Construction Punch List Template
A punch list for the final walkthrough of a construction or remodeling job. List the open items with their location, the responsible trade and a due date; enter the estimated cost of finishing them, and the amount held back from final payment is calculated. Owner, contractor and project come from the same project as your construction contract.
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Punch List
Project: remodel of the existing kitchen, including removal of the existing cabinets, countertops and flooring; new cabinets, quartz countertops and tile backsplash; luxury vinyl plank flooring; relocation of the sink and dishwasher; and new recessed lighting
at 3914 S. Ridgeview Drive, Spokane, WA 99223
Owner: Karen Whitfield, 3914 S. Ridgeview Drive, Spokane, WA 99223
Contractor: Summit Line Builders LLC, 1820 E. Sprague Avenue, Suite 4, Spokane, WA 99202
License or registration no.: SUMMILB812QN
Contract: construction contract dated July 19, 2026, with its change orders (the “Contract”)
Walkthrough date: October 11, 2026
Attended by: Karen Whitfield (Owner); Michael Reyes, Managing Member, and Luis Ortega, project lead, for Summit Line Builders LLC
Owner and Contractor inspected the Work together on the walkthrough date. The items below must be completed or corrected by Contractor under the Contract. Each item is signed off when it is done.
1. Punch List Items
No. | Location | Work to be completed or corrected | Responsible | Due | Status | Done (initials) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kitchen, sink base | Slow drip at the faucet supply connection: tighten or replace the connection and check the cabinet floor for water damage | Plumbing | 10/14/2026 | Open | |
2 | Kitchen, ceiling by the window | Recessed light flickers when dimmed: check the trim and driver, replace if defective | Electrical (Inland Spark Electric) | 10/16/2026 | Replacement trim ordered | |
3 | Kitchen, cabinet left of the dishwasher | Door rubs the adjacent drawer front: adjust the hinges and realign the door | Cabinet installation | 10/16/2026 | Open | |
4 | Backsplash behind the range | Grout missing at two joints and grout haze on the tile: regrout and clean | Tile | 10/18/2026 | Open | |
5 | Doorway to the dining room | Transition strip between the vinyl plank and the hardwood floor not installed; touch up the paint on the door casing | Flooring and painting | 10/21/2026 | Open |
Contractor remains responsible to Owner for items assigned to its subcontractors. An item is complete when Owner has inspected it, or has had a reasonable opportunity to inspect it, and initialed it above.
2. Substantial Completion
Check one:
☐ The Work is substantially complete as of the walkthrough date: Owner can use it for its intended purpose, and only the items listed above remain. The warranty period under the Contract begins on this date.
☐ The Work is not yet substantially complete. Contractor will notify Owner when the items listed above that prevent Owner from using the Work are complete, and the parties will hold a further walkthrough.
3. Completion Deadline
Contractor will complete every item by its due date and all items no later than October 25, 2026, unless the delay is caused by Owner, by back-ordered materials that Contractor has ordered promptly, or by events beyond Contractor's reasonable control. Owner will give Contractor reasonable access to the property during normal working hours to complete the items.
If an item is not completed by the deadline, Owner may give Contractor written notice, and if Contractor does not complete the item within 7 days after receiving it, Owner may have the item completed by others and deduct the reasonable cost from the amount held back under Section 4.
4. Final Payment and Holdback
The estimated cost to complete the open items is $850.00. From the final payment due under the Contract, Owner may hold back 150% of that cost, $1,275.00, until all items are complete; the rest of the final payment is due as the Contract provides. Owner will pay the amount held back, less any deduction under Section 3, within 5 days after Contractor's invoice once all items are complete and Contractor has delivered the final lien releases, warranties and manuals for the Work. If state law limits the amount that may be held back, the lower amount applies.
5. Warranty Rights
Signing this punch list does not waive Owner's rights under the Contract's warranty or under law for defects that were not apparent at the walkthrough. Defects that appear after the walkthrough are handled under the warranty and are not a condition of final payment, unless the parties agree in writing to add them to this list.
Signatures at the Walkthrough
Owner:
______________________________
Karen Whitfield
Date: ____________________
Contractor: Summit Line Builders LLC
______________________________
By: Michael Reyes, Managing Member
Date: ____________________
Final Sign-Off
Owner confirms that all items on this punch list have been completed to Owner's reasonable satisfaction and that the amount held back under Section 4 is now due.
Owner:
______________________________
Karen Whitfield
Date: ____________________
What it's for
A punch list is the list of work that still has to be finished or corrected when a project is substantially complete — a cabinet door that rubs, missing grout, a light that flickers. It is drawn up during a walkthrough by the owner and the contractor (on larger jobs with the architect), gives every item a location, a responsible trade and a deadline, and is signed off item by item as the work is done.
The punch list sits between substantial completion and final completion, which is why it matters for money: most construction contracts make the final payment or the release of retainage depend on it. Under the widely used AIA A201 general conditions, the contractor prepares the list when it considers the work substantially complete, and the architect inspects and adds to it. A common practice is to pay the balance at substantial completion less a holdback for the open items, often 150% to 200% of their estimated cost; some state prompt-payment laws fix the figure — Florida's law for local-government projects lets the owner withhold up to 150% of the estimated cost to complete the listed items (Fla. Stat. § 218.735). No federal law governs a private punch list; the contract and state law do.
The sample is the final walkthrough of a kitchen remodel. It records who attended, lists the open items, states whether the work is substantially complete, sets a completion deadline and calculates the holdback. The owner, contractor and project are the same fields as in the construction contract, change order and subcontract templates, so the punch list fills itself in from the job's project.
What it should include
- the project, the contract it belongs to, and the owner and contractor
- the walkthrough date and everyone who attended
- each open item with its location, a specific description, the responsible trade and a due date
- the status of each item, updated as the work is done
- whether the work is substantially complete, which usually starts the warranty
- a deadline for completing all items and what happens if it is missed
- how much of the final payment or retainage is held back until the items are done
- signatures at the walkthrough and a final sign-off when every item is complete
How it works
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Frequently asked questions
Who creates the punch list?
Usually the contractor. Under the AIA A201 general conditions the contractor prepares the list when it believes the work is substantially complete, and the architect inspects the work and adds what is missing; on a residential job the owner and the contractor typically walk through together and agree on one list. Agreeing on a single signed list matters: it keeps the punch list from becoming a moving target, while defects that appear later are handled under the warranty.
What is the difference between substantial completion and final completion?
Substantial completion is the point at which the owner can use the work for its intended purpose, even though minor items remain — it usually starts the warranty period, ends the contractor's exposure to delay damages and shifts utilities and property insurance to the owner. Final completion comes when every punch list item is done and the closeout documents (lien waivers, warranties, manuals) are delivered; it triggers final payment and the release of any retainage.
Can the owner withhold final payment until the punch list is done?
Only what the contract and state law allow. Holding back the entire final payment over a few minor items is often itself a breach of contract, and many states' prompt-payment laws limit what may be withheld. The usual approach is to pay the balance at substantial completion less a holdback of 150% to 200% of the estimated cost to complete the open items, and to release the holdback when they are done; Florida's local-government prompt payment act, for example, caps it at 150% (Fla. Stat. § 218.735). This template calculates the holdback from the percentage you enter.
Does signing the punch list mean the owner accepts the work?
It confirms that the work is substantially complete except for the items listed — not that the work is free of defects. Signing does not waive the owner's warranty rights for defects that were not visible at the walkthrough; this template says so expressly. Items found after the list is signed are warranty claims rather than conditions of final payment, unless the parties agree to add them.
This template is a general starting point. Draftmill is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice; using a template creates no attorney–client relationship, and we do not guarantee that it is correct or suitable for your situation. Laws differ from state to state — adapt it to your situation, and have important contracts reviewed by an attorney licensed in your state. Terms of Service
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