COVID-19 necessitated higher education institutions to transition from traditional in-person instruction to virtual platforms, including practical construction courses. However, this transition may not have fully accounted for the unique nature of these practical courses. This paper aims to investigate students’ perceptions of the delivery of practical construction courses in a virtual environment. Using a qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with 30 students enrolled in practical construction courses during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The findings reveal various aspects impacting students’ perceptions, including the quality of instruction, availability, and effectiveness of technical tools and resources, limited social interaction among peers and instructors, challenges with replicating scenarios on online platforms, difficulties navigating learning platforms, absence of tutors for support and navigating overwhelming changes in isolation.