Give every work item a stable reference
Start with room names that everybody uses consistently. Add a line for each material, system or contents group being assessed. A useful reference might be “Kitchen / ceiling / smoke cleaning,” with a separate line for “Kitchen / ceiling cavity / moisture assessment.” This prevents one broad room total from hiding different decisions.
Keep the assessed condition, proposed work and authorized work in separate columns. A recommendation becomes an authorization only when the person entitled to approve it has done so.
The five columns that make a scope readable
| Column | What to write |
|---|---|
| Location and item | A unique room, surface, system or contents identifier. |
| Condition and evidence | What was observed or assessed, by whom, and the report or photo reference. |
| Proposed method | Cleaning, removal, drying, repair, replacement or further assessment. |
| Authorization and exclusions | Who approved the scope, the revision, and unresolved or excluded work. |
| Completion evidence | What will be supplied or reviewed before the line is closed. |
Add a cost reference if you are comparing quotations. Keep an allowance, a fixed amount and an unknown distinct. The quote comparer calculates only the amounts you enter.
Use an example to test the estimate
This entry shows where the uncertainty lives. It does not pre-decide that the wall needs replacement or that cleaning will succeed. Ask the contractor to explain any estimate line you cannot map to a location or outcome.
Track interfaces between trades
Some work needs several parties: a wall may need cleaning, drying verification, wiring assessment, insulation and finishing. Identify which person can release each step. A painter should not have to guess whether hidden work is ready to conceal, and a drying technician should not have to decide an unrelated repair detail.
- Who supplies the assessment or design before work starts?
- Who opens and reinstates the area?
- What inspection or review must happen before closure?
- Who approves a discovery that changes the method or quantity?
- Which contractor’s warranty applies to the finished element?
Close lines with evidence, not assumptions
At review, give each line a clear status: completed with the agreed evidence, awaiting a named check, changed by an approved revision, or excluded with a reason. Keep a dated outstanding-work list. Where the proposed finish or treatment has changed, preserve the earlier version rather than silently overwriting it.
IICRC’s public fire-restoration scope includes work-plan development and project documentation. This register is an owner’s organizing aid; the contractor and responsible professionals determine the technical methods and required records.
Source: IICRC · S700 fire and smoke restoration scope.
The project records worksheet gives you a place to keep the register, change history and next questions together.
Sources and further reading
Reviewed October 11, 2026. Follow the source’s current guidance and the instructions for the actual property.