What Is a Punch List?

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What does the term “punch list” even mean?

Most often today, when someone refers to a “punch list,” they are talking about a list of home repairs that need to be done before a house closing during the selling process

Sometimes a homeowner attempts to complete a list of repairs around the house even before the selling process of a pre-owned home begins and that list could be called a punch list. Or the term can also refer to a list of small jobs that a general contractor needs to be finished before a new home is ready to sell.

After a potential home buyer gives an offer, they hire a home inspector to see what hidden things may be wrong with the house before they buy it. The inspector finds problems and makes a list. Then the current homeowner and the prospective home buyer negotiate which things the owner will fix for the buyer. This list is also called a punch list.

Merriam-Webster defines punch list this way:

“a list of usually minor tasks to be completed at the end of a project”

The reason this list was called a punch list is likely because, decades ago, someone would punch a hole in the paper beside each item on the list as it was finished. It is possible that there were two copies of the list and that the hole was punched through each copy so that the contractor/seller and the buyer could each keep track of what had been done.

But a “punch list” could also be simply a list of home repairs that need to be done around the house at any time.

What types of work might be included on a punch list? 

Some small repair jobs that a handyman service can tackle may include things like:

  • Door & Window Installation/Repair
  • Carpentry Work
  • Painting & Staining
  • Drywall repairs
  • Plumbing repairs in the kitchen & bathrooms
  • Electrical repairs including light and fan fixtures
  • Floor & grout repair

When you hire a reputable, affordable handyman to take care of your punch list or your honey-do list, you can feel the stress and pressure lifted from your shoulders. You know the home repairs will be done well. You know the prospective buyer will be happy. Or you know that you and your family will have the satisfaction of enjoying your home looking its best.

If you can find the best handyman near you, it is such a blessing. He/she can save you time, frustration, and money. 

If you had to hire professional drywall installers for every little hole in the drywall, you would spend so much more money. Or if you had to hire a professional plumber to fix a simple leaky faucet, you may spend twice as much, if not more, than what you would pay for a handyman rate.

Some handyman work is charged by the hour and some is a flat fee. You’ll want to check with your particular handyman company about their policy. But you’ll find a handyman in your area can help you get things done that you don’t want to do or can’t do for yourself who can help you for a lot less money than a general contractor or another specialized professional would have to charge.

Once you find a family handyman you trust, then you can just call him anytime you need something and never have to go for months or years with needed repairs sitting undone again.

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