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TDD House in Lapa

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The technical inspection of an ongoing residential refurbishment project in Lapa required more than a review of finishes or construction progress. In a context marked by fragmented information, weakened trust between stakeholders and remote oversight by an international private investor, COLUNA stepped in through Technical Due Diligence and Design Management services, establishing an objective reading of the works, clarifying what had been properly executed, what remained missing, and where the key technical and operational risks were concentrated. The result was a clear decision-making framework that helped restore control to the client and stabilise the process.

Location Lisbon, Portugal
Assets Type Residential
Customer Profiles Private Investor
Services Design Management, Technical due Diligence
Type of Interventions Refurbishment in Progress
Gross Area 245 sq m
Investment 245 sq m
Start / Completion Year 2021
Current Status Completed

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Key Challenges
and Solutions Adopted

The initial challenge was not only technical. The client was managing the project remotely, with limited familiarity with the local framework and reduced confidence in the original parties involved. COLUNA’s response was to turn the inspection into an objective reading tool for the works, creating transparency, a shared technical language and a reliable basis for decision-making.
The work was structured around a site visit, a critical review of the works in progress and a systematic chapter-by-chapter assessment covering roof, finishes, flooring, plumbing, electrical installations, woodwork, HVAC, solar system, kitchen and external elements. The report assessed execution quality, completion status and missing works, independently of any contractual discussion regarding responsibility.
One of the key contributions of the work was to separate what had been generally well executed from what remained incomplete, poorly coordinated or potentially problematic. The report concluded that the works were, overall, acceptably executed and approximately 85% complete, while also identifying critical unresolved fronts, including the kitchen, the connection to the public sewer collector, finishing details in installations, and selected safety and completion items.
Rather than issuing a purely technical opinion, COLUNA established a basis for continuity. The structured reading of the works, the prioritisation of pending items and the estimated timeframe for completion helped reorganise the process, reduce ambiguity and support the client at a stage when the investment had lost clear points of control.

Services provided

As part of Technical Due Diligence, COLUNA carried out the technical inspection of the ongoing works, assessing execution quality, level of completion by trade, and items still missing or requiring clarification. The report was structured around the client’s own works list, complemented by additional items identified by the inspection team as relevant to the overall reading of the investment. It also included an estimated timeframe for completion, based on comparable experience and good construction practice. Outcome: greater technical clarity on the real status of the works, the remaining risks and the effort required to complete them.
From that point onward, COLUNA took on a broader role in the technical stabilisation of the process, acting as a decision-support partner for the client, a technical memory for the investment and a continuity element within a misaligned project environment. This positioning strengthened the client’s ability to interpret priorities, frame responsibilities and reorganise the path toward completion. Outcome: regained control over a disorganised process and the creation of a credible technical basis for future decisions.

Results /
Impact for the Client

  • Objective clarification of the real status of the works and the investment
  • Clear distinction between acceptably executed works and still-critical omissions
  • Creation of a shared technical language between the client and the other stakeholders
  • Greater decision-making capacity for an foreign investor overseeing the works remotely
  • Stronger trust in COLUNA as a technical partner and stabilising force within the process
  • A solid basis for the technical and contractual reorganisation of the subsequent phases

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