Punch list template

A punch list that actually closes: every item numbered and located, assigned to one trade, and not marked done until someone walks it and signs the verified column.

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Punch list template
Template from Planium — planium.com
Project name
Project number
Area / building / floor
Walk date
Prepared by
Attendees on walk

How to use this punch list

Walk the space room by room and write items so a trade can find and fix them without calling you: location, specific deficiency, and what "fixed" looks like. "Touch up paint, room 214, west wall, 3 spots at outlet height" closes; "paint touch-ups throughout" never does.

Every item gets exactly one responsible trade. An item is not complete when the trade says it is — it is complete when someone walks it and signs the verified column. Keep completed items on the list, marked verified, as the record of closeout.

Punch list items

Item #Room / locationDescription of deficiencyResponsible tradeStatusCompleted (date)Verified by / date

+ 18 blank rows to fill in in the Word document

Status conventions

StatusMeaning
OpenIdentified, not yet corrected
In progressTrade is actively working the item
CompleteTrade reports the item corrected — awaiting verification
VerifiedWalked and accepted — signed in the verified column
DisputedTrade disputes responsibility or scope — escalate, do not let it sit

Closing out the punch list

  • Items written with room number, specific location and specific deficiency
  • Each item assigned to exactly one responsible trade
  • Trades given a copy the same day as the walk, with a completion deadline
  • Completion status updated as trades report items done
  • Every completed item re-walked and signed in the verified column
  • Disputed items escalated within days, not parked
  • Final signed list filed with the closeout documents

Sign-off

When every item is verified, close the list formally — it is a common condition for final payment and release of retainage.

RoleNameSignatureDate
General contractor
Owner / owner’s representative
Architect / engineer

Common questions

What is a punch list in construction?
The list of remaining items — incomplete work, defects, touch-ups — identified near the end of a project that must be corrected before final completion. It is typically generated on a walk-through around substantial completion and worked down to zero as a condition of final payment.
Who creates the punch list?
Commonly the architect or owner’s representative on the substantial-completion walk, with the GC. Smart contractors run their own pre-punch walk first and knock out the obvious items — a short owner punch list is the cheapest quality signal there is.
What is the difference between the punch list and substantial completion?
Substantial completion means the work is complete enough for the owner to use the space for its intended purpose — the punch list is the set of remaining items identified at that point. Reaching substantial completion usually starts warranties and stops liquidated damages; finishing the punch list gets you to final completion and final payment. Your contract defines both, so check it.
How do punch list items get closed?
In two steps: the responsible trade corrects the item and reports it complete, then someone walks it and signs the verified column. Skipping the verification walk is how "completed" items reappear on the owner’s list a month later — with your credibility attached.
What if a sub disputes a punch item?
Mark it disputed and escalate it that week — to the sub’s contract scope, the drawings, or a meeting with both trades if it is a boundary issue. Disputed items that sit unresolved are the ones still open when retainage is on the line.

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