Construction closeout checklist and handover register
What has to be true before you send the final invoice and hand over the keys: every permit and test on file, every change billed, the warranties and manuals collected, the records kept, the open items named, and a register of everything you gave the owner, with dates. The filled example is the fictional ensuite job from our other templates on the day of its final invoice, with three items still open. The preview below is that example.
Excel / Google Sheets compatible · checklist, handover register and filled examples · no sign-up required
Template and page last reviewed November 4, 2026.
What is in the file
| Section | Item | Evidence | Responsible | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permits and inspections | Permit closed, if one was taken out | Final inspection record from the permit holder | Client (permit by owner, per the scope) | Outstanding | |
| Permits and inspections | Shower waterproofing flood test | QC checklist sign-off, photo 2027-03-25-flood-test-24h.jpg | D. Kaur, site lead | Done | 25 Mar 2027 |
| Permits and inspections | Every tap, drain and flush run and checked for leaks | Final walk note in the daily log | Plumbing sub | Done | 28 May 2027 |
| Permits and inspections | Electrical permit | Electrical work is excluded from the scope | Not applicable | ||
| Changes and money | Every change order signed and billed | CO-001 signed 2027-03-22; billed on INV-1003 | Contractor | Done | 31 May 2027 |
| Changes and money | Fixture allowance reconciled against what was bought | PO-203, inside the $2,800 allowance | Contractor | Done | 31 May 2027 |
| Changes and money | Final invoice issued, with holdback shown as retained | INV-1003 | Contractor | Done | 31 May 2027 |
| Warranties and manuals | Contractor's workmanship warranty, in writing | Warranty letter, on the terms in your contract | Contractor | Done | 31 May 2027 |
| Warranties and manuals | Manufacturer manuals and warranties: vanity, toilet, faucets, glass door | PDFs and the paper copies | Fixture and glass suppliers | Outstanding | |
| Records | Tile, grout and membrane product names and lot numbers recorded | Handover register | Contractor | Done | 31 May 2027 |
| Records | Photos of the open walls and substrate kept with the job | 2027-03-15-shower-open-to-studs.jpg, 2027-03-15-bottom-plate-dry.jpg | D. Kaur, site lead | Done | 15 Mar 2027 |
| Records | Paint colours and sheens recorded | Handover register | Contractor | Done | 31 May 2027 |
| Outstanding items | Deficiency list signed, or every open item dated and assigned | Deficiency list from the final walk | Contractor | Outstanding | |
| Handover | Spare materials left with the owner | One box of tile and a part bag of grout | Contractor | Done | 31 May 2027 |
| Handover | Owner walk-through: shut-off valves, grout and glass care | Daily log entry | D. Kaur, site lead | Done | 28 May 2027 |
| Handover | Site protection removed, lockbox returned | D. Kaur, site lead | Done | 31 May 2027 |
| Document or item | What it covers | Given to | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workmanship warranty letter | The contractor's warranty on the ensuite work | Client | 31 May 2027 |
| Fixture manuals and warranties | Vanity, toilet and faucets | Client | 31 May 2027 |
| Glass door care and warranty sheet | Frameless shower door (CO-001) | Not yet | |
| Product record | Tile, grout, membrane and paint: product, colour and lot number | Client | 31 May 2027 |
| Waterproofing record | Flood test sign-off and the photos before tile | Client | 31 May 2027 |
| Change order and final invoice | CO-001 and INV-1003 | Client | 31 May 2027 |
| Spare materials | One box of tile, part bag of grout | Client | 31 May 2027 |
| Item | Count |
|---|---|
| Checklist items done | 12 |
| Outstanding, each with a name against it | 3 |
| Not applicable to this job | 1 |
| Documents handed over / still to give | 6 / 1 |
| Holdback still retained across the three invoices (not a checklist item) | $1,255.03 |
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Substantial performance or completion | A legal milestone set by your contract and your province's or state's legislation, often certified by the owner's consultant. A finished checklist does not establish it. |
| Holdback or retainage release | Released when the contract and the legislation allow, usually after a period with no lien registered. The checklist records that holdback was shown as retained, not that it is due. |
| The lien period | Starts from a date the legislation defines, which may not be the day you hand over the keys. Check the rule where the job is. |
Four steps to a working document
Start before the last week
Warranties, manuals and inspection records take the longest to collect. Open the checklist when the job is about 90% done, not on the day of the final walk.
Done means it is in the file
Mark a row Done only when the evidence is in the job file, and say where. "The plumber said it passed" is Outstanding.
Put a name on everything open
Every Outstanding row gets a person and, in the notes, a date. A list of open items without names is a list of things nobody will do.
Get the register acknowledged
Hand over documents and spare materials against the register and have the owner initial each line. It is the record of what they received, and when.
Finishing this checklist is not substantial performance, completion or a holdback release. Those are legal milestones set by your contract and the legislation where the job is, and the lien period may run from a different date than the day you hand over the keys. Check each one before you rely on it. This is not legal advice.
When the spreadsheet stops scaling
In BuildersBridge, a job that is 90% done or marked complete shows a closeout card to the people who can see its financials: open tasks, change orders still waiting on the client, contract left to bill, holdback still retained, money owed, whether any documents are shared with the client, and whether the job is marked complete. This checklist covers the paperwork that card does not: permits, test records, warranties and the handover register.
See how it works in BuildersBridgeCommon questions
What goes in a construction closeout checklist?
Permits and inspection records, your own test records, change orders and allowances settled, the final invoice, the contractor's and manufacturers' warranties and manuals, records such as product lot numbers and photos of concealed work, the open deficiency items, and the owner handover itself.
How is it different from a punch list?
A punch list, or deficiency list, is the work still to put right. The closeout checklist is everything else that has to be finished and filed for the job to be over, and the deficiency list is one row on it.
Does a completed checklist mean holdback can be released?
No. Holdback or retainage is released when your contract and the legislation allow, usually after a period with no lien registered. In the example, $1,255.03 is still retained across three invoices on the day the checklist is worked, and that is correct.
What is a handover register?
A list of every document and item you gave the owner, with the date and an acknowledgement: warranty letters, manuals, product records, test records, spare materials. When a warranty question comes up in three years, it is the page that settles what they were given.
Does BuildersBridge have a closeout feature?
Partly. A job that is 90% done or marked complete shows a closeout card with seven steps worked out from the job's own records, visible to people who can see the job's financials. Permits, test records, warranties and the handover register are not on it, which is what this template is for. Documents you share with the client appear in their portal.
Can I use it in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the .xlsx to Google Drive and open it with Sheets. The status dropdowns and the counts carry over.