The Great Debate: Planning and Scheduling From Substantial to Final Completion

The last one percent of a project can be the most difficult portion to execute. Substantial completion is often the first milestone associated with delay computations.

The necessary work that completes the project allowing final completion is often referred to as “punchlist” work, but it is usually the last thing on the minds of the project management team at the beginning of a project, which means that it can be the most difficult portion of a project to schedule. Punchlist work can be a source of disputes regarding the final quality of the work, the timing of occupancy, the start of warranty periods, and the assessment of delay costs or liquidated damages. Many of these activities involve other terms used in scheduling, such as beneficial occupancy, building commissioning and final inspection, confusing the completion issues. In what has become a tradition at AACE International, the authors have prepared to debate these topics at the 2009 Annual Meeting. This paper presents an overview of the issues for the debate.

The Great Debate: Planning and Scheduling From Substantial to Final Completion