Pre-Construction Checklist

The projects that start well are almost always the ones where the owner had the important pieces lined up before breaking ground. This is a short reference to what those pieces are. When you are ready to work through it item by item, use our interactive Pre-Construction Readiness Checklist tool, which lets you check items off, saves your progress in your browser, and prints so you can share it with your team.

Site control

You should have the site locked down before you spend real money on design and pricing: ownership or a signed lease, and a clear read on any easements, deed restrictions, or landlord work-letter terms that shape what you can build. A budget built on a site you do not yet control is a budget built on sand.

Financing

Know where the money is coming from and what the lender needs to see. Financing timelines and draw schedules affect the construction schedule, so the earlier this is settled, the fewer surprises land mid-project.

Program and scope

Be able to describe what you are building in real terms: square footage, number of units or rooms, building type, and the condition of any existing space. You do not need finished drawings to start the conversation, but you do need a working idea of scope. A contractor can refine a number, but cannot build a real budget from no information at all.

Drawings and design

Gather whatever exists: a concept sketch, permit drawings, a survey, an existing floor plan, or photos of current conditions. Even incomplete documentation saves real time, because it gives a contractor something concrete to react to. Know whether you have hired an architect or engineer yet, or whether you need the contractor to help coordinate that piece.

Budget and contingency

Set a budget range you can defend, and include a contingency for the unknowns that every project surfaces. A budget with no room in it is a budget that breaks the first time a field condition shows up. Account for soft costs too, not just construction.

Timeline

Know what is actually setting your deadline: a lease open date, a brand renovation deadline, or a family schedule. Naming the real driver, rather than a general as soon as possible, lets a contractor build a schedule that protects the date that actually matters.

Decision-maker

Decide who has authority to make timely decisions during the build. Delayed decisions are one of the most common causes of schedule slip on an otherwise well-run project, so knowing who signs off, and how fast, matters as much as any line item.

When you have these in hand, you are ready for a real first conversation with a contractor. If you are still gathering them, that is a normal place to start, and we are glad to help you work through what is missing before you commit to a budget or a schedule.