Property Checklist
Contractor signing checklist
Before signing a contractor quote, collect scope, exclusions, payment terms, warranty language, change-order rules, insurance proof, and project assumptions.
Best for: Owners signing roof, HVAC, remodel, repair, replacement, window, energy, or home improvement work.
Use when: Use this when you like a quote but the scope, exclusions, warranty, payment schedule, or change-order rules are not yet clear.
Plain English
What papers should I collect before this decision?
Use this to keep the quote, cost, document, and question list in one place before you sign or pay.
Start here: Check the boxes you already have, then use the missing boxes as your question list.
Scope and exclusions
The most expensive part of a low bid is often the missing line that turns into a change order.
Itemized included work
CoreList labor, materials, permits, access, protection, disposal, cleanup, testing, inspection, and final documentation.
Excluded work
CoreAsk the contractor to write what is not included, not just what is included.
Hidden condition pricing
Document per-unit pricing for decking, rot, electrical, duct, plumbing, structural, access, or code surprises.
Material grade and substitutions
Get brand, model, grade, color, efficiency, warranty class, and substitution approval language.
Money and responsibility
Payment terms should match completion evidence, responsibility, and risk.
Payment schedule
CoreTie deposits, draws, and final payment to milestones, inspections, delivery, or completion where appropriate.
Change-order process
CoreRequire written approval before added work changes cost or timeline.
Warranty terms
Separate manufacturer warranty, labor warranty, workmanship warranty, and exclusions.
Insurance, licensing, and lien paperwork
Collect proof where applicable and ask what completion paperwork or lien waiver is available.
Timing and finish
A clean scope still fails if timing, cleanup, access, and completion criteria are vague.
Start date, duration, and delays
Write the expected timing and what happens if weather, materials, permits, or inspections delay the job.
Access and protection plan
Clarify driveway, attic, roof, yard, pets, utilities, furniture, dust, landscaping, and neighbor impacts.
Completion evidence
Ask for photos, test results, permit closure, warranty registration, manuals, receipts, or final walkthrough notes.
Before you act
- Normalize competing quotes in the quote comparison matrix.
- Put exclusions and open questions into a decision packet.
- Verify contractor credentials, contract terms, permit rules, and local legal requirements before signing.
Decision packet prompt
Build a packet with scope, exclusions, hidden-condition prices, payment schedule, warranty language, change-order rules, and signing threshold.
Open the decision packetUse this before requesting or accepting an estimate
A checklist is useful before monetization: collect the evidence first, then use it to run the calculator, compare the bid, build the packet, or request a cleaner estimate. Do not send private claim documents through Kefiw unless a page explicitly explains how that information is handled.
Checklist FAQ
Should I wait to use this checklist until the claim is open?
No. The checklist is useful before cleanup, before signing, before filing, before an adjuster visit, and before sale or rental documentation conversations.
Does this checklist decide coverage or contract terms?
No. It helps organize proof and questions. Verify policy, contract, safety, legal, and local-rule issues with qualified sources.
What should I do after completing it?
Run the related calculator, build the Property Decision Packet, compare the bid, or request an estimate only after the key proof and missing questions are visible.