Salt & Oak Development - Construction Project Startup Checklist

Most construction problems do not begin during construction. They begin much earlier, when assumptions are left untested, responsibilities are unclear, budgets lack definition, approval requirements are overlooked, or schedules are built around dates instead of reality. The Construction Project Startup Checklist gives owners, developers, and project leaders a structured way to evaluate whether a project has enough clarity to move forward confidently. The checklist reviews the key areas that shape early project success, including project purpose, preliminary scope, budget and funding, site conditions, consultant and contractor needs, approvals, schedule, operational impacts, procurement, and major unknowns. It concludes with a practical Green / Yellow / Red readiness review and a Top Startup Actions section so unresolved issues become assigned next steps instead of forgotten concerns.

Begin at the first section and work through the checklist honestly with your project team. Check an item once it is sufficiently understood, resolved, or actively addressed for the current phase. Leave unresolved items unchecked and mark items N/A when they do not reasonably apply to the project. Use the short “Check” prompts throughout the document to identify the most important unanswered question in each area. After completing the checklist, use the Project Startup Readiness Review to determine whether the project is ready to advance, should advance with caution, or has critical issues that should be resolved before major commitments are made. Finish by assigning the five most important unresolved items in the Top Startup Actions section.