Scope of works
The scope of works is the written description of what a trade or builder will and will not do on a job. The single biggest predictor of a clean job.
Ask Chalkline about this →The scope of works (often abbreviated SoW) is the written description of what a trade or builder will, and will not, do on a job. It sits at the centre of every quote pack and contract: a tight scope of works locks pricing, programme, and the variation mechanism, and a vague scope is the single biggest source of disputes at PCI. A good scope names the areas of work, what’s installed, what’s specifically excluded, the substrate condition expected on arrival, and the condition the trade leaves the area in for the next trade. It refers to drawings and schedules by document number under the document-precedence convention.
Also known as: SoW (abbreviation), scope (informal).
Category: Contracts and engagement.
Related
- Subbie quote pack (process)
- Reading a building contract (concept)
- Variation (glossary)
- Document precedence (glossary)
Last updated: 2026-05-05. Verified: 2026-05-05.