Every successful floor project follows the same eight phases. Every failed one skipped one of them. Brief and use case before system. System before brand. Brand before tender. Tender before applicator selection. Substrate sign-off before pour. Pour before cure verification. Verification before handover. Handover before final payment. This page walks the eight phases with the document checklist per phase, the decision gate that closes each phase, and the typical week count from brief to handover for a 200 m² project.
Project Brief
Document the use case, the operations constraint, the aesthetic intent, the regulatory environment. The brief is the input to system selection — without it, you'll get applicator-proposed solutions that match what they install, not what the project needs.
Brief checklist
- Use case description (industrial / hospitality / residential / public / sport)
- Project area (square metres + zone breakdown)
- Operational constraint (downtime tolerance, business-as-usual requirement)
- Regulatory environment (Health Ministry, Education Ministry, ת״י 1923, etc.)
- Aesthetic intent (decorative / industrial / heritage / contemporary)
- Budget envelope (₪/m² + total project)
- Schedule constraint (target handover date + immovable milestones)
System Selection
Match system class (PU-cement / epoxy SL / MMA / microtopping / polished concrete / terrazzo) to use case. The system decision precedes the brand decision — both Sika and Mapei deliver PU-cement, but only PU-cement (regardless of brand) survives hot wash-down.
System selection checklist
- System class identified per use-case decision tree (see selection by use case)
- System thickness tier matched to load class
- Anti-slip target identified per DIN 51130 / EN 16165 (see slip class explained)
- Compliance certifications identified per use case (see compliance verification)
- Anti-pattern systems identified and excluded
Tender Documentation
Build the BOQ from the eleven-line template. Name SKU minimum (with equivalent-or-better acceptance criteria for IL public-sector). Attach substrate survey, joint plan, anti-slip zone plan. Send to 3–5 certified applicators.
Tender package checklist
- 11-line BOQ filled in per template (see tender BOQ template)
- Substrate survey with photos at named grid locations
- Joint plan with perimeter joints flagged (see expansion joints)
- Anti-slip zone plan (R-class per zone)
- Tender response window (typical 14 days)
- Applicator pre-qualification criteria (certification level, project references)
Applicator Selection
Evaluate tender submissions against the eight-question framework. Headline price is the third decision criterion, not the first. Substrate-prep discipline and joint plan completeness are the most predictive of project success.
Applicator selection checklist
- Manufacturer certification verified for selected SKU (see how to evaluate an installer)
- Project reference check — 3 similar-scale references contacted
- Substrate prep discipline confirmed (CSP measurement procedure stated)
- Joint plan attached to submission + reviewed
- Pull-off test commitment in submission
- Warranty term + scope confirmed in writing
- Insurance + liability cover verified
- Schedule discipline pattern (past project records)
Substrate Preparation + Sign-Off
The applicator preps the substrate to the target ICRI CSP, runs the moisture test, repairs defects, and presents the substrate for owner sign-off before primer goes down. This phase determines 60% of the floor's final lifespan.
Substrate sign-off checklist
- ICRI CSP measurement at named locations (see ICRI CSP guide)
- ASTM F2170 moisture probe results at minimum 3 locations (see substrate moisture remediation)
- Substrate repairs documented (locations + materials + cure time)
- Joint plan re-validated against actual substrate
- Photos at named grid locations attached to sign-off document
- Owner representative sign-off before primer
System Installation
Primer + body coat + broadcast aggregate + sealer coat per system spec. The applicator's discipline window is here. Owner representative inspection at each layer-completion stage.
Installation log checklist
- SKU + lot number on delivery note for each layer
- Pot life + ambient conditions logged per pour batch
- Layer thickness verified by depth gauge at named grid points
- Consumption rate per batch within manufacturer spec
- Joint cutting + sealant install per joint plan
- Perimeter detail completion
- Daily photographs of installation progress
Cure + Verification Tests
System cures per manufacturer spec (typically 7 days minimum for full pull-off test). Independent laboratory tests pull-off + slip class at named grid locations. Test reports issued and attached to handover.
Verification test checklist
- EN 1542 / ASTM D7234 pull-off test at minimum 6 locations (see pull-off test guide)
- DIN 51130 / EN 16165 PTV slip-class test at named zones
- Fire reaction certificate verified (manufacturer issue)
- HACCP / ISO 22196 antimicrobial certificate if applicable
- ISO 17025 lab accreditation status confirmed
- All test reports with location grid + failure mode photos
Handover + Final Payment
Five-document handover package transferred to owner. Final 10% payment released against handover. Maintenance schedule activated.
Handover package checklist
- Manufacturer product warranty certificate (10 years) registered to project address (see warranty types)
- Applicator installation warranty (5–7 years) signed by company principal
- Substrate prep records (CSP + F2170 + photos)
- Pull-off test report + slip-class test report
- Completion certificate with system build-up + SKU + pour dates
- Maintenance protocol per system type (see care by system type)
- Final 10% payment released to applicator
Total typical timeline
For a 200 m² resin floor project with no substrate-defect surprises:
- Phases 1–3 (brief + selection + tender): 3–4 weeks
- Phase 4 (applicator selection): 1 week (after tender response window)
- Phase 5 (substrate prep + sign-off): 1 week
- Phase 6 (installation): 3–5 days
- Phase 7 (cure + verification): 2 weeks (7-day cure + 1 week verification)
- Phase 8 (handover): 1 week documentation
- Total brief-to-handover: 9–11 weeks typical
Larger projects (500+ m²) extend Phases 5–7 proportionally; phases 1–4 remain similar in duration.
Where projects typically slip
- Phase 1 brief skipped or under-developed. Drives downstream rework when applicators propose mismatched solutions. Single most common cause of project failure.
- Phase 3 tender package incomplete. Missing joint plan or anti-slip zone plan leads to applicator assumptions that don't match owner intent.
- Phase 5 substrate sign-off rushed. Owner representative not present at CSP/F2170 verification; later disputes about substrate prep when delamination appears.
- Phase 7 cure verification compressed. Pull-off test conducted before full 7-day cure; underestimates true bond strength, complicates contractual interpretation.
- Phase 8 final payment released without all 5 documents. Owner loses contractual lever for warranty claim. Single most expensive mistake at handover.
Final read
Eight phases, eight phase gates, eight document checklists. The timeline is documentable, predictable, and largely independent of project size (only Phases 5–7 scale with area). Owners who run their projects through this framework deliver floors at the lifecycle spec they paid for. Owners who skip phases discover at year two that the warranty document was never registered. Specify the framework in the project plan; refuse to advance phases without signed gates. Related: role-targeted FAQ · selection by use case · BOQ template · warranty types · compliance verification · evaluate a floor installer.
Sources
- Sikafloor project execution guidelines.
- Mapei Mapefloor project execution guidelines.
- EN 13813 — Synthetic resin screeds (project sequence requirements).
- ICRI 310.2R-2013 — Substrate preparation timing within project sequence.
- ASTM F2170 — Substrate moisture measurement timing.
- Israeli Construction Authority guidance on multi-trade project sequencing.
- Floor.DSGN IL contractor project documentation — 40+ resin floor projects.