How do you ensure timely and accurate closeout documents for your projects?

Firstly determine the nature of the contract and the likely requirements of the client. Study tender documentation and advie of any anomalies with client information such as BOQ. Advise of tender return schedules. Ensure items that cannot be fulfilled are identified early. Be helpful.

A critical first step in ensuring you receive all the necessary close out documentation is to make sure that these items are caught by the design team or whomever reviewing all the drawings and specifications to prepare the submittal log. Incorporation of these items into that log also allows you to capture the items for inclusion in the retainage release process helping to guarantee that the contractor won't walk away from this responsibility.

Additionally, closeout documents can also include punch lists, which are lists of items that need to be corrected or completed before the project is considered fully completed. These punch lists are typically created during the final walkthrough of the project and are included in the closeout package to ensure that all outstanding issues are addressed and resolved. Closeout documents are essential for ensuring a smooth handover of the project to the client or owner, as they provide a comprehensive and organized set of records that can be easily referenced in the future.

We are a professional construction closeout document handover firm. We provide the services to deliver an electronic tool for maintenance. From our experience, owner, architect, GC and major subcontractors, should be on board with the written plan for the closeout document handover; the closeout process should start at the beginning of the project; there should be open communication/collaboration with the team during the entire process; there should be meetings during the process to review/discuss the closeouts or lack thereof. A well-managed closeout document handover process and deliverable is the key to a successful project.

Having an understanding of the project schedule and when the subcontractors will be mobilizing to and from site can inform how and when you gather specific close out submittals. Your best opportunity is before they demobilize!

If you are still preparing close out documents via an all-paper process you should strongly consider some of the major project management systems on the market whether its Procore, eBuilder, Unifier, AutoDesk Build etc. These programs streamline the process by bringing everyone into a singular platform for sharing information.

To ensure timely and accurate closeout documents for your projects, establish a clear process early in the project that outlines the necessary documents, responsible parties, and deadlines. Regularly track document completion throughout the project and ensure that all required signatures, approvals, and inspections are completed on time. Use templates to maintain consistency and accuracy. Contractor Foreman software can help manage this process by organizing, tracking, and storing closeout documents, sending reminders, and ensuring that nothing is missed, leading to a smooth project closeout.