ADU closeout

Walk through the ADU with your Contractor

Set aside time for a walkthrough rather than treating handover as a quick key exchange. Bring the agreed drawings and finish information so you can distinguish incomplete work from a new request.

Try everyday things together: open the windows and doors, operate the installed appliances, run the fixtures, and ask for a demonstration of heating, cooling and other equipment. Have the Contractor explain anything that seems unfinished or does not work as expected. Leave electrical, structural and other technical testing to qualified people.

Photograph an issue close up and from far enough away to show the location. That makes follow-up easier than a message saying “the trim isn’t right.”

Make the remaining work specific

A punch list is a record of incomplete or corrective work near the end of the project. Keep new upgrades separate so a final adjustment does not get confused with fixing the original work.

For each item, agree what will be done, who is responsible and the expected date. Review the updated list after the work, rather than assuming an item is closed because someone visited the site.

Collect final records before final payment

Ask the Contractor which official record confirms the ADU is approved for its intended use and how to obtain your copy. Check the permit record with the responsible agency if anything is unclear. Do not schedule a move-in solely because the finishes are complete.

Keep the approved plans, permit and final status records with the final agreement and payment history. Add equipment details, operating instructions and contact information so you can use the finished home without repeatedly asking the builder for basic information.

Understand the approval and inspection process.

Make the final bill understandable

Start with the original contract amount. Add approved changes, subtract credits, reconcile allowances, and deduct payments already made. Separate your direct purchases if they were never part of the Contractor’s contract.

If the numbers do not match, ask for the calculation before treating the invoice as agreed. A supplier bill may support an allowance actual cost, but check whether that amount has already been billed elsewhere. Use the contract and qualified advice to resolve disputed amounts.

Close the records as well as the work

Payment records and lien releases serve different purposes. CSLB distinguishes conditional releases, which depend on payment, from unconditional releases. A release from one party does not establish payment to every other potential claimant. Use the appropriate official forms and get advice when the payment chain or an exception is unclear. CSLB: Conditional and unconditional releases

Keep the final archive somewhere you control. Retain the Contractor’s contact details and the written process for reporting a problem after handover. If you plan to rent the ADU, separately confirm the local requirements for that use; construction closeout alone does not answer every rental question.

What you’ll be clear about

• How to carry out the final walkthrough and record a punch list.
• Which final records to collect before issuing the final payment.
• How the final amount connects to approved changes, credits and prior payments.
• Who will address any agreed follow-up work.

Related ADU reading

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