Short answer: A typical apartment moves through approvals, excavation and foundation, structure and slabs, masonry, services, finishing, then OC and handover. On a construction-linked plan, each stage triggers a payment. Before each one, compare the developer's demand letter with the RERA quarterly update and what you see on site. Pay only for work that is done.
- Each demand should match a real stage. A slab demand needs a cast slab.
- RERA requires quarterly updates of project status on the promoter's web page.
- Site photos and visits are your own evidence.
- The last payments are your leverage. Keep them tied to OC and handover.
- What are the typical stages?
- How do you check that a stage is really done?
- What should you look for at each stage?
- How does a home loan fit in?
- What if the project slows down?
- What protects you after handover?
- Construction-linked or time-linked?
- How do you keep a payment record?
- What if a demand arrives before the stage is done?
- What should you watch in the last stages?
- Buyer checklist: before each instalment
- Related reading
- Frequently asked questions
- Talk it through with acre&key
- Sources
Most buyers of an under-construction flat pay in instalments over two to four years. The schedule is in the agreement. The risk is simple: if you pay ahead of the work and the project slows, your money is sitting in an unfinished building. Knowing the stages lets you ask the right question before each transfer.
What are the typical stages?
| Stage | What happens on site | What usually triggers a payment |
|---|---|---|
| Booking and agreement | Paperwork | Booking amount, then up to 10% before the registered agreement |
| Excavation and foundation | Digging, footings, basement walls | Foundation completion |
| Basement and podium slabs | Parking levels, podium | Basement or podium slab cast |
| Superstructure | Floor slabs, columns, beams | Each slab, or groups of slabs |
| Masonry | Block walls, internal partitions | Brickwork completion for your floor or tower |
| Services | Plumbing, electrical conduits, lift shafts, fire lines | Often grouped with plastering |
| Plastering and flooring | Internal and external plaster, tiles | Plastering or flooring completion |
| Finishing | Doors, windows, sanitary fittings, paint | Finishing stage |
| OC and possession | Occupancy certificate, handover | Final instalment at possession |
Schedules vary. Read your agreement for the exact stages and percentages.
How do you check that a stage is really done?
- Read the demand letter. It should name the stage, the tower and the amount.
- Open the project's RERA page. Under section 11 of the RERA Act, the promoter must keep the web page updated quarterly with the status of the project, approvals and bookings. See how to read a RERA quarterly progress report.
- Visit the site, or ask a family member to. Count slabs on your tower. Look at your floor.
- Ask for dated photos of your tower if you can't visit.
- Compare. If the demand says slab 12 and the tower shows 9, write back and hold payment until the work catches up.
Our site visit checklist for under-construction projects lists what to look at on each visit.
What should you look for at each stage?
Foundation. Is the excavation complete for your tower? Is water pumping going on in the monsoon? Delays here are common.
Structure. Count slabs. Check that work is happening on your tower, not only on a show tower. Look for steady labour on site.
Masonry. Are internal walls going up on your floor? This is when the layout becomes visible. Check that it matches your plan.
Services. Look for electrical conduits and plumbing lines before plaster covers them. Lift shafts and fire lines should be in progress.
Finishing. Check tile quality, window frames and fittings against the specifications in your agreement.
Possession. Ask for the OC before the final payment. See OC and CC explained and our possession inspection checklist.
How does a home loan fit in?
On an under-construction flat, banks disburse in stages, matching your payment plan. The bank usually checks progress before each release. That gives you a second check. If the bank's engineer finds the stage incomplete, the bank may hold the release. Read about loan disbursement for under-construction flats and the difference between sanction and disbursement.
Pre-EMI interest runs on what has been disbursed. Paying ahead of construction means paying interest on money that isn't building anything yet.
What if the project slows down?
- Keep paying only for completed stages. Write to the developer if a demand is early.
- Track the RERA completion date. If it slips, read the extension and what it means. See RERA extension: what it means for a buyer.
- Know your rights on delay. Section 18 of the RERA Act covers refund or interest. See our guide on refund vs interest under section 18.
What protects you after handover?
Section 14(3) of the RERA Act says that if a structural defect, or a defect in workmanship, quality or services, is brought to the promoter's notice within five years of handing over possession, the promoter must fix it without charge within 30 days. Section 19(10) says the allottee must take possession within two months of the OC. Keep a dated record of every defect you report. See structural defects after possession.
Construction-linked or time-linked?
A construction-linked plan ties payments to stages. A time-linked plan ties them to dates. Construction-linked plans protect you more if work slows. Compare them in our note on construction-linked vs time-linked plans.
How do you keep a payment record?
Keep one folder, paper or digital, for every payment. For each stage, save:
- The demand letter from the developer
- Your bank's disbursement letter, if the loan paid
- Receipts from the developer, with GST shown
- Photos you took on your site visit that week
- The RERA quarterly update for that period
This record helps in three ways. It proves what you've paid if there's a dispute. It helps at tax time for interest claims. And it makes the final settlement before possession much easier to check. Our guide on home loan disbursement for under construction flats explains how banks release money in stages.
What if a demand arrives before the stage is done?
It happens. A demand letter may say the slab is cast when it isn't yet. Don't pay on the letter alone. Visit or ask for dated photos, and compare with the project's RERA update. If the stage isn't done, write back politely and ask for a revised date. Your agreement for sale sets the schedule; the demand should match it.
If you have a home loan, the bank usually sends its own engineer or asks for an architect's certificate before it releases the money. That gives you a second check. Tell the bank if you see a mismatch.
What should you watch in the last stages?
The final payments usually fall around finishing, the occupancy certificate and possession. These are the stages where buyers have the most leverage, because most of the money is already paid. Check finishes against the specification in your agreement, and don't pay the possession instalment until you have the OC and have done a snag inspection. See OC vs CC for what each certificate means.
Buyer checklist: before each instalment
- [ ] Demand letter names the stage, tower and amount
- [ ] RERA quarterly update shows the stage
- [ ] Site visit or dated photos confirm the stage
- [ ] Amount matches the agreement's percentage
- [ ] Bank engineer's check done for loan disbursals
- [ ] Payment to the project account named in the agreement
- [ ] Receipt received and filed
- [ ] Final payment held until OC and handover
- [ ] Defects listed in writing at possession
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
It varies by size and site. The completion date is on the project's RERA page. Compare it with the developer's past projects on RERA to see how close they came to their dates.
If the agreement ties the payment to a stage, you can write to the developer asking for proof before paying. Keep it in writing. Ask a lawyer before withholding money under your specific agreement.
It's a construction-linked plan where payments are due as floor slabs are cast. It ties your money to visible progress. Check the slab count on your tower before each payment.
Lenders usually check progress before disbursing each stage of an under-construction loan. That is a useful second check, but do your own too.
Your agreement fixes the final instalment. Make sure it is due only at possession with the OC. That keeps your leverage to get defects fixed before handover.
Lawyer note: Payment schedules, delay rights and defect liability on this page are general information, not legal advice. A property lawyer should read your agreement before you withhold any payment or file a complaint.
Sources
Checked 29 Oct 2026.
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, sections 11, 13, 14(3), 18 and 19(10): https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/Real_Estate_Act.pdf
- Karnataka RERA Rules, 2017: https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/FinalRERA_Rules-2017.pdf
- Karnataka RERA, project search: https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/viewAllProjects?language=en
- RBI, Master Circular on Housing Finance: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_ViewMasCirculardetails.aspx?id=12824
