What is a Scope of Work & How to Build One
So, you’ve decided to rehab your home. Perhaps you are planning to sell, and you want to get the best price possible. Even if you’re not planning on selling right away, updating your home will increase its value for a future sale down the road. But before you even begin calling contractors for estimates, you need to create your scope of work for your project.
The scope of work is key to ensuring that you and the contractor are on the same page. You want to be clear exactly what your expectations are for the price you agree on. A properly written scope of work will protect both the owner and the contractor, as it leaves no room for interpretation. Read ahead to learn what is a scope of work & how to build one.
What is a scope of work?
In the rehab world, a scope of work is an agreement made between the owners and the contractors. A thorough scope of work outlines everything in the job and the materials that should be used. If you create a scope of work correctly, there should be no questions as to exactly what you expect your contractors to do.
Another advantage you have in creating your scope of work before you call any contractors is that you now have a clear document of what work you want done. This makes it easier to compare bids.
How to build a scope of work
A scope of work should contain the following:
1.) Introduction.
This is a high-level overview of your project.
2.) List of repairs.
This should be detailed and organized by category. Don’t leave any room for misinterpretation. Keep the repairs broken down by categories to make it easier to compare the contractor’s pricing.
3.) Materials.
There are two types of materials: rough and finish. Rough materials include things you do not see such as piping, screws, drywall, etc. Finish materials are your flooring, paint, light fixtures, etc. Usually, the contractor is responsible for providing all of the rough materials. You can then choose to buy the finish materials yourself, or through your contractor.
4.) Photos.
You may find some things are easier to show than to explain, especially for repairs. For example, if you need part of your house siding replaced, you can take a picture of the existing area that is damaged.
5.) Floor plans.
If you have a small project, a full set of drawings may not be necessary. But if it’s a larger rehab project, you’re going to need floor plans for the contractors to work on and additionally to get your building permit.
If you are interested in selling your home, it’s in your best interest to increase your home’s value before listing it on the market. Yet, home repairs take a lot of time and money. If you decide to do it yourself, use a scope of work to be sure you and your contractor agree with the work to be done. If you decide you don’t want to spend your resources on rehabbing your home yourself, you can turn to the experts. JAM Properties, LLC buys homes for cash in any condition, saving you the hassle and expense of doing it yourself. Find out more about our services by giving us a call at 949-438-4343.