glazier fit-off: fit shower screens, mirrors, balustrade panels.

Sequencing within a fit-off period. A typical residential job runs fit-off over 1 to 2 weeks at the end of construction, with the trades sequenced so they don’t conflict:

  1. Painter base coats finish all wall and ceiling paint.
  2. Tiler grout and silicone in wet areas.
  3. Plumber and sparky fit-off in parallel (separate rooms or zones).
  4. Chippy fit-off of doors and trim after walls are dry.
  5. Cabinet-maker drops drawer fronts and finishes.
  6. Painter touch-up last.
  7. Final clean before handover.

Common defects at fit-off:

  • Wrong-height tails (sparky or plumber): cable or pipe stub comes through the wall at the wrong height for the fitting. Cuts into already-finished paint and tile to remediate.
  • Tile chips during fitting accessory drilling. Pre-drill with diamond bit and tape the surface; never use percussion.
  • Door hardware not aligned: handles install on architrave clearance line that’s millimetres off; the door binds in operation. Test before walking away.
  • Lights not specced: client wanted feature pendants but only basic fittings ordered. Confirm at pre-lining-inspection what’s being supplied.

For builders.

  1. Lock fit-off dates with each trade at the start of construction, not the week before. Trades book fit-off slots months ahead.
  2. Walk every room after each trade’s fit-off for defects while the trade is still on site. Defects flagged after they’ve left cost twice as much to rectify.
  3. Fit-off is the second-last stage before PCI; what’s not done at fit-off shows up as a defect on the PCI list.

Also known as: fitoff, fit out (sometimes; “fit out” can also mean commercial joinery), fit-out (commercial).

Category: Practical / construction sequence / completion.

See also

Last updated: 2026-05-14. Verified: 2026-05-14.

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