A construction project startup checklist lists every task that has to happen between contract award and full mobilization—contracts and insurance, permits, safety, site setup, schedule, procurement and communication—with a named owner and a due date for each. Used well, it gets the whole team working from the same plan on day one.
Have you ever been part of a project where no one seemed to understand where they fit or what their role was? Did it feel a bit like chaos?
How would you feel if you could eliminate the chaos? If you could ensure that the people on your team know who is responsible for what and when? A great way of achieving this is through the implementation of a job start checklist.
What is a job start checklist?
A job start checklist is a to do list for your construction project. It includes a list of all the tasks that will need to be performed on your project. You use it to track when items need to be completed and who will be responsible for completing them.
Benefits to your project.
Below are just a few of the benefits that you will realize by implementing a job start checklist:
Organize your team – by running through each activity that needs to be performed at the start of the project each member will clearly understand their responsibilities.
Avoid Misses – you aren’t perfect and neither is your team. Having an established list of the activities that need to be performed ensures that you won’t miss implementing something crucial on your job.
Reduce stress levels – are you ever overwhelmed and feel like everything needs to be done yesterday? Setting deadlines and roles and responsibilities at the start of the project gives you the opportunity to prioritize activities so you’ll always know what’s important.
Build trust – by establishing responsibilities for each member of your team, you will build trust amongst your team members and give them the opportunity to take on more work if they want to volunteer for new tasks.
Clear Communication – with roles clearly defined, it helps your team avoid miscommunication. People can be directed to the right personnel for any given task on your team.
What to include in your job start checklist?
There are a few main components that every job start checklist should have in it, those include:
- List of tasks
- Person responsible for performing the task
- Date the task will be required
- Recurrence (if applicable)
- Comments / applicable policies
Construction project startup checklist: what to cover
The exact list depends on the contract and the jurisdiction, but most commercial and residential projects need the items below closed out before, or in the first weeks after, mobilization.
| Category | Typical startup tasks | Usually owned by | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contract and commercial | Review the executed contract (scope, schedule of values, payment terms, notice periods), collect bonds and insurance certificates, set up the budget and cost codes | Project manager | Before mobilization |
| Permits and notices | Building and street-use permits, hoarding or encroachment permits, and any notice of project your safety regulator requires (in British Columbia, for example, a Notice of Project is required at least 24 hours before work starts on projects over $100,000 in labour and materials, among other triggers) | Project manager | Before work starts |
| Health and safety | Confirm who is the prime contractor or constructor in writing, prepare the site-specific safety plan and emergency response plan, first aid, worker orientation and hazard assessments | Superintendent / safety lead | Before the first trade arrives |
| Site setup and logistics | Site logistics plan, fencing and hoarding, temporary power and water, washrooms, laydown and delivery areas, traffic management, utility locates before any digging | Superintendent | Mobilization week |
| Schedule | Baseline schedule, three-week look-ahead, long-lead items flagged | Project manager / scheduler | First two weeks |
| Procurement and subcontracts | Buyout plan, subcontracts and purchase orders issued, submittal register started | Project manager / coordinator | First two to four weeks |
| Document control | Drawing and specification log, RFI log, change management process, daily report format | Project coordinator | Before mobilization |
| Quality | Inspection and test plan, mock-up schedule, third-party testing and inspection agencies booked | Superintendent / QA lead | Before the first related activity |
| Communication | Project directory, meeting schedule (owner meetings, trade coordination, toolbox talks), reporting cadence to the owner | Project manager | First week |
| Closeout planning | Warranty, O&M manual and as-built requirements identified and assigned | Project manager | First month |
For utility locates in the US, call 811 (the national call-before-you-dig number) a few working days before excavation; the exact notice period is set by each state’s one-call law.
Who should be involved in the process?
While the implementation of a job start checklist might seem like a trivial exercise, it’s important to include all members of the project team. Below is a brief description of the various roles on a team during this process.
Senior Management – support the project team in implementing the process and reinforce that it’s an important part of the project.
Project manager – lead the process to implement the job start checklist in partnership with the lead superintendent.
Superintendent – lead the process in partnership with the project manager. Take the lead on all field related items.
Field Staff / Office Staff – administer the job start checklist and help to complete the assigned tasks included within.
When should the startup checklist be completed?
Start the checklist as soon as the contract is awarded and aim to close the “before mobilization” items before the first crew arrives on site. Items such as procurement, submittals and quality planning naturally run into the first month; keep them on the list and review progress at the weekly site meeting until every line is closed.
How to run a project startup meeting
- Book the meeting within a few days of contract award, before mobilization.
- Invite the project manager, superintendent, safety lead, project coordinator and, where useful, the owner’s representative and key trade partners.
- Walk through the checklist line by line and confirm the scope of each task.
- Assign one owner and a due date to every item—no shared ownership.
- Record decisions and actions in the minutes (a construction startup meeting template keeps the agenda consistent).
- Review open items weekly until the list is complete.
Is a job start checklist right for my project?
Ultimately, that’s up to you. If you’re halfway through a project it may be too late to get the full benefit, although running through the list can still catch gaps. With that said, if you have plans to start a new project anytime in your future, implementing a job start checklist is a great way to organize your team around a common set of goals and tasks.
Where can I get access to a job start checklist template?
Your membership to Essential Construction provides you with instant access to a jobsite checklist. This allows you to implement this in minutes, rather than take weeks to develop one yourself:
Frequently asked questions
What is a construction project startup checklist?
It is a list of the tasks that must be completed at the start of a construction project—contracts, permits, insurance, safety, site setup, schedule, procurement and communication—with the person responsible and the due date for each.
What should be included in a project startup checklist?
At minimum: the task, the person responsible, the due date, any recurrence and comments or policy references. The tasks themselves usually cover contract review, permits and notices, safety plans and orientation, site logistics, the baseline schedule, procurement and submittals, document control, quality planning, communication and closeout requirements.
Who is responsible for the project startup checklist?
The project manager and superintendent lead it together: the project manager owns commercial, permit and procurement items, and the superintendent owns field items such as site setup and safety. Senior management supports the process and field and office staff complete assigned tasks.
What is the difference between a preconstruction checklist and a startup checklist?
A preconstruction checklist covers work before the contract is signed, such as design, estimating, constructability and bidding. A startup checklist picks up at contract award and covers what the delivery team needs to do to mobilize and start work safely.
Is there a construction project startup checklist template?
Yes. Members can download the construction startup checklist and the construction safety startup checklist linked in this article and adapt them to the project in minutes.
Related templates and guides
- Construction Startup Meeting Template
- Site Setup Construction Checklist
- Site Specific Safety Plan
- Seven Steps to Construction Startup
- The Ultimate Guide to Preconstruction Planning
- The Responsibilities of a Prime Contractor
This guide is general information. Rules for contracts, payment and site safety differ by country, state and province. Check your contract and local regulations, and get professional advice where it matters.
Ask AI about this page: ChatGPT, Claude or PerplexityCopy as Markdown