How To Create A Professional Punch List Report

A professional punch list report can make a positive impression on your clients and help ensure that all parties involved in a construction project are clear on what actions need to be taken to complete the project successfully. In this article, we share a list of the key things you need to include in your punch list report to ensure a smooth punch list process.

A punch list (or snag list) is a list of items that need to be completed to comply with the terms of a construction contract and is prepared when the construction project reaches the final stage.

At this stage, the contractor and customer (or customer’s representative like an architect or inspection professional) do a walk-through on the job site and note down all deficiencies that need to be solved with consideration to the contract terms.

Typically, the final payment by the customer to the contractor is tied to completing the items on the punch list.

The money owed to the contractor that is paid out upon project completion is often referred to as the ‘retainage’ and varies between 2% and 10% of the total contract value. This ensures the contractors don’t turn in the keys before the project is finished – finished meaning “compliant with the contract.” Most contracts also include timing specifications ensuring that the work will be done in a timely matter. As the contract is always the reference, it helps to clearly spell out expectations in the contract before the work begins.

It’s crucial that the punch list report is crystal clear (to avoid misunderstanding), well structured, and legally binding. With a good punch list, the contractor knows exactly what items need to be solved and when.

1. Header

Information to be included in the header of the punch list report:

• Company logo
• Company name
• Company address

2. Title

The title of the report should be short and clear, so everyone knows exactly what it’s about.

Example: “Punch list report for Project ABC”

3. Project Details

If someone gets your punch list report, they’ll want to know immediately which project it is about without having to figure it out. Often the report will also be sent to the client, and it shows courtesy and respect by putting their name and project description clearly at the beginning of the report.

Things to include:

• Name of the project and customer
• Full address of the project
• Short description of the project

4. Date and Time

Note the exact date and time of the punch list meeting. This date can be important in case of discussions or disputes.

5. Disclaimer

This is important to protect yourself from possible lawsuits. Including standard boilerplate language in each punch list and field report can save you trouble, time, and money.

6. People Present

You should include a list of the people that were present on the site at the time of the punch list meeting. You can show this in a table where project contacts are listed, together with their name, role, contact details, and an indication of who was present. Also, include a distribution column that shows to whom the punch list report has been sent.

7. Observations to Fix

The punch list contains all items that need to be completed to comply with the contract terms. Some examples of punch list items include repairing a broken window, replacing stained wallboard, repairing cracked paving, touching up paint, etc. Sufficient details should be added for every punch list item to avoid misunderstandings and discussions later.

For example:

• Observation name
• Observation number: This makes it easy to refer to items later and avoids confusion and misunderstanding.
• Observation deadline
• Location, e.g., by adding a location pointer on the floor plan
• Pictures, with sketches and comments
• Assignee (who is going to fix this item?)
• Observation description, with more info and details of the issue and how to fix it

Top Tip: Take enough pictures to illustrate or clarify your observations. Photos also increase the readability of your report since many people find it difficult to read a report consisting of plain text only.

8. Footer

In the footer, mention the punch list creator’s name and email. You should also include page numbers to make your report easier to follow.

9. Signatures

To ensure everyone is on the same page and has received the information, it’s a best practice to have all parties involved (owner, general contractor, and architect) sign off the punch list.

With so many small fixes to address, many construction companies and architects have started using dedicated punch list software to help them efficiently manage their punch lists.

With a punch list app like ArchiSnapper, you can document your punch list items immediately during the punch list meeting: add an observation, immediately take a picture and – if needed – complete it with a location, assignee, description and due date.

This will save you hours of time and make a professional impression on the other parties involved when they receive a professional-looking punch list report in a timely manner.

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