Documents & records
Punch list
Also called: snag list, deficiency list
A punch list is what a superintendent, owner's rep or architect writes down while walking finished work: the paint holidays, the missing cover plate, the door that won't latch, the caulk joint that was skipped. Each item names the location, describes the defect and gets assigned to whoever owns the fix. The area isn't done until every item is corrected and signed off.
How it shows up on site
Punch usually starts as a pre-punch the GC runs on itself, then the formal walk with the owner and design team near substantial completion. Items are tagged to a room or an exact spot, given a responsible trade, and tracked open-to-closed. A back-check walk confirms the fixes before the item is retired.
The hard part is not writing the list — it's proving each item was actually corrected. A line that just flips to "closed" in a spreadsheet is a promise, not evidence.
What proves it
A defensible closeout pairs every punch item with a before and after photo tied to the location it was written against. When the item is QR-tagged to the room or assembly, the correction photo lands on the right line automatically and the back-check walk becomes a review instead of a re-hunt.
Checklists that put punch list to work
Free, field-ready checklists, each with the photo every item needs before it can be submitted.
Related terms
- Nonconformance report (NCR)A formal record raised when installed work does not meet the drawings, specs or an accepted standard, and the plan to resolve it.
- As-built drawingsThe construction drawings marked up to show how the work was actually installed, including every field change from the original design.
- Daily construction reportThe dated record of what happened on site each day — crews present, work done, weather, deliveries, inspections and issues.
- Request for information (RFI)A formal written question from the contractor to the design team when the drawings or specs are unclear, conflicting or incomplete.
- SubmittalThe product data, shop drawings or samples a contractor sends for review to confirm what will be installed matches the spec before it's ordered.
- Submittal registerThe master log that tracks every required submittal, its review status and its due date across the whole job.
Knowing the term is step one. Proving it is the job.
RTI holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and the photos are attached, then chains the record so it can be proven untouched later.