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Project Scope Statement from a Client's Rough Description

Takes a client's rough description of what they want, plus your own notes, and turns it into a clear scope statement that lists what you will do, what you will not do, what you need from the client, and what is still unknown.

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Before and after

BEFORE · what the owner typed

Client is Erin Fuentes, 231 Orchard Ln. Called me yesterday. She's buying a 1960s house and wants to take out a wall between kitchen and dining room, she thinks its load bearing but not sure. Also wants to add a big window on the back wall and maybe a deck later?? Contractor she's talking to is Galvan Home Build, wants drawings fast so he can get a permit. She said the basement ceiling has a crack she wants looked at too. I'm structural. No existing plans that she knows of. I want to do a site visit first, then a letter or drawings with the beam size. Stamp yes. Fee 2,400 flat for the wall and window, crack just a look. Deck not now. Site visit next week sometime. She closes on the 28th.

AFTER · what the skill produced

Project Scope Statement
Prepared for: Erin Fuentes
Property: 231 Orchard Ln

Project summary
Erin Fuentes is buying the house at 231 Orchard Ln and plans to remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room and add a larger window on the back wall. She wants structural drawings that her contractor, Galvan Home Build, can use to apply for a permit. She also wants the crack in the basement ceiling looked at.

Services included

Site visit to the house to look at the wall, the back wall, and the basement ceiling, and to measure what we need. We will confirm the date with you.
Check whether the wall between the kitchen and dining room carries load from above, based on what we can see and measure on site.
If the wall is carrying load, determine the beam size needed to replace it and provide it in a letter or drawings. If it is not, tell you so in writing.
Design a header and framing for the new window opening on the back wall.
Stamp the letter or drawings for items 3 and 4 with our engineer's stamp.
Look at the basement ceiling crack during the site visit and give you our observations. This is a visual look only.

Deliverables

A letter or drawings giving the beam size for the wall removal and the header for the new window opening, stamped
Our observations on the basement ceiling crack

Exclusions

The deck. It is not part of this scope. If you want it later, we will quote it separately.
Architectural drawings, layout changes, or non-structural plans
Permit applications, permit fees, and handling comments from the building department
Moving or changing plumbing, electrical, or heating in or near the wall
Testing, opening up walls or ceilings, or any investigation beyond what is visible
Repair design for the basement crack. If we find it needs more than a look, we will quote that separately.
Site visits during construction, inspections, or construction observation
A home inspection or any opinion on the condition of the house beyond the items listed above

Assumptions

No existing plans are available. If any turn up, please send them, since they could change our work.
The wall and window openings are accessible for measuring during the visit.
The house was built in the 1960s, as described.
Galvan Home Build will handle the permit application.

What we need from you

Access to the house for the site visit. Because you are buying the property, we will need the seller's or agent's permission to enter.
The contractor's contact details so we can coordinate on the window size and location.
The desired size and position of the new window, as well as you can describe it.
Any inspection report, plans, or photos you already have.

Open questions

Is the wall removal going to be full width, or will part of it stay? This affects the beam design.
Is there a second floor or only an attic above the wall?
Is the closing date of the 28th a hard deadline for these drawings, or for the purchase only? We cannot promise a delivery date until we have been to the house.
Does the local building department require anything specific for this type of permit? Please confirm the local requirement with Galvan Home Build.

Fee and schedule

Fee: $2,400 flat for the wall removal and window opening design, including the site visit and the basement crack look.
Schedule: Site visit next week, date to be confirmed. Delivery date to be confirmed after the visit.

Changes to scope
If you ask for work outside this scope, or we find something that needs more work, we will tell you and give you a price in writing before we start.

Confirm before sending

Check that the $2,400 fee is meant to cover the site visit and crack look as well.
Confirm that you are happy to commit to the closing date of the 28th only after the site visit.
You did not say whether you will answer the contractor's questions about your drawings, or provide site photos or visit notes. They are left out of this scope. Tell me if you want them added.
Have your attorney review any contract terms, liability limits, and insurance language before this goes out as an agreement.
Confirm your stamp and licensing requirements locally.

What it does

Use it when: Use when an engineer or small engineering firm needs to turn a client's rough description of a job into a clear project scope statement, such as "write up the scope for this job," "turn this email into a scope," "what are we actually agreeing to do," or "draft a scope of work from my call notes."