# Job Closeout Package Checklist

Generates a complete closeout document checklist for a finished project so nothing is missed before the final application for payment is submitted. Use it at the start of closeout, not the day before final billing.

## Prompt

## Context
You are helping a trade subcontractor assemble a job closeout package. Closeout is the most common reason final payment is delayed. The GC or owner will not release retainage until every document on their closeout list is received, approved, and logged. This checklist is built from the project's contractual requirements and trade-specific standard items, then tracked to completion.

Project name and number: [PROJECT NAME AND NUMBER]
Contract type (lump sum, unit price, T&M): [CONTRACT TYPE]
Owner or GC receiving the closeout package: [RECIPIENT]
Your trade (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc.): [TRADE]
Contractual closeout requirements (from your subcontract or the project specification): [CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS]
Known special requirements (LEED, prevailing wage, commissioning, attic stock): [SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS]
Substantial completion date: [SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE]

## Task
Produce a closeout checklist organized into categories. Each item has three columns: Document or Item, Responsible Party, and Status (Not Started / In Progress / Complete / Submitted). After the checklist, write a short paragraph on the order to complete items so the sequence is logical and does not create bottlenecks.

## Standards
- Checklist categories: Liens and Legal, Warranties, Operations and Maintenance, As-Builts, Permits and Inspections, Attic Stock and Spare Parts, Testing and Commissioning, Final Accounting.
- Do not invent contractual requirements. Base the list on [CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS] and [TRADE], adding standard trade practice items appropriate for [TRADE]. Flag with [CONFIRM] any item that is standard practice but not confirmed as required by [CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS].
- Every item should be specific enough to assign and check off. "O&M Manuals" is not specific enough. "O&M manual, panel MDP-1A, Square D, in electronic and hard copy" is.
- If [CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS] is blank, build the list from standard trade practice and mark every item [CONFIRM with GC].
- Do not promise a final payment timeline. That depends on contract terms and the GC's process.

If [SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE] or [TRADE] is missing, ask before drafting.

## Variables

- PROJECT NAME AND NUMBER
- CONTRACT TYPE
- RECIPIENT
- TRADE
- CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS
- SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
- SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE

## Input checklist

- [ ] Your subcontract or the project specification closeout section, open and in hand before you build this list
- [ ] The GC or owner's closeout checklist if they issued one, because their list supersedes a generic one
- [ ] Your submittal log, showing every submittal sent, so you can confirm O&M manuals and shop drawings were approved
- [ ] Your punch list status, because open punch list items block closeout even when documents are complete
- [ ] All contractual requirements come from your actual subcontract and project specification, not from the AI
- [ ] Keep customer payment amounts, lien waiver dollar figures, and individual payroll records out of the checklist itself

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Every item marked [CONFIRM] or [CONFIRM with GC] is actually confirmed before you submit the checklist as your working document
- [ ] Lien and legal items match your jurisdiction's lien law requirements, not a generic list. Lien waiver forms and deadlines are jurisdiction-specific.
- [ ] Warranty periods and documents match the actual manufacturer documents in your possession, not what you expect to receive
- [ ] As-built drawings are complete and reviewed before they go in the package. An incomplete as-built submitted as complete causes retainage holds.
- [ ] Permit final inspection and certificate of occupancy status confirmed with the AHJ, not assumed from your inspection request
- [ ] Attic stock quantities match the specification requirement. Confirm the spec section number before pulling materials.
- [ ] Sequence paragraph reviewed against the actual GC closeout process. What they need first may differ from generic practice.

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

JOB CLOSEOUT CHECKLIST
Project: Millbrook Senior Living Center | Contract No. MH-2024-14
Contractor: Ridgeline Electric, LLC | Trade: Electrical
Recipient: Summit General Contracting, Attn: Marcus Webb
Substantial Completion Date: June 1, 2026

Liens and Legal

| Document or Item | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Conditional lien waiver through Pay App 12 | Ridgeline accounting | Complete |
| Final unconditional lien waiver (upon final payment receipt) | Ridgeline accounting | Not Started |
| Lien waivers from electrical material supplier (Graybar) [CONFIRM] | Dana Kowalski | In Progress |
| Subcontractor final affidavit per contract Section 9.6 | Ridgeline PM | Not Started |

Warranties

| Document or Item | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ridgeline Electric workmanship warranty letter, 1-year from 6/1/2026 | Dana Kowalski | In Progress |
| Manufacturer warranty, Panel MDP-1A, Square D, 18 months from shipment | Dana Kowalski | Not Started |
| Manufacturer warranty, LED fixtures (48 units), Lithonia, 5 years | Dana Kowalski | Not Started |
| Manufacturer warranty, FACP-1, Simplex Grinnell, 2 years | Apex Fire (coordinate) | Not Started |

Operations and Maintenance

| Document or Item | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|
| O&M manual, Panel MDP-1A (Square D), electronic and hard copy | Dana Kowalski | In Progress |
| O&M manual, LED fixture driver (Lithonia), electronic | Dana Kowalski | Not Started |
| O&M manual, FACP-1 (Simplex Grinnell), electronic and hard copy [CONFIRM with GC] | Apex Fire (coordinate) | Not Started |

As-Builts

| Document or Item | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Marked-up electrical drawings (E-series), all sheets, reviewed and signed | Joe Morano / Dana Kowalski | In Progress |
| As-built drawing set in electronic format (PDF) | Dana Kowalski | Not Started |

Permits and Inspections

| Document or Item | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical final inspection, City of Millbrook, Certificate of Inspection | Dana Kowalski | Not Started |
| Fire alarm acceptance test documentation, AHJ sign-off | Apex Fire (coordinate) | Not Started |

Attic Stock and Spare Parts

| Document or Item | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Spare LED driver modules, qty 4, per Spec Section 16500 [CONFIRM quantity] | Dana Kowalski | Not Started |
| Spare breakers per panel schedule attic stock requirement [CONFIRM with GC] | Dana Kowalski | Not Started |

Testing and Commissioning

| Document or Item | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Megger test results, feeder conductors, signed | Joe Morano | Complete |
| Panel directory, typed and installed | Joe Morano | In Progress |

Final Accounting

| Document or Item | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Final pay application cover sheet and schedule of values | Dana Kowalski | Not Started |
| Certified payroll records through substantial completion, if required [CONFIRM] | Ridgeline accounting | Not Started |

Sequence
Start with permits and inspections: the electrical final inspection must be closed before the GC can pursue the certificate of occupancy, and holding that up stops everyone. Run as-builts and O&M manuals in parallel while inspection is pending. Lien waivers from the material supplier take time to collect; start that request immediately. Submit the full package to the GC together rather than in pieces. Hold the final unconditional lien waiver until final payment is received and cleared.

## Customization notes

On public works or Davis-Bacon projects, add certified payroll submission through final completion to the Final Accounting section. LEED projects require additional documentation including product submittals with environmental data and commissioning reports. If the GC issued their own closeout checklist at contract award, use that as the primary list and add your trade-specific items behind it.

---

From The Skilled Trades Business Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/trades