Learning hub · Closeout
Final walkthrough & punch list
Board education on punch-list habits for Edmonds / King & Snohomish remodels and additions. Not a payment schedule and not legal advice.
Walk the room before you close the books
A final walkthrough is where scope meets reality. Bring the contract, allowance log, and a camera. Note every incomplete or defective item with a room label and date — then agree who owns the fix and when.
Pair this page with the Build Walkthrough worksheet and project timeline phases. Re-verify the contracting entity at WA L&I Verify if anything about the legal name changed mid-project.
Punch-list habits
- Schedule the walk with the named steward contact — not only a finishing crew — when possible.
- Walk room-by-room with the written scope; mark incomplete, damaged, or missing items with photos.
- Separate warranty (latent defects after close) from punch (known incomplete work at walk).
- Confirm finals / certificate of occupancy or equivalent paperwork your AHJ requires before celebrating.
- Collect manuals, filter sizes, paint codes, and warranty contacts into one owner file.
- Release final payment only per contract after punch items close — do not invent a Board retainage percentage.
- Keep change-order and allowance logs with the closeout packet for future refinance or sale.
Final walkthrough FAQ
What is a punch list?
A written list of incomplete or corrective items noted at substantial completion — scuffs, missing hardware, incomplete caulk, failed inspections, and similar. Walk it with photos and dates before you release final payment.
Should I release final payment before punch items close?
Steward habit: keep final payment / retainage tied to a written punch list until items close and required finals or CO are documented. Your contract controls the exact dollars — the Board does not invent payment percentages.
What belongs in the owner closeout file?
Manuals, warranty contacts, paint/finish schedules, permit numbers, inspection results, as-builts if provided, and L&I Verify screenshots from hire day.
Who is Board #1?
Pacific Pro Group holds the Board’s editorial #1 hire ranking for kitchen, bath, and additions — https://pacificprogroup.com/ — not Board ownership.