1
Section One
Project Definition
Complete this section before issuing the scope to any trade.
1.1 Renovation Type
Cosmetic Renovation
Partial Renovation
Full Structural Renovation
1.2 Occupancy During Renovation
Vacant — Full site access
Live-in — Staged access
1.3 Staging Plan
| Stage | Rooms / Areas Included | Target Completion |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | ||
| Stage 2 | ||
| Stage 3 |
1.4 Rooms in Scope
2
Section Two
Selections & FF&E Schedule
Lock all selections before issuing this scope to trades.
Selections Rule: No substitutions permitted without written owner approval. Any substitution without written approval is a defect — rectified at the trade's cost. Where a selection is not confirmed, insert a Provisional Allowance (PA) — never leave blank.
Kitchen
| Item / Fixture | Product Name & Model No. | Finish / Colour | Supplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sink | |||
| Tapware | |||
| Oven / Cooktop | |||
| Rangehood | |||
| Dishwasher | |||
| Benchtop |
Bathroom 1
| Item / Fixture | Product Name & Model No. | Finish / Colour | Supplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tapware | |||
| Shower System | |||
| Vanity | |||
| Toilet Suite | |||
| Shower Screen | |||
| Mirror / Cabinet |
Bathroom 2 / Ensuite
| Item / Fixture | Product Name & Model No. | Finish / Colour | Supplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tapware | |||
| Shower System | |||
| Vanity / Toilet |
Laundry
| Item / Fixture | Product Name & Model No. | Finish / Colour | Supplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laundry Tub | |||
| Tapware |
Finishes — Floor & Wall Tiles / Flooring
| Item | Product Name & Model No. | Finish / Colour | Supplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor Tiles | |||
| Wall Tiles | |||
| Flooring (dry areas) |
3
Section Three
Preliminaries & Site Setup
Applies to the entire project unless otherwise noted.
The cost of not defining site logistics upfront is always paid during the project — through delays, disputes, and damaged property that no-one takes responsibility for.
Site Access, Waste & Protection
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Key safe / lock box installed prior to commencement | |
| Site access hours — Mon–Fri | |
| Saturday access | |
| Trades to notify owner 24 hours before first access | |
| Waste Management | |
| Skip bin supplied by / size | |
| All demolition waste removed within 48hrs | |
| Hazardous material management (asbestos, lead paint) | |
| Site Protection & Dust Control | |
| Protective sheeting to all floors not being replaced | |
| Dust containment barriers between work zones and occupied areas | |
| External driveway protection | |
4
Section Four
Demolition
Define room by room — specify extent of removal, waste disposal, and what must be retained.
Rule of Thumb: Standard bathroom demolition: 2 workers, 1 day. Kitchen demolition: 2 workers, 1–2 days. Underestimating demolition time is one of the most common renovation planning errors.
Demolition Scope
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | |
| Remove all existing cabinetry and benchtops | |
| Disconnect and remove existing appliances | |
| Disconnect plumbing and cap services | |
| Remove splashback tiling | |
| Remove existing flooring | |
| Bathrooms / Ensuite / Laundry | |
| Full strip-out to structural framing | |
| Remove existing waterproofing, wall tiles and substrate | |
| Remove floor tiles and substrate | |
| Remove all existing fixtures and fittings | |
| Cap all services after disconnection | |
| Living Areas & Bedrooms | |
| Remove existing floor coverings | |
| Remove damaged plasterboard | |
| External Areas | |
| Remove damaged roof sections | |
| Remove existing paving / decking | |
5
Section Five
Structural & Framing
Must be completed before any services are roughed in.
If it is not built into the frame now, it becomes expensive later. Noggings, niche framing, and fixture support must be installed at this stage — not retrofitted after tiling.
Framing Scope
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Wet Areas | |
| Wall studs adjusted to 400mm centres (min. for tiling support) | |
| Structural straightening — walls plumb and true | |
| Floor levelled for correct drainage falls | |
| Noggins installed for all fixtures | |
| Niche framing installed | |
| Kitchen | |
| Wall framing adjusted for cabinetry layout | |
| Overhead cabinet fixing support installed | |
| Living Areas & Bedrooms | |
| Walls straightened and plumb | |
| Ceiling straightened and level | |
5.1 Provisional Allowances — Structural
| Item | Provisional Allowance ($) | Triggered (Y/N) |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden structural defects identified post-demolition | ||
| Subfloor rot or termite damage | ||
| Additional wall straightening beyond initial scope |
6
Section Six
Services — Plumbing
Rough-in must be completed and inspected before sheeting commences.
Plumbing Scope
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | |
| Hot and cold water supply to sink | |
| Dishwasher water supply and waste connection | |
| Sink waste line | |
| Pressure test before wall closure | MANDATORY |
| Bathrooms / Ensuite | |
| Hot and cold supply — shower and vanity | |
| Toilet connection | |
| Floor waste — shower (location confirmed on plan) | |
| Drainage to all fixtures | |
| Pressure test before wall closure | MANDATORY |
| Laundry | |
| Hot and cold supply — washing machine and laundry tub | |
| Floor waste and drainage to all fixtures | |
| External | |
| Stormwater connections — downpipes to stormwater | |
| External tap — location confirmed | |
6
Section Six (Continued)
Services — Electrical
All electrical work must comply with AS/NZS 3000. RCDs and smoke alarms are mandatory.
⚡ RCDs on all circuits, smoke alarms to current standard, and Electrical Certificate of Compliance (ECC) at handover are NON-NEGOTIABLE on every project.
Electrical Scope
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | |
| Dedicated circuit — oven / cooktop | |
| GPOs above bench (quantity and positions confirmed) | |
| Rangehood power supply | |
| Lighting — task and ambient | |
| Bathrooms / Ensuite | |
| GPO — compliant location outside prohibited wet zone | |
| Lighting and exhaust fan provision | |
| Heated towel rail provision (if specified) | |
| Bedrooms & Living | |
| GPOs — quantity and positions per room confirmed | |
| Lighting positions per room confirmed | |
| TV / data points | |
| Compliance — All Areas | |
| Safety switches (RCDs) installed on all circuits | MANDATORY |
| Smoke alarms — compliant placement and interconnection | MANDATORY |
| Electrical Certificate of Compliance (ECC) at handover | MANDATORY |
7
Section Seven
Waterproofing
NON-NEGOTIABLE — AS 3740 Compliance. No certificate = No payment.
🔒 All waterproofing must comply with AS 3740. No certificate = No payment. This is not optional.
Waterproofing Scope
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Bathrooms & Ensuite | |
| Floor — 100% coverage recommended | |
| Shower walls — full height recommended, 1800mm minimum | |
| Wall-to-floor junction — reinforced membrane with fabric | |
| Shower niche — all six faces fully sealed | |
| All penetrations sealed — pipes, drains, screws | |
| Floor waste detail — membrane turned into waste body | |
| Laundry | |
| Floor — 100% coverage | |
| Wall-to-floor junction — 100mm minimum height up wall | |
7.3 Waterproofing Certification Register
| Room | Area (m²) | System Specified | Certificate No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom 1 | |||
| Bathroom 2 / Ensuite | |||
| Laundry |
8
Section Eight
Sheeting & Substrate Preparation
Substrate preparation directly affects the longevity of waterproofing, tiling, and paint finishes.
Sheeting Scope
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Wet Areas | |
| Substrate: Fibre cement sheeting (e.g. Villaboard or equivalent) | |
| All sheet joints sealed prior to waterproofing | |
| Floor prepared and screeded to correct drainage falls | |
| Dry Areas | |
| Plasterboard install — new lining to framed areas | |
| Plasterboard repair — patch and set existing damage | |
| Ceiling plasterboard install / repair | |
| Cornice install (style confirmed) | |
9
Section Nine
Tiling
Tiling scope must be defined by measurement. Trades cannot quote accurately on a description alone.
Critical: Falls to floor wastes must be confirmed in the tiling scope. Incorrect or missing falls result in ponding water.
9.1 Tiling Measurement & Specification
| Room / Area | Floor m² | Wall m² | Niche m² | Tile Reference | Grout Colour | Trim Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom 1 | ||||||
| Bathroom 2 / Ensuite | ||||||
| Laundry | ||||||
| Kitchen Splashback |
9.2 Tiling Detail Checklist
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Tile layout pattern confirmed | |
| Feature tiles — location and dimensions confirmed | |
| Floor falls — direction and minimum grade to waste confirmed | |
| Grout joint width specified | |
| Expansion joints — location confirmed for large format tiles |
10
Section Ten
Carpentry & Joinery
Sequenced after waterproofing and tiling, and before final fit-off.
Joinery Scope
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | |
| Full cabinetry installation — base and overhead | |
| Benchtop installation | |
| Appliance integration | |
| Bathrooms / Ensuite | |
| Vanity installation and levelling | |
| Mirror / shaving cabinet installation | |
| Towel rail installation (locations confirmed) | |
| Whole House | |
| Skirting boards — install / replace (profile confirmed) | |
| Architraves — install / replace (profile confirmed) | |
| Internal doors — install / rehang | |
11
Section Eleven
Flooring
All flooring specifications must be confirmed in the Selections Schedule prior to issuing.
Flooring Schedule
| Room | Existing Floor | New Floor Specified | m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry / Hallways | |||
| Living / Dining | |||
| Kitchen | |||
| Bedroom 1 | |||
| Bedroom 2 | |||
| Bedroom 3 |
12
Section Twelve
Painting
Confirm all colours before priming commences. Wet area paint mandatory for bathrooms and kitchen.
12.1 Internal Painting
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Walls — preparation, primer and 2 finish coats | |
| Ceilings — preparation, primer and 2 finish coats | |
| Doors, architraves and skirting boards | |
| Wet area paint — bathrooms, laundry and kitchen | MANDATORY |
12.2 External Painting
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| External walls / facade — preparation, primer and 2 finish coats | |
| Eaves, fascias and external trims |
12.3 Paint Colour Schedule
| Area | Product & Sheen Level | Colour Name & Code | Coats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walls — Internal | |||
| Ceilings | |||
| Trims & Doors | |||
| Wet Areas | |||
| External Walls |
13
Section Thirteen
Fit-Off & Final Installation
All commissioning and testing must be documented before sign-off.
Fit-Off Scope
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Kitchen Fit-Off | |
| Oven, cooktop and rangehood installation and commissioning | |
| Dishwasher installation and connection | |
| Sink and tapware installation | |
| Bathroom / Ensuite Fit-Off | |
| Toilet suite installation | |
| Vanity, basin and tapware installation | |
| Shower system and screen installation | |
| Mirror, towel rails and accessories | |
| Electrical Fit-Off | |
| Light fittings installation — all rooms | |
| GPO faceplates and switches — all rooms | |
| Smoke alarms — final check and commissioning | |
14
Section Fourteen
External Works
Defects to the building envelope cause the most expensive damage over time.
External Scope
| Item | Notes / Specification |
|---|---|
| Roof | |
| Roof tiles / sheeting — repair or replace | |
| Ridge capping — re-bed and repoint | |
| Flashings — inspect and replace where required | |
| Gutters, Facade & Landscaping | |
| Gutters and downpipes — repair / replace | |
| Surface grading — fall away from building confirmed | |
| External cladding — repair / replace | |
| Paths and fencing — repair / reinstate | |
15
Section Fifteen
Variations & Cost Control
ALL variations must be approved in writing BEFORE any additional work proceeds.
📋 Verbal agreements do not exist on a renovation site. Every dollar of disputed variation cost traces back to an instruction that was not documented.
Variation Register
| No. | Date | Description of Variation | Trade | $ Value | Approved By |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | |||||
| 02 | |||||
| 03 |
Total Approved Variations to Date:
16
Section Sixteen
Practical Completion & Handover
Do not release final payment until this checklist is complete and all certificates are in hand.
🔑 No sign-off = No completion. No certificate = No payment. This is your protection at the end of every project.
Completion Checklist
Kitchen: Cabinetry aligned, doors and drawers operating correctly
Kitchen: All appliances operational and commissioned
Kitchen: Sink and tapware installed — no leaks
Bathroom 1: All tiling completed per specification and falls correct
Bathroom 1: Shower screen installed — no leaks, seals complete
Bathroom 1: Toilet operational — no leaks
Bathroom 1: Waterproofing certificate received — MANDATORY
Bathroom 2 / Ensuite: All fixtures installed — no leaks
Bathroom 2 / Ensuite: Waterproofing certificate received — MANDATORY
Laundry: Tiling complete, tub and tapware installed — no leaks
Laundry: Waterproofing certificate received — MANDATORY
Whole House: Smoke alarms tested and compliant
Whole House: Safety switches (RCDs) tested and operational
Whole House: All doors rehung, hardware fitted, skirting complete
External: Site clear of all debris and materials
16.1 Certificates & Documentation Register
| Certificate / Document | Issued By | Date Received | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing Certificate MANDATORY | |||
| Electrical Certificate of Compliance (ECC) MANDATORY | |||
| Plumbing Compliance Certificate MANDATORY | |||
| Building Approval / Permit (if applicable) |
16.2 Final Sign-Off