Homebuilders in the United States hire on average 22 subcontractors during the construction process of a new home. A handful of superintendents are typically responsible for managing these subs across many different job sites. Consider time constraints imposed by lenders, their clients, and unforseen delays caused by just about anything and it doesn't take much stretch of the imagination to realize that mistakes and missed items are part of the building process. Punch lists have entered the chat. A punch list is a living document for the purposes of tracking these deficiences. Reputable builders will work tirelessly to clear this list before closing, and homeowners will continue to add to it afterwards during a commonly recognized 1-year warranty period. Builders and their clients would be wise to adopt a central medium for tracking these items to assist not only in keeping track of outstanding work to be completed, but to also communicate scheduling preferences and conflicts.
Punch list is the 'Trello' of punch items. Before homebuyers close on their new home, builders initiate a new punch list to keep track of punch items to be completed. During this stage, builders retain administrative privileges and share the list with their clients. Punch items are date-stamped and easy to comment, keeping all parties in communication without worrying about overlooked items lost in a cluttered inbox. Homeowners are granted administrative privileges at closing and enjoy an already familiar application for communicating warranty items. Used to its fullest extent, punch list should alleviate most of the shortcomings in communication between all parties, thereby making the home building process fun again.