Keep one current scope, a short responsibility matrix and a written record of changes that affect other trades.
Assign the decisions between scopes
For each interface, write down who provides the information, who performs the work and who confirms that the next trade may proceed. Replace job titles with actual contacts before the project starts. One person may hold several roles; the responsibilities still need to be explicit.
| Interface | Decision or information | Name the responsible contact |
|---|---|---|
| Openings after plumbing or electrical work | The purpose, agreed extent, remaining access and readiness to close. | Opening trade; surface contractor; person authorising closure. |
| Cabinets, trim or wall-mounted items | Current layout, required support detail and finish boundaries. | Designer or supplying trade; responsible installer; project lead. |
| Specified walls and ceilings | The required product or assembly and the applicable drawings. | Responsible designer or project professional; installing contractor. |
| Primer and paint | Surface handover, products, review point and touch-up boundary. | Finishing contractor; painter; reviewer. |
| Access and protection | Which areas each trade uses and who maintains shared protection. | Site contact; each affected contractor. |
Keep readiness separate from a calendar date
Before an area is closed, ask the project lead to confirm that the preceding work and applicable checks are complete. Record the rooms, drawing revision, remaining access needs and the person releasing the area. A contractor's arrival date does not resolve an outstanding inspection or an unanswered design detail.
Keep the applicable inspection result with the release record, and distinguish a requested inspection from a completed, accepted check. The project lead should identify the relevant authority and any remaining conditions for each area. The local planning section below gives the city-specific starting point; this guide does not decide permit requirements.
- Identify any item that must remain accessible and who confirms its treatment.
- Check that each contractor is using the current relevant drawing or scope note.
- Record an unresolved item explicitly instead of assuming another trade has accepted it.
- Agree which areas can proceed if another area remains on hold.
Record changes before they travel through the job
A moved fitting, revised cabinet run or additional opening can change several scopes. Keep the request, approval and resulting work together. The person requesting a change should know who can authorise its cost and who needs the new information.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Location and request | Room, surface and the proposed change, with a dated sketch if needed. |
| Reason and source | Who requested it and which previous detail it replaces. |
| Affected work | Opening, concealed work, board, finishing, paint and access implications. |
| Assessment | Who confirms the method, required checks, price and schedule effect. |
| Decision | Named approver, written decision and date; unresolved items remain visible. |
| Distribution | Which trades received the approved revision and acknowledged the handover. |
Use a short coordination check before each handover
- What area is being handed over, and to whom?
- Which scope or drawing revision describes the work?
- What remains incomplete, excluded or subject to a decision?
- Which access or protection arrangements continue?
- Who handles later openings, damage and touch-ups?
- When will the next confirmation or review take place?
Send the brief record to the affected people through the agreed project channel. A small project may only need a single page; the useful part is that it stays current and gives each unresolved action an owner.
Langley: distinguish basement finishing from a suite project
Langley City has its own permit guides; the Township separates basement-finish and secondary-suite information.
Source: Township of Langley; Langley City
If the property is in the Township, make the intended use explicit when assigning the work. A change from general basement finishing to a suite proposal can affect the information the responsible designer and other trades must provide. For a City address, obtain the corresponding City guidance instead.
- Have the project lead confirm the described use and current drawing revision.
- Assign the decisions about wall assemblies, service openings and any continuing access to named people.
- Circulate an approved use or layout change before the surface contractor prices a different scope.
A few practical questions.
Who should tell the drywaller that other trade work is ready?
Name that person in the coordination record. They should confirm the relevant work, decisions and applicable checks for the specific area rather than passing on a general statement that the trade has left the site.
Are repairs caused by another trade automatically included?
Do not assume so. Record the new damage or opening, then confirm responsibility, repair and decorating boundaries, cost and timing through the agreed change process.
Can I use this checklist instead of construction drawings?
No. It helps people coordinate the work described in the project documents. Design details, assembly requirements and applicable approvals need the appropriate documents and responsible professionals.
Sources & editorial context
- Residential building permits: alterations, suites and basement finishingTownship of Langley · Checked October 24, 2026
- Building permits: forms by building typeLangley City · Checked October 24, 2026
Technical references support the points linked above. The checklists and planning questions are editorial guidance, not a specification or an account of a contractor’s completed work.