How to use this checklist
A red flag is not proof of a problem. It is a reason to stop, ask a question and check the answer. One flag with a clear written explanation is normal. Several flags together, or answers that keep changing, are a reason to get independent help before you pay again.
This guide is general technical information and not legal advice.
Red flags in the documents
- There is no building permit, or you cannot see it. The permit should exist before the work starts and should match what is being built. See building permits in Colombia.
- The drawings are not signed. Structural and electrical designs should be signed by the licensed professionals responsible for them.
- There is no soil study. The foundation design depends on it. See our NSR-10 guide.
- The budget is a single total. A budget without quantities and unit prices cannot be checked or compared. See APU in Colombia.
- The contract is vague. No scope, no dates, no payment stages or no penalties.
- There is no schedule. Without planned dates, nobody can say whether the work is late.
Red flags in the payments
- A large advance with no explanation of what it will buy.
- Payments linked to dates, not to finished work.
- Requests to pay earlier than agreed because of “a special price on materials” or a cash problem.
- Requests to pay in cash or to a personal account that is different from the one in the contract.
- Extra costs that appear without a written change order. Changes happen, but each one should have a description, a price and your approval before the work is done.
- Prices that are far below other quotes. A very low price is often recovered later with extras or lower quality. See construction costs in Colombia.
Red flags on site
- Few workers and little activity on a project that is reported as “on schedule”.
- Materials that do not match the specification: different brand, smaller sections, lower grade.
- Concrete poured before anyone checked the reinforcement. After the pour, the steel cannot be seen.
- Electrical work without visible protection and earthing, or done by people who cannot show their qualifications. See our RETIE guide.
- Water that collects next to foundations or walls, or damp marks in new work.
- The work does not match the approved drawings: different dimensions, extra floors or changes to the structure.
- A disordered and unsafe site. Poor safety and poor quality usually come together.
Red flags in behaviour
- Site visits are discouraged or need many days of notice.
- Questions are answered by voice message, never in writing.
- The site engineer or the foreman changes often.
- Reports show only close-up photos and never the whole site.
- Pressure to decide quickly, especially to sign or to pay.
- The person who recommended the builder earns a commission from the builder.
What to do when you see one
- Ask in writing and keep the answer.
- Ask for evidence: the document, a dated photo of the whole area or a visit.
- Do not make the next payment until the point is clear, and check what your contract says about withholding it.
- Get an independent technical opinion if the answer does not convince you. An engineer who visits the site can usually tell quickly whether the concern is real.
- Talk to your attorney if the problem affects the contract, the permit or the title.
Where to go next
Read how to avoid construction fraud and bad builds for the checks to do before each payment. To have a site verified regularly, see construction oversight. If your concern is the money, see the construction cost audit.