Who is required to complete the punch list at the end of a construction project?

The punch list is typically a list of tasks or items that need to be completed or corrected at the end of a construction project before it is considered finished. The responsibility for creating and completing the punch list usually falls to the general contractor and subcontractors.

The general contractor oversees the project and ensures that all aspects of the work meet the standards laid out in the project plans and specifications. Subcontractors, who are often responsible for specific parts of the project, must also address any of their work that does not meet these standards or has not been completed. By collaborating, the general contractor and subcontractors can efficiently identify, rectify, and finalize outstanding tasks.

While the owner and project manager have important roles in the construction process, they typically do not have direct responsibility for the punch list's completion. The project manager may be involved in facilitating the process and ensuring that all parties are held accountable, but the hands-on completion of the punch list is fundamentally the contractor's duty. Similarly, the design team may provide input or note discrepancies from specifications, but they do not undertake the task of finalizing the project through the punch list.