The final walkthrough and punch list, done right

Before the walk

• Do your own walk first. Never let the homeowner find things you could have found. Walk it two or three days before, with the super, and send subs their lists before the client ever sees the house.
• Bring the right people. You, the super, and the client. Not the subs. Subs on a client walk turn every item into a negotiation.
• Set expectations. Tell the client what a punch list is: cosmetic and functional items to be corrected, not a design-change opportunity.
• Lighting. Daytime, all lights on, blinds open. Bring a flashlight for raking light on drywall and paint.

Walking order

Exterior → garage → entry → main living spaces → kitchen and pantry → secondary bedrooms and baths → primary suite → laundry and utility → bonus/basement → porches and site. Same order every time, so nothing gets skipped and your list reads in walking order.

What to check in every room

• Walls and ceilings: drywall seams, nail pops, texture match, paint coverage and sheen, drips, touch-up flashing, cut-in lines at ceiling.
• Trim: caulk at casings and base, miters, nail holes filled, reveals consistent, doors latch and close without rubbing, stops set.
• Floors: scratches, gaps, transitions, squeaks, grout consistency, lippage, haze.
• Windows: operate, lock, screens, caulk inside and out, cleaned, labels removed.
• Electrical: every switch and outlet (bring a tester), cover plates straight, dimmers work, fixtures level, bulbs match.
• HVAC: registers straight and clean, thermostat set, filter new, condensate drain clear.

Kitchen and baths

• Cabinet doors and drawers aligned, soft-close works, hardware tight, touch-up on faces.
• Countertop seams, overhang, caulk at splash, sink reveal, faucet secure.
• Appliances run; labels and film removed; scratches noted now, not at closing.
• Plumbing: hot/cold correct, drains fast, no drips under sink, toilet solid, shower door seals, grout and caulk continuous, niche grout cracks.

Exterior and site

• Siding and trim caulked and painted, no exposed fasteners, soffit vents clear.
• Roof: flashing, boots, no debris; gutters and downspouts drain away.
• Grading, sod/seed, drainage, drive and walk cracks, garage door balance and opener.

Writing items subs will fix

• One item per line. "Misc paint touch-up" becomes twelve lines.
• Location + defect + action. "Primary bath — grout cracked at shower niche — regrout and seal."
• Photo on every item. Subs fix what they can see.
• Assign before you leave. Unassigned items are nobody's.
• Priority = closing-blocker or not. Don't rank cosmetic items; just say which ones must be done before keys.

Closing the list

1. Send each sub only their items, with a due date two days before your re-walk.
2. Have subs tell you when they're done (in Walkthru they tap "Mark fixed"; in a spreadsheet, a text).
3. Re-walk and verify. Mark done only on sight.
4. Keep a short "post-closing" list for anything the client agrees can wait (backordered parts, seasonal sod). Put it in writing.

Questions

How long should a final walkthrough take?

Plan 60–90 minutes for a 3,000–5,000 sq ft home with the client, after your own internal walk earlier in the week.

Who should attend the final walkthrough?

The PM or builder, the superintendent and the homeowner. Subs should not attend; send them their items afterward.

What's the difference between a punch list and a warranty list?

A punch list covers items to correct before closing or final payment. Warranty items are defects that appear after move-in during the warranty period.