Field Notes

Before You Accept a Construction Proposal — 15 Things to Verify

Use this list to find unanswered questions before you commit to a major repair, renovation, new build, or facility improvement. It is practical review guidance, not a technical inspection or legal contract opinion.

1. The actual problem. State what the work must address and what remains unverified. A repair method alone may not explain the cause.
2. The defined work. Ask for quantities, areas, materials, preparation, and the interfaces between existing and new work.
3. Exclusions. Read what is expressly left out, especially investigations, drainage, enabling work, and restoration.
4. Allowances. Identify each allowance, its basis, who selects the item, and how a difference will be priced.
5. Alternates. Show what each alternate adds, removes, or replaces in the base scope.
6. Hidden conditions. Agree how concealed damage or unexpected conditions will be investigated, documented, and authorized.
7. Trade boundaries. Name who owns each interface so necessary work does not fall between two proposals.
8. Enabling work. Confirm power, pathways, demolition, access, protection, and other work needed before the quoted work can start.
9. Restoration. Define who repairs disturbed surfaces and how far finish work extends.
10. Owner responsibilities. List owner-furnished items, access, selections, approvals, and information due before work begins.
11. Required professionals and approvals. Identify any design, licensed work, permits, or approvals and who is responsible for arranging them.
12. Dependencies and access. Identify predecessor work, occupied-space constraints, outages, and what each stated duration assumes.
13. Changes. Agree who can approve a change and how scope, price, and time effects are recorded before proceeding.
14. Payment and closeout. Understand deposit and payment milestones, documentation, testing, warranties, and handoff requirements.
15. Comparable scope. Put competing offers on the same basis. Record unanswered questions before choosing on price.

Keep the answers with the proposal. Ask the relevant contractor or licensed professional to resolve matters within their responsibility.