---
title: "Closing out an interior design project: install day, punch list, handover and review requests"
url: https://notionforarchitecture.com/blog/interior-design-project-closeout-handover-punch-list
updated: 2026-10-27
author: Notion for Architecture
---

# Closing out an interior design project: install day, punch list, handover and review requests

An interior design punch list (called a snagging list in the UK) is a dated list of defects, missing items and unfinished work found after installation, each with a photo, location, responsible party and a closed date. Closeout means clearing that list, handing over care and warranty documents, issuing the final invoice, then asking for a review.

## Key takeaways

- Run install day from a sheet: deliveries, access, protection, order of rooms, who signs off what.
- Give each punch item a number, photo, location, responsible party, due date and status so it can be closed with evidence.
- Hand over a pack: care instructions, warranties, supplier contacts, paint and finish codes, and a record of what was supplied.
- Tie the final invoice to a clear trigger (agreed sign-off, not a feeling that the job is done), then request the review once the client is settled.

## What is an interior design punch list?

Last reviewed: 30 October 2026. A punch list is the list of items that are wrong, damaged, missing or unfinished at the end of a project. In the UK and Ireland the same thing is usually called a snagging list; in construction it can also mean the contractor's completion list. For interior design it covers things like a scratched table, a wrong fabric on a cushion, a door that does not close, or a light that is not working.

The purpose is evidence and closure: a numbered list means both sides agree what remains, and a project is complete when every item is closed or consciously waived. Contractors may run their own formal list; the designer's list focuses on design intent, finishes, furniture and styling.


## What belongs on an install-day run sheet?

Install day is when furniture, window treatments, lighting and styling arrive and are placed. Most problems are logistics, so plan it on one page.

1. Confirm the date with the client, the delivery company and each installer at least a week ahead.
2. Check access: lift booking, parking, door widths, floor protection, hours allowed by the building.
3. List deliveries against your purchase order log, and mark received, damaged or missing as items arrive.
4. Set the room order: usually heavy items and installers first, then soft furnishings, then styling.
5. Assign roles: who unpacks, who checks against the specification, who talks to the client.
6. Photograph each room before leaving, from the same angles you will use for the punch list.
7. Record anything outstanding on the spot with a number rather than promising to remember it.


## Which fields should a punch-list item have?

A punch list is easiest to manage as a table. These fields keep it auditable:

| Field | Why it matters |
| --- | --- |
| Number | Lets you refer to the item in emails and invoices |
| Room and location | Finds the item quickly on a walk-through |
| Description | What is wrong or missing, in one line |
| Photo | Evidence of the issue and, later, the fix |
| Linked item | Connects to the product or selection in your FF&E schedule |
| Responsible party | Supplier, installer, contractor or designer |
| Cause | Damage, wrong item, supplier error, workmanship, client change |
| Due date | Makes the fix schedulable |
| Status | Open, fix booked, fixed awaiting check, closed, waived |
| Cost impact | Whether the fix is covered or billable |

Link each item to the FF&E schedule and the purchase order so a replacement order, claim or warranty request carries the right reference without searching.


## How do you run the walk-through and close items?

1. Walk with the client: Do a first room-by-room walk-through together, adding items as you see them, so there are no surprises later.
2. Split by responsibility: Sort items by who must fix them: supplier, installer, contractor, you or the client.
3. Send the list: Within a day, send the numbered list with photos and target dates.
4. Book fixes together: Group repairs into as few visits as possible to avoid repeated disruption.
5. Check and close: Verify each fix on site or from photos before changing the status to closed.
6. Agree what is waived: If a minor item will stay as is, record the client's written agreement.

Set a window for the client to add items, such as a few weeks after install, and say so in the closeout email. Without a boundary, the list never ends.


## What goes in an interior design handover pack?

A handover pack tells the client what they own and how to look after it. Typical contents, depending on your scope:

- A room-by-room summary of items supplied, with supplier and product names.
- Care and cleaning instructions for fabrics, finishes, timber and stone.
- Warranty documents and guarantee terms, with purchase dates and who to contact. Do not paraphrase terms; attach the supplier's own documents.
- Paint and finish codes, wallpaper and fabric references, bulb and fitting types.
- Supplier and trade contact list.
- Instructions for any controls, lighting scenes or motorised products.
- Outstanding items and the date they will be completed.

Keep a copy in the project record, because warranty questions often arrive a year later.


## When should the final invoice and review request go out?

Tie the final invoice to a trigger in your contract, such as completion of installation, sign-off of the punch list, or a stated number of days after install. Do not leave it as a feeling. If you hold back a final payment until minor items clear, say what threshold releases it.

Check the whole account first: any change approvals not yet billed, deliveries on account, retainers to be applied. The invoicing and mark-up article linked below covers that tracking.

Ask for the review after the client has lived in the space for a short while and the punch list is closed, not while items are open. Ask specifically for the platform you want (for example Houzz or Google) and send a direct link. Never offer an incentive in exchange for a positive review, and follow each platform's rules.


## Where InteriorDesignOS fits

Disclosure: we make InteriorDesignOS, a $39 one-time Notion template. Its Selections and Vendors sections hold the items and suppliers, Approvals can record sign-off, the deadlines calendar can hold fix dates, and Fees & Invoices keeps final billing with the project. The template stops at what its sections contain.

It does not ship a dedicated punch-list database, photo markup, install scheduling or warranty tracker; you would add a table with the fields above. It also does not issue legal invoices.

- See what's inside InteriorDesignOS: https://notionforarchitecture.com/#templates
- InteriorDesignOS pricing: https://notionforarchitecture.com/#pricing


## FAQ

### What is a punch list in interior design?

It is a numbered list of defects, damaged items, missing pieces and unfinished work found after installation. Each item has a location, photo, responsible party and status. The project is ready to close when every item is fixed or formally waived by the client.

### What is the difference between a punch list and a snagging list?

They are essentially the same. Snagging list is the common UK and Irish term; punch list is the US term. Contractors may also keep a separate completion list for building work, so agree which list covers design items.

### How long should clients have to add items to the list?

There is no fixed standard. Many designers allow a short, stated window after installation, then treat later issues as warranty claims or new work. Put the window in your closeout email and contract so expectations are clear.

### Who pays to fix punch-list items?

It depends on the cause. Supplier errors and workmanship are normally claimed from the supplier or installer. Damage by the client or a client change may be billable. Record the cause on each item and check your contract and supplier terms.

### When should I ask for a review?

After installation is complete, the punch list is closed and the client has had time to settle in. Ask directly, send the link to the platform you want, and do not offer incentives for positive reviews, which platforms prohibit.

## Sources

- [DesignFiles: interior design process checklist](https://blog.designfiles.co/interior-design-process-checklist/)
- [Punchlist: interior design project management](https://punchlist.com/article/interior-design-project-management/)