Free contractor resource
Free Proposal Checklist
A 10-point pre-send checklist for small contractor proposals.
Before sending a proposal, confirm it says
- Who the proposal is for, where the work is located, and when the proposal expires.
- Exactly which rooms, areas, systems, assemblies, or line items are included.
- What is excluded, owner-provided, by others, or not inspected.
- The price basis: fixed price, allowance, unit price, time and material, or budget range.
- Deposit, progress payment, final payment, tax, permit, and fee assumptions.
- Schedule assumptions, lead times, access requirements, and work-hour limits.
- Selection deadlines and what happens if owner decisions are late.
- Change-order rule: no extra work without written approval and price/schedule effect.
- Hidden-condition rule for concealed damage, code issues, or site conditions not visible at proposal time.
- Acceptance signature, date, and the next step after approval.
Quick risk scan
- Circle any vague phrase such as repair as needed, standard installation, minor prep, or match existing.
- Add a clarification for every allowance, alternate, exclusion, or owner decision.
- Attach photos, sketches, plan dates, or selection schedules when they define the scope.
Use note
This resource is an operations and documentation tool from ContractorOpsLab. It is not legal advice, code advice, engineering advice, insurance advice, safety advice, or a substitute for review by qualified professionals where required. Questions: support@contractorsoplab.com.