Second Fix
The second phase of trade installation work, completed after walls are plastered and decorating begins. Electricians fit sockets, switches, and luminaires; plumbers connect taps and radiators; carpenters hang doors and fix skirtings. Second fix ends with testing and commissioning.
Second fix is the second phase of installation work in construction and trade projects. After first fix is complete and walls are plastered, decorators apply at least a first coat before the installation trades return. Second fix transforms the hidden infrastructure into a functioning, finished building.
What Second Fix Covers
The scope varies by trade. Electricians terminate all cables left at first fix, fit back plates, sockets, and switches, install the consumer unit, energize the installation, and carry out the full testing and inspection sequence required by BS 7671. Only after second fix is complete can an Electrical Installation Certificate be issued. Plumbers connect taps, waste traps, cisterns, and radiator valves, then fill and commission the heating system. Carpenters hang and lip doors, fit ironmongery, fix skirting boards and architraves, and install kitchens or built-in furniture.
Programme Timing
Second fix depends on other trades completing specific tasks first. On a residential rewire, electricians must wait for plaster to dry and a first coat of paint to go on before fitting face plates. On commercial fit-out projects, the sequence is more complex - electrical second fix may need to happen before suspended ceilings are closed, while joinery second fix follows ceiling completion. A works programme that does not sequence these visits precisely results in wasted mobilization trips and delays to practical completion.
Confirm the Return Date at First Fix
Book the second fix visit when you confirm first fix. Late booking of the return visit is one of the most common causes of programme slippage in the final stages of a project.
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