What It Does
Gives you a room-by-room, system-by-system question framework to use while physically walking a property before writing your scope of work. Organized into four sections: safety and liability, covering fire alarms, glass, egress, rails, locks, garage doors, EPA issues like mold/asbestos/lead, and full MEP checks for electrical, plumbing, and hvac, plus structural damage indicators. bleeding Questions, the items that bleed money if you miss them: retaining walls, drainage, roof condition, gutters, siding, utility leaks, wood-destroying pests, and signs of shoddy DIY work. baseline finish selections for floors, paint, trim, fixtures, cabinets, countertops, tub/shower, appliances, and siding. The big three: curb appeal details, first impression upon opening the front door, and kitchen/bath presentation.
How to Use It
- Print and bring to every property walkthrough.
- Start with safety and liability: work through each sub-item. Anything that fails here is either a cost adder or a deal-breaker.
- Move to bleeding Questions: these are the hidden scope creep items that blow budgets. Check drainage, roof, gutters, siding, plumbing, and pests.
- Note your baseline selections for finish level to feed into the fliporithm.
- Evaluate the big three to understand what buyers or tenants will see first and where to spend for maximum impact.
When You Need This
- Walking a property for the first time before writing a scope of work.
- Training a project manager or partner on what to look for during walkthroughs.
- Catching hidden problems that drive change orders and scope creep.
- Building a preliminary budget before getting contractors bids.