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First fix, rough-in and second fix: residential build sequence

Rough-in at frame stage, second fix after paint, final fix at PCI. Trade-by-trade residential build sequence, hold points, AS 3000, AS 3500, AS 3740 cited.

By Dan Waring. Last updated 4 May 2026. Verified 4 May 2026.

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TL;DR

Rough-in (first fix) runs at frame stage: cables, pipes, ducts in the wall before linings. Second fix runs after paint: fit-off of GPOs, taps, doors, skirting. The residential build sequence runs frame, rough-in, frame and pre-lining inspection, linings, paint, fit-off, commissioning, final fix at PCI. A trade landing out of order costs 2 to 4 weeks because linings have to come off to chase a missed point. Cheapest insurance is a pre-frame walk-through with every wet trade reading the same drawing set, signed off in writing before the plasterer gets a phone call. Skip the inspection, lose the warranty.

When you do this

The residential build sequence has three trade return points after the frame goes up. First fix is the wall-cavity work, done while the structure is still open. Second fix is the visible work, done after the walls are closed up and painted. Final fix is the touch-up at handover.

StageBuild phaseWallsOutcome
First fix (rough-in)Frame stage, before liningsOpenCables, pipes, ducts, vents in place and capped
Pre-lining inspectionBetween first fix and liningsOpenEach trade signs off their rough-in is complete and correct
Second fix (fit-off)After paintClosed and finishedFittings, fixtures, hardware installed
Final fixPCI / handoverPaintedTouch-up, defect closeout, commissioning

Who’s involved

Each trade has at least two visits, one at first fix and one at second fix. Some have a third for commissioning.

TradeFirst fix scopeSecond fix scope
SparkyCable runs, points (GPOs, switches, lights, comms, smoke alarms), meter and switchboard rough-inFit-off plates, hang lights, energise, test, commissioning certificate
PlumberHot, cold, gas, waste pipework rough-in, hydronic loops, hot water unit positionSet tapware, wastes, toilet pans, basins, hot water unit, gas test, commissioning
ChippyFrame, noggings for fixings, door rough openings, blocking for grab rails and cabinetryHang doors, fit architraves, skirting, robes, internal handrails
PlastererNot applicableBoards go up after first fix is signed off; setting and Levels per AS 2589
TilerNot applicableAfter waterproofing cures and screeds are in
HVAC / heatingDuct runs, refrigeration lines, condensate drainsHang heads, set up, commission
CabinetmakerNot applicableAfter paint, before tapware and appliance fit-off
PainterNot applicableBetween plaster set and second fix

The plasterer is the gate. Linings do not go up until first fix is signed off.

Steps

  1. Drawing-set lock and rough-in marking. Before the slab or ground-floor frame goes up, the engaging party (usually the builder, sometimes the client direct) confirms the latest drawing set is on site: architectural, structural, hydraulic, electrical, mechanical. Each trade should mark up their drawings on a single shared print or PDF. Conflicts (a switch landing where a cabinet sits, a waste under a slab joint) are surfaced now, not after pour.
  2. First fix electrical, plumbing, gas, comms, mechanical. Each trade installs cables, pipes, ducts, vents in the open frame to AS/NZS 3000 (electrical) and the AS/NZS 3500 series (plumbing). Wet-area pipes are positioned to suit fixture rough-in dimensions on the manufacturer’s specification sheet. GPO and switch positions follow the electrical layout, not the chippy’s instinct.
  3. Frame and pre-lining inspection. The certifier (private or council) attends frame inspection. The site supervisor and each first-fix trade walk the job and tick off rough-in against the drawing set. Anything missing is fixed before linings start. This inspection is usually a hold point on the construction certificate.
  4. Insulation, sarking, vapour controls. Wall and ceiling insulation lands after first fix is signed off. Wet-area substrates (Villaboard, fibre cement) and waterproofing membranes (AS 3740) precede the tiler.
  5. Linings. Plasterboard hung, set, sanded to the agreed AS 2589 finish level. Cornice run.
  6. Paint. Primer, undercoat, top coats per the painter’s spec.
  7. Second fix. GPOs, switches, light fittings, tapware, wastes, toilets, basins, hot water unit, doors, architraves, skirting, robes, cabinetry, splashbacks, appliances. Tiling typically lands before painting in wet areas, before second fix plumbing.
  8. Commissioning. Sparky energises and tests, plumber gas-tests and pressure-tests, HVAC commissions. Certificates of Compliance issued.
  9. Final fix at PCI. Touch-up paint, adjust doors, replace marked plates, replace damaged fittings, complete the defects list before handover.

Tolerances and acceptance

This stage produces physical work that gets inspected at PCI. The acceptance bar lives in the relevant standards and the HIA Guide to Materials and Workmanship.

  • Electrical points. Position, plumb and orientation per the drawing set. AS/NZS 3000 governs minimum heights for general installation safety; specific GPO and switch heights are typically a project-level convention (commonly 300mm to floor for GPOs, 1100mm to centre for switches), confirmed in the quote pack or specification.
  • Plumbing rough-in. Pipe centres set to suit the chosen fixtures’ rough-in template. Concealed pipework supported per AS/NZS 3500 to allow lining and tile finishes without cuts back to the substrate.
  • Wet-area waterproofing. Falls and membrane laps to AS 3740. Hold point before tiling.
  • Workmanship and defects. Acceptance criteria for second-fix items (door clearance, skirting gap, GPO plumb, tap alignment) sit in the HIA Guide to Materials and Workmanship and the relevant state Guide. Pre-handover list (PCI list) collapses these.

Documents needed

  • Architectural set (current revision per the drawing register)
  • Hydraulic plans
  • Electrical layout
  • Mechanical / HVAC layout
  • Manufacturer rough-in templates for each fixture (toilets, baths, basins, sinks, showers, hot water unit, splitter heads)
  • Structural set (for noggings, blocking, headers)
  • Construction Certificate or building permit, with inspection schedule
  • Variations register (anything moving a point or pipe after the original quote should be a logged variation, see variation)

Common holds

  • Wrong drawing revision on site. A trade roughing-in to an old electrical layout. Document precedence in the contract decides whose problem it is, but the wall still gets opened up. Lock the drawing register.
  • Linings booked before first fix sign-off. Plasterer arrives, finds an electrical RFI open, walks. Costs the booking and the next slot in the plasterer’s run.
  • Wet-area sequence break. Tiler before waterproofer. Membrane fails AS 3740 inspection. Tear out.
  • Cabinet schedule lands after rough-in. Sparky drops a GPO where the rangehood mounts, or a waste comes up under a kickboard. Variation, repair to lining, both billable.
  • Hot and cold reversed. Caught at commissioning, not before. Wall comes off.
  • Final-fix fitting swap with no variation. Owner picks a different mixer at the showroom three weeks before PCI. Rough-in centres no longer match. Either accept the original fitting or log a variation that covers re-rough.

References

See also

Last updated: 2026-05-04. Verified: 2026-05-04. Quarterly review for currency.

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