Punch List
A punch list, a term pervasive in the construction industry, refers to documents that are created before or near the end of a construction project that lists down any work detail that has not been created in conformance to the general agreement created beforehand.
Of course, construction projects have specifications. They have standards that contractors need to reach to satisfy the customer and to follow the simple agreements they have signed before the outline has been carried out.
If the level of competence expected by the client is not achieved, the project will be deemed unsuccessful and the contractor may have to face certain consequences, the most common and minor of which is an unhappy client, the worst is being sued for not doing what was agreed upon. You may also see material list examples.
There are also cases where the parties involved will sign an agreement that the final payment will not be made unless the contract’s description of the project’s outcome is not attained.
These details may include incomplete or incorrect installations, or damages to parts that have already been finished. Bound by contract, the contractor will have to create a punch list enumerating all these particulars. Without it, the contractor will not receive the payment they are due. So basically, punch lists mean additional work for the contractors that can give them the salary they have worked so hard to earn. You may also like list templates in word.
Some companies also hire licensed professionals, such as an architect or an engineer, to act as the organization’s design representative who will evaluate the finished work of the contractor and give his professional opinion about it. He will be tasked with verifying if the completed work is in compliance with the instructions of the company. You may also check out to-do list templates and examples.
But before a licensed professional can check the construction area, the contractor will first create a punch list to inform him of the parts of the building that are yet to be finished or finalized. Excluding these things, he will conduct a pre-final inspection to see if the work is substantially complete. You might be interested in list templates and examples.
In conclusion, a punch list’s main purpose is to define all the aspects that needs to be addressed in order to arrive at the completion of a project. It will also include the steps that should be taken toward it.
Printable Project Punch List
Punch List Document Sample
Realizing a Punch List
Although creating a punch list is mainly the contractor’s work, making sure that it is completed and accomplished is a responsibility given to more than one person.
1. The Client’s Responsibility
The client’s job is to make sure that everything that is happening to the project is according to what he wants by clearly communicating his expectations to his contractor. He should not only be present by the end of the project, he should be there from the very beginning of it. Only by doing this can he make sure that the contractor knows exactly what to do based on what he wants. You may also see contact list examples.
2. The Contractor’s Responsibility
It is the contractor’s duty to be meticulous. To be close to being a perfectionist, noticing even the tiniest detail, even those that untrained eyes couldn’t see. It is their job to make sure that every inch of the finished product projects quality. It is their work, after all. It is their name that will be recognized as the creator of it. But, aside from that, contractors are also tasked with being the client’s guide. You may also like birthday list examples.
Of course, nobody expects him to be eloquent with construction talk the way the workmen in the field are, so it is the contractor’s job to explain things to him in a way that he will understand.
Another important role that contractors play is walking the client through the punch list. Their job doesn’t end after simply enumerating on a piece of paper the improvements that are yet to be made on the project, he must also show it all to the client so that he can inspect it for himself and perhaps add further instructions on bettering it. You may also check out management skills list and examples.
The construction process is, needless to say, tediously long. But no matter how much time it takes for the project to be accomplished, the client and the contractor must work together to be able to come up with a product they will both be satisfied with. With the client’s instructions and the contractor’s keen eye for mistakes, both can produce a finished work better than what they both wanted to accomplish. You might be interested in how to prepare your email marketing list and profits.
3. The Licensed Professional’s Responsibility
Since he is considered an expert in the field, it is his job to help the company make sure that the drawings or original blueprint details have truly been enacted, which means that aside from the client, he will also be present during the walk-through that the contractor will conduct to show his client the almost-finished product. You may also see medication list examples.
Basically, he will study the technicalities of the design and decide if they are of sound condition or if the contractor needs to work better on them.
Punch List Example
Construction Project Punch List Template
Importance of a Punch List
As unusual as its name may be and as underrated its role, punch lists are one of the most important parts of the completion of a construction project. Since it is created by the end of the whole process, it helps those involved make sure that the work that has already been done has been accomplished based on what has initially been agreed on. You may also see wedding guest list examples.
It is more than just errors and missing parts enumerated on a piece of paper, it is an entire team assessing their own work to make sure that what they have created deserves to be recognized and praised.
It is much like an artist evaluating his own work and deeming it lacking. So the contractor sees and recognizes what still needs to be done and makes all efforts to finish it in a way that will make him proud of himself and of his team. You may also like vendor list examples.
Importance of NOT Having a Punch List
The importance of punch lists is undeniable. Contractors and clients both need them. Otherwise, evaluating the end product of a project, especially for the big ones, may be harder than it’s supposed to be.
However, an unwritten reminder tells everyone in the construction field to avoid it as much as possible. Which isn’t exactly a bad advice since having punch lists could only mean that there is an error in the whole process with which you are creating your product. You may also check out grocery list examples.
If you could recall, punch lists are a document that dictates the mistakes and inadequacies of your present day product in comparison to the product that your client expects you to submit. So if you have a punch list, that means that you still have a lot of work ahead of you. A lot of repairs, improvements, and alterations that need to be done if you want to get paid. You might be interested in rooming list examples.
The fewer repairs that need to be made, the less time and effort you will have to spend on the project, and the less money your client will have to budget for it. It’s a win-win for both of you. This is why every construction project aims for a punch-free process. You may also see price list templates and examples.
Although this is not very easy to accomplish, there are steps that contractors can observe before he starts working on the job to be assured that it at least comes close to being punch-free.
Construction Punch List
1. Clear expectations written on the project agreement.
The instructions that will be given to a contractor about how the client expects the product to look like in the end will be his guide in making it. Which means that vague instructions can only lead to vague results. Everyone involved should agree on exactly what they want to be achieved. Otherwise, the contractor will have no choice but to guess his way through the project, and that doesn’t bode well for everyone. You may also see how to use your email list to raise more money.
A project agreement is the most final and solid document detailing the specifics of the project. If the client wants the contractor to have something to use as a guide, it should be it.
2. Quality control.
As the client, you should always keep a watchful eye for every improvement in the project from the very beginning. Be present during the process.
Otherwise, you can watch it all fail to meet your expectations and you can no longer do anything about it because the work is already close to finish. Only by doing so can you make sure that the tiniest detail that has been created has reached the standard you have set. By evaluating the quality of the work performed during every level of the process, you can help reduce errors and prevent discrepancies in the work done. You may also like bucket list templates.
3. Communication.
You can’t expect your workmen to guess what you want to be done. You have to tell them yourself. Written instructions may not be enough because, sometimes, despite rigidly following the steps you have laid out, the finished product may be different from what you have expected. It would also be helpful if you ask for the opinions of other people involved in the project. You may also check out checklist examples in PDF.
Also, aside from talking and giving out orders, learn to listen. Your contractor probably knows better than you in this area. If he has suggestions or changes that he, a paid, licensed professional, thinks would help better the concept of the project, hear it out. It might be unsolicited, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be helpful. You might be interested in checklist examples for students.
Punch List Check Sheet
Dobbs Contractor’s Project Punch List
Attached along with this article are samples and templates you can use to make your own punch list for your construction project. (However, there are also three very simple steps to avoid the need for them.) But because perfection is difficult to achieve in any area we may try, including construction, punch lists are there to help us recognize and address them. You may also see task checklist examples.
Share :
