What a Condo Board’s Scope of Work Should Include for Exterior Restoration
A repair scope decides whether bids can be compared. What a condo board’s scope should contain, who writes it, and what construction administration covers.
By Luigi Basile
President
A milestone or recertification report tells a board what is wrong with the building. It does not tell a contractor what to do about it. The document that closes that gap is the scope of work, and it decides whether the bids that come back can be compared at all.
A thin scope produces bids that cannot be lined up against each other, and change orders once the work starts. A good one costs the engineer a few more days and saves the board months of argument. This is what it should contain, who writes it, and what happens after the contract is awarded.
It is written for board members and property managers, not engineers. Your engineer of record writes the scope that governs your building; this is a way to check what you are being handed.
Who writes the scope, and who should not
The scope, drawings and specifications are normally written by the engineer or architect of record. On a milestone or recertification project that is often the same firm that did the inspection, because they already know where the damage is. Contractors can walk the building beforehand and advise on access, sequencing and what is practical. Basile does that. We do not write the engineer’s report or the repair scope, and we price and perform repairs against the scope the engineer issues.
There is a reason to keep it that way. HB 913 added conflict-of-interest disclosure for those who prepare reports and then bid the repairs, and boards are entitled to ask. We cover that question in how a condo board should choose a restoration contractor.
What a scope of work should contain
Every item below should be written down, not assumed. If a row is missing from the scope you are holding, ask the engineer where it is covered.
| Element | What it should say |
|---|---|
| Repair types and locations | Each repair category (full-depth, partial-depth, slab edge, overhead, stucco, sealant joints) and where it applies, by elevation, floor or balcony, tied to the engineer’s drawings. |
| Quantities and how they are measured | Linear feet, square feet and counts for each repair type, and the percentage of balconies or elevations that were sounded to arrive at them. |
| Unit prices for additional repair | A price per square foot or linear foot for damage found beyond the estimate, so extra work is priced before it is needed. |
| Materials and standards | Approved repair mortars, bonding agents, sealants, waterproofing and coating systems, with the industry standards (ASTM, ACI, ICRI) the engineer wants met, and what counts as an acceptable equal. |
| Waterproofing and coatings | The membrane or coating system, number of coats, color approvals and sealant joint details, each as its own line item. |
| Access and protection | How the work will be reached (swing stage, rope access, boom lift) and how cars, landscaping, pool areas and entrances will be protected. |
| Occupied-building logistics | Working hours, resident notice, balcony closures, noise limits, staging areas and what happens to shared amenities. |
| Permits, testing and inspections | Who pulls permits, who pays the fees, and what field testing or special inspections are required before work is accepted. |
| Schedule and phasing | Start date, duration, the order of elevations, allowance for weather days, and a plan for securing the work during hurricane season (June 1 to November 30). |
| Unforeseen conditions | How hidden damage and hazardous materials in older coatings are handled, and who decides when the scope changes. |
| Payment terms | A schedule of values, and payment applications tied to a walkthrough of the work in place. |
| Warranty and closeout | What is warranted, for how long and from what date, and which documents the contractor must hand over at the end: product data, daily reports, photographs and permits. |
Not sure which repair your building needs?
Walk the building with a licensed restoration contractor before you write a scope.
Ask for a schedule of values and a bid form
The single most useful attachment to a scope is a bid form with a schedule of values: a list of every line item, with a blank for each bidder’s unit price and quantity. Every contractor prices the same lines, so the totals can be compared directly. It is also the document your engineer will later check pay applications against.
Why unit pricing matters for concrete in particular is covered in the quantity problem. The short version: nobody knows how much concrete is bad until it is opened, so the contract should say what each extra square foot costs.
What construction administration covers
Construction administration is the work done on the owner’s side while the repairs are under way. It is normally performed by the engineer or architect of record, not by the contractor. For a restoration project it usually includes:
- Submittal review: checking product data, samples and mockups before materials are ordered.
- Responses to RFIs: answering the contractor’s written questions when a condition in the field differs from the drawings.
- Periodic site observation: visits to confirm the work matches the drawings and specifications. It is observation at intervals, not full-time supervision.
- Change order review: assessing any added work or cost before the board approves it.
- Pay application review: checking what is billed against what is in place, ideally after a walkthrough.
- Punch list and closeout: a final walkthrough, a list of items to correct, and a closeout letter once the work is accepted.
The contractor’s side of the same process is the paperwork: the schedule, submittals, daily reports, photographs and pay applications that the engineer reviews. Basile does not provide construction administration. That role belongs to your engineer or architect, and it is better held by someone who is not paid by the contractor.
How to define the administration scope
Construction administration is its own line in the engineer’s contract, and it is easy to leave vague. Before you sign, settle these points in writing:
- How many site visits are included, and whether the engineer will attend board meetings.
- How quickly submittals and RFIs will be answered. A slow review holds up the crew and the schedule.
- Who is authorized to approve change orders, and up to what amount.
- Whether the engineer will review every pay application and attend the final walkthrough.
- Who issues the punch list and the closeout letter.
Before you send the scope out
Check four things. The quantities should be stated and measured the same way for every bidder. A unit price should exist for hidden damage. Construction administration should be defined and assigned. And the warranty and closeout documents should be listed in the scope, not promised in conversation later.
If your engineer is finalizing a scope and you would like a contractor to walk the building first, Basile offers a complimentary building consultation. We will tell you what we see on access and sequencing, and we will price the engineer’s scope when it is issued. For the sequence that comes before this step, see what happens after a Phase 2 inspection.
Not sure which repair your building needs?
Walk the building with a licensed restoration contractor before you write a scope.