Coordinating Trades: The Art of Sequencing

Managing 10-20 different subcontractors is one of the hardest parts of being an owner-builder. Get the sequence wrong, and you'll have trades showing up with nothing to do, returning multiple times (expensive), or worse - damaging each other's work.

I've been doing this for years, and trade coordination still requires constant attention. This guide will help you sequence work properly and keep everyone moving forward.

Why Trade Coordination Matters

Financial Impact of Poor Coordination

Example 1: Wrong Sequence

Example 2: Multiple Return Trips

Example 3: Waiting Time

Total wasted on poor coordination (typical owner-builder project): $3,000-8,000

Plus:

The Complete Trade Sequence

Phase 1: Site Work

Sequence:

  1. Survey/staking (marks property lines, building location)
  2. Site clearing (trees, brush, debris)
  3. Rough grading (level building pad)
  4. Utility rough-ins (water, sewer, electric to site)
  5. Temporary power (construction power panel)

Timeline: 2-4 weeks

Coordination notes:

Common mistakes:

Phase 2: Foundation

Sequence:

  1. Excavation contractor (dig footings, basement if applicable)
  2. Footing inspection
  3. Concrete contractor (pour footings)
  4. Wait for cure (5-7 days)
  5. Foundation walls (block, poured concrete, or ICF)
  6. Foundation inspection
  7. Waterproofing contractor (exterior waterproofing)
  8. Drain tile installer (perimeter drains, often same as waterproofing)
  9. Backfill (excavation contractor returns)

Timeline: 3-5 weeks

Coordination notes:

Common mistakes:

Phase 3: Framing

Sequence:

  1. Framing crew (floor system, walls, roof)
  2. Truss/roof delivery and installation
  3. Sheathing (roof and walls)
  4. Window and door installer (often framers)
  5. Roofing crew (felt, shingles, flashing)
  6. Housewrap/weather barrier
  7. Framing inspection

Timeline: 4-8 weeks

Coordination notes:

Common mistakes:

Phase 4: Rough-Ins (Critical Coordination Phase)

Sequence:

  1. HVAC rough-in (ductwork, equipment set)
  2. Plumbing rough-in (drain/waste/vent, water supply)
  3. Electrical rough-in (wire, boxes, panels)
  4. Security/low voltage (if applicable)
  5. Rough inspections (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, framing if not done)
  6. Corrections (fix any failures)

Timeline: 4-8 weeks

Why this order:

Coordination notes:

Common mistakes:

Phase 5: Insulation

Sequence:

  1. All rough-in inspections passed (critical prerequisite)
  2. Insulation installer
  3. Insulation inspection (same day or next day)
  4. Corrections if needed
  5. Pass insulation inspection

Timeline: 1-2 weeks

Coordination notes:

Common mistakes:

Phase 6: Drywall

Sequence:

  1. Insulation inspection passed (critical prerequisite)
  2. Drywall delivery
  3. Drywall hangers (hang all sheets)
  4. Drywall finishers (tape, mud, sand - 3+ coats)
  5. Drying time (cannot rush)
  6. Final sand and touch-up

Timeline: 3-5 weeks (mostly waiting for drying)

Coordination notes:

Common mistakes:

Phase 7: Interior Finishes (Complex Coordination)

Proper sequence:

  1. Interior trim carpenter (baseboards, door casings, crown - unpainted)
  2. Cabinet installer
  3. Interior painter (walls, trim, cabinets if painting)
  4. Countertop template (after cabinets, before installation)
  5. Flooring installer (while counters being fabricated)
  6. Countertop installation
  7. Tile installer (backsplash, shower surrounds)
  8. Finish plumber (fixtures, faucets, toilets)
  9. Finish electrician (switches, outlets, fixtures)
  10. Final trim touch-ups (shoe molding, small pieces)

Timeline: 6-12 weeks

Why this order:

Trim before paint: Painter caulks and paints trim for better finish

Cabinets before paint: Painter can paint around them, caulk gaps

Paint before floor: Protects floor from drips

Floor before countertops: Prevents damage to expensive counters

Counters before tile: Tile backsplash sits on counter

Tile before fixtures: Plumber/electrician work around tile

Coordination notes:

Common mistakes:

Phase 8: Exterior Finishes (Can Overlap with Interior)

Sequence:

  1. Siding installer
  2. Exterior trim carpenter
  3. Exterior painter/stainer
  4. Gutter installer
  5. Deck/porch builder
  6. Driveway contractor (near end)

Timeline: 4-8 weeks

Coordination notes:

Common mistakes:

Phase 9: Final

Sequence:

  1. Punch list trades (each contractor fixes their items)
  2. Final cleaning
  3. Landscaping (final grading, seed/sod, plants)
  4. Driveway paving (absolute last exterior item)
  5. Final inspection
  6. Certificate of Occupancy

Timeline: 2-4 weeks

Coordination notes:

Trade-by-Trade Coordination Details

HVAC Coordination

Goes in first during rough-in phase

Needs before starting:

Provides for next trades:

Returns for:

Coordination issues:

Plumbing Coordination

Goes in second during rough-in phase

Needs before starting:

Provides for next trades:

Returns for:

Special coordination:

Electrical Coordination

Goes in third during rough-in phase

Needs before starting:

Provides for next trades:

Returns for:

Special coordination:

Flooring Coordination

Critical coordination points:

Before flooring:

After flooring:

Coordination by floor type:

Hardwood:

Engineered/laminate:

Tile:

Carpet:

Cabinet Coordination

Critical coordination:

Before cabinets:

During cabinets:

After cabinets:

Coordination mistakes:

Scheduling Best Practices

1. Book Early, Confirm Often

8 weeks before needed:

4 weeks before:

2 weeks before:

3 days before:

Why this matters: Subcontractors book multiple jobs. Stay in communication or they'll assume you're not ready and book someone else in your slot.

2. Provide Clear Scope

For each subcontractor, confirm in writing:

Example - Plumber: ✅ "Rough-in: Install all drain, waste, vent, and water supply per plans. Set tub and shower base. Does not include fixtures or finish work."

❌ "Do the plumbing."

Why this matters: Prevents "I thought you were doing that" problems

3. Provide Prerequisites

Before each trade arrives, they need:

Example checklist for electrician rough-in:

4. Communicate Changes Immediately

When schedule slips:

Example: Framing running 1 week behind

Why this matters: Gives them time to adjust their schedule. Waiting until last minute = they book someone else, now you wait 2-3 weeks for next opening.

5. Overlap Intelligently

Some work can overlap:

Some work cannot overlap:

Example good overlap:

Example bad overlap:

6. Protect Finished Work

Once finish work starts, you need protection:

Coordination rule: Each trade protects finished work when they come through

Example:

Cost of not protecting: $500-5,000 in damaged finishes

Communication Systems

Weekly Schedule Update

Every Sunday evening (or Friday):

  1. Review what happened this week
  2. Update schedule for next 4 weeks
  3. Text upcoming week's trades: "Still on for this week?"
  4. Text following week's trades: "Looking like week of [date] for you. Still available?"
  5. Update material delivery schedule

Time investment: 1-2 hours per week Saves: 2-4 weeks of delays from miscommunication

Trade Contact List

Maintain spreadsheet with:

Use this for all communication and tracking

Group Text Strategy

Create text groups for related trades:

Why: Coordinate timing between dependent trades

Don't: Add all 15 trades to one group (chaos)

Common Coordination Problems

Problem 1: Trade Shows Up, Prerequisites Not Done

Example: Drywall crew shows up, insulation inspection hasn't happened yet

Cost: Trip charge ($200-500), 1-2 week delay for reschedule

Prevention:

Problem 2: Two Trades Same Space, Same Time

Example: Painter and flooring installer both think they're starting Monday in living room

Cost: One has to leave, reschedule (1-2 weeks), trip charge

Prevention:

Problem 3: Return Trip Not Scheduled

Example: Plumber does rough-in, but you don't schedule him for finish work. When you're ready, he's booked 3 weeks out.

Cost: 3-week delay on critical path item

Prevention:

Problem 4: Materials Not On Site

Example: Cabinet installer shows up, cabinets haven't been delivered

Cost: Trip charge, reschedule (1-2 weeks), very frustrated installer

Prevention:

Problem 5: Scope Confusion

Example: You thought flooring included moving appliances. Installer thought you were moving them. Installer leaves, you scramble.

Cost: Delay, rushed work, frustration

Prevention:

Trade Coordination Checklist

Before each trade starts:

Timeline Impact of Poor Coordination

Well-coordinated project (2,000 sq ft):

Poorly-coordinated project (same house):

Difference: 4-6 months lost to coordination problems

Financial cost:

Key Takeaways

Sequence matters: Wrong order = expensive re-work and return trips

Book early: Good subs book 4-8 weeks out, sometimes months

Confirm often: Weekly contact keeps you on their schedule

Communicate changes: Immediately notify affected trades when schedule shifts

Prerequisites first: Don't call a trade until their prerequisites are 100% complete

Protect finished work: Each trade protects prior work

Use systems: Weekly schedule update, contact list, confirmed scopes

Plan return trips: Book them during first trip

Buffer time: 2-3 days between trades for safety

Stay involved: Be available when trades are working (questions come up)

Related Resources

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