The House Truth Field Notes

SFR Renovation Start Checklist: From Award to First Day of Work

Use the Wednesday scorecard to decide which eligible contractor is next up. After award, release work by scope line so the contractor and field staff know what can start, what is held, and who can clear it.

Use the scorecard to assign the next job

Confirm eligibility. Check the upcoming pipeline against trade fit, market coverage, availability, and capacity for the job.
Rank, then rotate. Use the published scorecard ranking to identify the highest eligible performance tier. Follow the rotation within that tier after each award. If the next vendor cannot take the job, record why and move to the next eligible vendor.
Log the award. Record who received the job, why they were next up, and the confirmed start date. Give the contractor and field staff the same awarded scope version, line IDs, quantities, and finish standards.

Release work by scope line

Confirm site access, utility status, required approvals, materials, and work another trade must finish first. Mark which lines are released and which are held. Give every hold a named owner, a due date, and the evidence needed to clear it. Confirm the first milestone and target lease-ready date.

Carry open holds into the 5 A.M. Report. Track progress on released work separately from delay on held work so the contractor can see where pace needs attention.

Example of an award with a partial release

Illustrative Phoenix project. Two vendors qualify in the same scorecard tier. Vendor A received the previous award, so Vendor B is next up and confirms capacity. Log the award in the rotation. Power is off, so HVAC testing stays on hold. Release the flooring removal line if access and site conditions allow it. The assigned utility owner confirms activation, and the contractor owns the pace of the flooring work that was released.

Use the Wednesday contractor scorecard to review ranking and rotation, and the bid comparison and change-order RFQ guide to keep the awarded scope and any later changes traceable.

After work starts, use the independent weekly progress walk to document what changed and what can be verified.