What Belongs in a Written Scope of Work
A written, itemized scope is the core of how GoldenPaw works. Here is what one contains and why each line is there.
Every GoldenPaw project starts with a written, itemized scope of work before any work begins. Never a verbal ballpark. This is what that document actually covers.
What should be in a concrete scope of work?
Exact square footage from site measurements, base material and depth, compaction method, slab thickness and reinforcement, finish and colour, control joint layout, drainage and grading work, demolition and haul-off, permits and who pulls them, schedule and cure windows, payment terms, and the final walkthrough before final payment. Each as its own line, so it can be compared against another bid.
Why it exists
A verbal estimate is a number without a definition. It cannot be compared to another verbal estimate, it cannot be held to, and when the job changes there is no baseline to change from. Nearly every dispute between a homeowner and a concrete contractor traces back to something that was discussed but never written down.
- A verbal estimate is a number without a definition. It cannot be compared or held to.
- Base depth and compaction should be numbers in your document, not adjectives.
- Joint layout on paper avoids a joint landing somewhere nobody agreed to.
- How change is handled belongs in the scope before demolition, not negotiated during it.
- The final walkthrough comes before final payment, so concerns are addressed on site.
Dimensions and square footage
Exact area, sized from measurements taken at the site visit rather than estimated from a photo or a description over the phone. Quotes are sized by square footage, so this is the number the rest of the document is built on.
Base preparation and depth
What base material, at what depth, compacted how. This is the specification that most determines how the slab ages and the one most commonly left vague. It should be a number in your document.
Slab thickness and reinforcement
Specified for the actual use of the surface, since a driveway carrying a work truck is not specified like a garden path. Written down so you can see what you are paying for and compare it honestly against another bid.
Finish, color, and joint plan
The specific finish approved, including color where it applies, and how control joints are laid out. Getting joint layout on paper avoids the conversation where a joint ends up somewhere visually awkward and nobody remembers agreeing to it.
Drainage and grading work
What the assessment found and what is being done about it, itemized separately so it is a visible decision rather than a hidden assumption.
| Line item | Why it is there |
|---|---|
| Square footage from measurements | Everything else is built on this number |
| Base material, depth, compaction | The largest single factor in how the slab ages |
| Slab thickness and reinforcement | Specified for the load the surface carries |
| Finish, colour, joint layout | Removes the most common source of disappointment |
| Drainage and grading work | Makes a hidden assumption into a visible decision |
| Demolition, protection, haul-off | What comes out and what gets protected |
| Permits and responsibility | Prevents a mid-project surprise |
| Schedule and cure windows | Sets expectations weather can move |
| Payment terms and walkthrough | Concerns get handled before final payment |
Demolition, protection, and haul-off
On replacement work: what comes out, how the surrounding lawn, landscaping, and adjacent concrete get protected, and where the debris goes.
Permits and responsibility
What permits apply at your address and who is pulling them, settled before work starts.
Schedule and cure windows
A clear schedule, with the understanding that weather moves pour dates, plus the cure windows for foot traffic and vehicles.
Payment terms and the final walkthrough
Deposit, schedule, and the final walkthrough that happens before final payment, so any concerns are addressed on site rather than after the fact.
Frequently asked questions
Is a written estimate the same as a written scope of work?
No, and the difference matters. An estimate is a price. A scope of work defines what that price buys, in enough detail that you could hold someone to it or compare it fairly against another bid.
What if the job changes partway through?
How change is handled is defined in the scope before work begins rather than negotiated during it. On replacement work something occasionally turns up underneath, and you should know in advance what happens when it does.
Do I need to understand all the technical lines?
No, and you should not have to. Ask what any line means and you should get a plain answer. A contractor who cannot explain their own specification in ordinary language is a warning sign.
Can I use the scope to compare other bids?
That is a large part of the point. Put the documents side by side on base depth, thickness, reinforcement, joints and drainage, and the real differences between bids stop being invisible.
When do I pay?
A deposit once the scope is approved and the job is scheduled, with final payment after the final walkthrough.
Every project starts with a site visit and a written, itemized scope of work sized by square footage. Base depth, compaction, slab thickness, reinforcement, joint layout, drainage work and permits each appear as their own line. No verbal ballparks, and no number quoted before anyone has seen the property.
Site visit first. Then a number you can hold us to.
We do not quote concrete over the phone, because a number given before anyone has seen the site is a number that changes.
You send the details
The form or a phone call, whichever you prefer. A team member follows up the same day.
We come look at it
Measurements, photos, drainage and grading assessment, and a conversation about finish options.
You get it in writing
A written, itemized scope of work sized by square footage. What is included, what is not, and what it costs.
Have a project in mind?
Tell us about the project and we will follow up to schedule a site visit. Every quote is written and itemized before any work begins.
Ready for a written, itemized quote?
Send the project details and we will follow up to schedule a site visit. No verbal ballparks, no pressure.