Contractor Scope of Work & Payment Schedule
A scope-of-work template for home repairs and renovations — specific materials, milestone-tied payments, and a change-order clause that keeps budgets from quietly doubling.
Reviewed by Lena, our maintenance & repairs expert · Updated July 20, 2026
When to use this
Use for any job big enough to quote — a bathroom remodel, a roof, a flooring job. A written scope does two things: it makes bids comparable (same scope, same materials, apples to apples), and it makes 'that wasn't included' conversations short. Attach it to whatever contract the contractor provides.
Check your state first
Contractor licensing, deposit caps (several states limit upfront payments, e.g. 10% or $1,000), and mechanics-lien rules vary by state. Verify the license and insurance certificate directly with the issuer, not from a photocopy.
Build your document
Pick your state, add your details, download a finished PDF. Everything stays in your browser — nothing you type is uploaded.
2 · Your details
Anything left blank stays a fill-in line in the document.
Verify it with your state board — takes two minutes
The clause shows your state's cap if it has one
3 · Preview
Choose a state to fill in its legal terms
Project and parties
Owner: [OWNER NAME], [PROPERTY ADDRESS] Contractor: [CONTRACTOR COMPANY NAME], License #[LICENSE NUMBER] Insurance: General liability and workers' comp — certificate attached Project: [PROJECT DESCRIPTION]
Scope of work
Included work: 1. [TASK — e.g., Demo existing tub surround and dispose of debris] 2. [TASK — e.g., Install cement board and waterproofing membrane] 3. [TASK] Explicitly excluded: [e.g., PAINTING, PERMIT FEES, FIXTURE COSTS] Permits: [CONTRACTOR / OWNER] obtains and pays for required permits.
Materials
Materials specified: - [ITEM: BRAND / MODEL / GRADE — e.g., Tile: 12x24 porcelain, ~$4/sq ft allowance] - [ITEM] Allowances: where an allowance is listed, Owner pays actual cost difference above it and keeps savings below it. Substitutions require Owner's written approval.
Schedule
Start date: [START DATE] Substantial completion: [COMPLETION DATE] Work hours: [e.g., MON–FRI 8AM–5PM] Delays: Contractor will notify Owner in writing of any delay beyond [3] days and the reason.
Payment schedule
Total contract price: $[TOTAL CONTRACT PRICE] - Deposit on signing: $[DEPOSIT ON SIGNING] ([NO MORE THAN 10–20]%)[STATE CONTRACTOR CAP NOTE] - On [MILESTONE — e.g., rough-in inspection passed]: $[AMOUNT] - On [MILESTONE]: $[AMOUNT] - Final payment on completion and Owner's walkthrough approval: $[AMOUNT] ([HOLD BACK 10–15]%)
Change orders and cleanup
Any change to scope, materials, or price requires a written change order signed by both parties before the work is done, stating the cost and schedule impact. Contractor will keep the site broom-clean, protect adjacent areas, and remove all debris at completion. Contractor warrants workmanship for [1 YEAR] from completion; final payment includes a signed lien release.
Educational starting point, not legal advice — the PDF carries the same note. Have a local professional review before signing.
The annotated reference
[BRACKETS] mark fill-in fields
Project and parties
Owner: [OWNER NAME], [PROPERTY ADDRESS] Contractor: [CONTRACTOR COMPANY NAME], License #[LICENSE NUMBER] Insurance: General liability and workers' comp — certificate attached Project: [PROJECT DESCRIPTION]
Lena's note
Unlicensed or uninsured contractors make you the insurer of their crew's injuries on your property. Verify the license number with your state board — it takes two minutes.
Scope of work
Included work: 1. [TASK — e.g., Demo existing tub surround and dispose of debris] 2. [TASK — e.g., Install cement board and waterproofing membrane] 3. [TASK] Explicitly excluded: [e.g., PAINTING, PERMIT FEES, FIXTURE COSTS] Permits: [CONTRACTOR / OWNER] obtains and pays for required permits.
Lena's note
The 'explicitly excluded' list prevents the classic budget surprise. If the contractor suggests skipping permits on work that needs them, that's a red flag, not a discount.
Materials
Materials specified: - [ITEM: BRAND / MODEL / GRADE — e.g., Tile: 12x24 porcelain, ~$4/sq ft allowance] - [ITEM] Allowances: where an allowance is listed, Owner pays actual cost difference above it and keeps savings below it. Substitutions require Owner's written approval.
Lena's note
'Builder grade' means whatever's cheapest that day. Name brands and model numbers where it matters — this is where identical-looking bids differ by thousands.
Schedule
Start date: [START DATE] Substantial completion: [COMPLETION DATE] Work hours: [e.g., MON–FRI 8AM–5PM] Delays: Contractor will notify Owner in writing of any delay beyond [3] days and the reason.
Lena's note
A contractor who won't commit to a start and finish window in writing is telling you where you sit in their queue.
Payment schedule
Total contract price: $[TOTAL CONTRACT PRICE] - Deposit on signing: $[DEPOSIT ON SIGNING] ([NO MORE THAN 10–20]%)[STATE CONTRACTOR CAP NOTE] - On [MILESTONE — e.g., rough-in inspection passed]: $[AMOUNT] - On [MILESTONE]: $[AMOUNT] - Final payment on completion and Owner's walkthrough approval: $[AMOUNT] ([HOLD BACK 10–15]%)
Lena's note
Payments follow completed work, never the calendar. The final holdback is your only real leverage for punch-list items — pay it after the walkthrough, not before.
Change orders and cleanup
Any change to scope, materials, or price requires a written change order signed by both parties before the work is done, stating the cost and schedule impact. Contractor will keep the site broom-clean, protect adjacent areas, and remove all debris at completion. Contractor warrants workmanship for [1 YEAR] from completion; final payment includes a signed lien release.
Lena's note
Verbal change orders are how a $12K bathroom becomes $19K. And collect the lien release — subcontractors a GC didn't pay can lien your home even though you paid the GC.
These templates are educational starting points, not legal advice. Real estate law varies by state — and sometimes by county — so adapt the bracketed fields to your situation and have a local professional review anything before you sign it or send it.
Common questions
How many bids should I get?
Three real ones, against this same written scope. The value isn't just price discovery — the walkthrough conversations teach you the job's actual issues, and the outlier bid (high or low) usually reveals something the others missed or padded.
What if the contractor wants half up front?
Decline, politely. Established contractors have supplier credit and don't need your cash to start; 10–20% on signing plus milestone payments is the professional norm, and several states cap deposits by law. Big upfront demands correlate with cash-flow trouble — the top cause of abandoned jobs.
Goes with this template
Questions about filling this in?
Lena covers maintenance & repairs — ask anything, free.