A pre-signing contract checklist for legal identity, property, detailed scope, plans and selections, dates, permits, price and payment milestones, change orders, cancellation, dispute terms, warranties, closeout documents, and lien risk.
6 items to check
The contract should identify the correct owner, legal contracting entity, license information where required, project address, contact details, and people authorized to approve changes and receive notices.
The agreement should define what will be delivered and what is excluded, using dated documents that can be identified later without relying on sales conversations or generic phrases.
The contract should state a realistic schedule framework, responsibility for permits and inspections, owner access or decisions, work hours, and conditions that justify time adjustment.
Payment terms should comply with applicable state law and correspond to completed work or clearly controlled materials. The agreement should explain taxes, fees, allowances, credits, retainage where used, financing, and final-payment conditions.
The contract should state that changes are written and authorized before affected work, identify pricing and schedule methods, and include state-required cancellation or consumer notices. Suspension, termination, and dispute provisions should not contradict mandatory rights.
The agreement should define workmanship and product warranty responsibilities, subcontractor control, property protection, insurance obligations, closeout deliverables, and state-specific notices or releases connected with mechanics-lien risk.
Use this checklist after choosing a contractor but before signing or paying a deposit. Contract requirements, cancellation rights, deposit limits, notices, lien rules, and mandatory wording vary by state and transaction. This checklist helps identify missing information; obtain local legal or consumer-agency advice when the rights or risks are unclear.
An apples-to-apples bid comparison checklist for scope, quantities, materials, allowances, exclusions, permits, staffing, schedule, payment terms, change-order pricing, warranties, and total project exposure.
A before-signing change-order checklist for the reason, exact added and deleted scope, drawings and product changes, alternatives, itemized price and credits, markup, schedule impact, permits, warranties, and authorization.
A payment-approval checklist for confirming the milestone definition, installed work, inspections, correction status, stored materials, approved change orders, payment math, conditional lien waivers, and remaining balance before releasing funds.
A pre-hire verification checklist for matching the contractor legal identity, license status and classification, disciplinary record, liability insurance, workers compensation, bond, and expiration dates.