Triangle relationships have never been easy, regardless of the context and position of the participants. If it’s about love affairs, friendships or working teams: groups of two or four seem to be easier, clearer and more manageable. And yet there are situations, like in a construction process, where three is the number we are stuck with and need to deal with.

Those three parties are tightly connected in contractual relationships from start till completion of a project and how good this relationship is, determines to a large degree the success of the work.

So let’s see how this triangle engagement can work from a design and construction point of view.

You’ve been dreaming for ages of that large refurbishment and extension you’d like to undertake to your property. You have some good savings sitting in the bank and the house is due to be remortgaged soon anyway. But you read the news and all you hear is interest rates are rising and the market is playing crazy. So what to do?

The reasons why neighbours complain when construction work is about to begin next door are multiple. But the number of complaints is exceptional and surprising, with the result being much the same every time.

What is the usual project trajectory?

A construction project can feel overwhelming and confusing, regardless of its size and purpose. The RIBA Plan of Work sets out a project plan in 7 stages, but for the sake of simplicity, some of the stages can be combined, and many projects run through fewer stages than seven.