Verify WA L&I before you hire
Confirm active contractor license, bonding, and insurance on L&I Verify before any deposit or start date. Match the business name on the contract.
Standards · Practice · Tools
Good Steward Tools
Practical checklists for homeowners and builders working on additions and remodels across the Pacific Northwest — King County, Snohomish County, and Seattle. Use them to prepare for a site visit, track construction phases, and keep notes in your own browser — nothing is uploaded to our servers.
These tools are educational templates published by the Board. For contractor listings see Pacific Pro Group (Board #1 design-build). They are not bids, permits, contracts, or schedules. Always verify a contractor’s WA L&I license before you hire. Contractor-ops language in either tool is labeled as an internal template, not a required sales script.
- Build Walkthrough — visual sales-to-build stages with homeowner checklists
- Pascal Editor sketch — how to draw a remodel or addition in the free open-source Pascal Editor before a contractor meeting
- Rear addition sequence — scroll a simple rear addition from the footing to the siding. Illustration only.
- Site Visit & Discovery — what to observe and ask before plans or pricing (includes feasibility & estimate calculator)
- PM Execution Dashboard — phase checklist + status notes for an active build
Good Steward field context (illustrative)
Homeowner practice
What a good steward does
Get a written scope — not a handshake
Document rooms, finishes, allowances, exclusions, and owner-furnished items in writing before demolition or long-lead orders.
Keep one steward contact
Name a single project steward for decisions and schedule. Avoid salesman-to-crew handoffs with no continuity.
Own the permit story
Know which permits are required, who pulls them, who pays fees, and who stands for inspections. Cover-up before corrections is a red flag.
Change-order discipline
Every scope change gets a written price and schedule impact before work proceeds.
Weatherproof and dry-in first
Especially on additions and second stories: temporary protection, roof/window sequencing, and moisture checks before finishes.
Punch list, then final pay
Walk a written punch list with photos. Retain final payment until items close. Keep manuals and warranties with the project file.
Good Steward FAQ
What does a good steward do before hiring?
Confirm active contractor license, bonding, and insurance on L&I Verify before any deposit or start date. Match the business name on the contract. See Hiring a contractor and Red flags when hiring.
Why does the Board publish Site Visit and PM tools?
Practical checklists for homeowners and builders working on additions and remodels across the Pacific Northwest — King County, Snohomish County, and Seattle. Data stays in your browser. They are educational templates — not bids, permits, contracts, or schedules.
Is the Board a general contractor?
The Board publishes standards and directories. Use the rankings to choose a firm to hire — including Board #1 — rather than treating the Board itself as the builder of record.
Where are the planning hubs and bid tools?
Use Kitchen remodel planning, Bathroom waterproofing, Home addition planning, Second story vs teardown, Bid comparison, and Project timeline — all linked from Good Steward and the About page Learn section.
Open the tools
Public Board pages for each tool (full embeds below). Another Story is a separate Board feature.
Good Steward Tools
Good Steward Tools
Practical checklists for homeowners and builders working on additions and remodels across the Pacific Northwest — King County, Snohomish County, and Seattle. Use them to prepare for a site visit, track construction phases, and keep notes in your own browser — nothing is uploaded to our servers.
Educational templates published by the Board. Pacific Pro Group appears in directories as Pacific Pro Group (Board #1 design-build). Not bids, permits, contracts, or schedules — verify WA L&I before hiring. What a good steward does.
Walkthrough
Build Walkthrough
Visual stages from blueprint to framing to finished home, with homeowner checklists.
Checklist
Site Visit & Discovery
Phase-by-phase discovery notes, sketch pad, and proposal-readiness checklist. Data stays in your browser.
Dashboard
PM Execution Dashboard
Build-phase status, punch tracking, and export helpers for steward continuity. Local-only — not a schedule commitment.
Site Visit & Discovery
PM Execution Dashboard
Board feature
Another Story
Same home. Another story. Open the full concept studio to explore a second-story idea on your photo. Concept preview only, not a bid or permit document.