Almost every expensive surprise on a Bangalore build traces back to something on this list that was left unresolved before work started. None of it is difficult. It is simply easier to ignore while the exciting parts, like design, are available to think about instead.

Stage 1: Title and ownership

• Registered sale deed in the seller’s name, matching the person you are dealing with
• Mother deed and the chain of earlier documents, with no unexplained gaps
• Encumbrance Certificate for a meaningful period, showing no undisclosed mortgage or sale
• Khata in the seller’s name, and confirmation of whether it is A-khata or B-khata
• e-khata position confirmed, since registration inside corporation limits depends on it
• Property tax paid up to date, with receipts
• For agricultural or converted land, the RTC or pahani and the DC conversion order
• Identity of all owners, including anyone with a share who has not signed
• Legal opinion from a property lawyer. Not optional, and cheap relative to the risk

If any term above is unfamiliar, our property glossary explains each one and why it matters.

Stage 2: Can you legally build on it?

• Which authority governs the plot: a city corporation, a planning authority such as Anekal, Kanakapura, BIAAPA or BMICAPA, a gram panchayat, or KEONICS in the Electronic City township
• Layout sanction confirmed with the authority, not from a brochure
• DC conversion order where the land was agricultural, understanding that conversion alone does not permit construction
• Zoning permits residential use
• Any eco-sensitive zone, buffer zone or airport height restriction that applies to the location
• Road width on record, since setbacks and permitted height can depend on it

Our area pages name the authority and the local pitfalls for each major corridor.

Stage 3: The site itself

• Soil or strata check before the structural design is finalised, especially on low-lying or visibly rocky ground
• Site levels measured, and any filling or retaining work quoted separately
• Water position established: piped supply, an existing legal borewell with a proven yield, or tanker dependence
• Electricity connection and load requirement
• Drainage and sewage arrangements
• Approach road width confirmed, and whether a transit mixer can physically reach the plot
• Boundary physically verified against the documents, ideally by a licensed surveyor
• Neighbouring construction checked for encroachment into your setback

Stage 4: Design and approvals

• Licensed architect or engineer appointed, with scope and fees in writing
• Setbacks, ground coverage and FAR confirmed for your plot, remembering that the 2026 amendment changed height and setbacks but left FAR at 1.75
• Permitted height confirmed in writing, including any airport or airfield clearance
• Structural drawings and a bar bending schedule
• Building plan sanction obtained before any work begins
• Commencement certificate where applicable
• Scrutiny fees, betterment charges and cess budgeted
• Design frozen before construction starts. Mid-build changes are the single largest source of cost creep

See what the 2026 rules changed and the plan approval checklist.

Stage 5: Money

• Total budget set from current rates, not from a figure quoted when you bought the land
• Stamp duty and registration provided for in cash, since the loan will not fund them
• Loan sanctioned, with the staged disbursement schedule understood
• Contingency of 5 to 10 percent set aside and left alone
• Costs outside the package identified: compound wall, gate, sump, overhead tank, borewell, landscaping, interiors
• Cash flow planned for the gaps between loan disbursements

Stage 6: Choosing and contracting a builder

• At least two or three comparable quotes, compared on scope rather than on rate
• Itemised specification listing brands and grades, not a single per-square-foot number
• Written definition of how built-up area is measured, including balconies, staircase, parapet and utility
• Written list of exclusions
• Payment schedule tied to completed stages, with a retention held until snags are closed
• Timeline with a defined position on delays
• Warranty terms, especially on waterproofing
• Previous sites visited and previous clients spoken to directly
• Contract reviewed by your lawyer before signing

How to choose a builder covers the questions worth asking in an interview.

Stage 7: Before the first pour

• Sanctioned plan and approvals kept on site
• Water and power arrangements in place for construction itself
• Site secured, with storage for materials
• Agreement on who supervises, how often, and who signs off each stage
• A written record method for materials delivered and work completed
• Curing regime agreed, since skipped curing is the most common quiet compromise on a Bangalore site

Check your position

If you would like a quick read on where you stand across most of the above, the build-readiness score scores your position out of 100 and names the gap to close first. It runs entirely in your browser and we never see your answers.