// Ryan Clark - Forticon Pavement & ADA Specialist
// Free resource · Bid preparation

Property Manager's 25-Point Paving Checklist

Pre-Bid Walkthrough + Contractor Review Guide

The Property Manager's 25-Point Paving Checklist

Pre-Bid Walkthrough + Contractor Review Guide

What's inside

  • Pre-walkthrough site prep (what to document before you call a contractor)
  • 10 things to look for during a contractor site walk
  • Bid comparison checklist (scope items that MUST be in every bid)
  • ADA red flags to flag before work begins
  • Post-project punch list (what to inspect before releasing final payment)

Most paving decisions go wrong before a contractor is ever called. The property manager hasn't walked the lot, hasn't counted ADA stalls, hasn't documented existing distress — so when the contractor arrives, they're working from incomplete information. The contractor's scope fills the gaps. Usually in the contractor's favor.

This checklist changes that. It puts you in the room with documented facts before the first bid is written...

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// Surface Intelligence · Property Manager Resource · 2026

The Property Manager's 25-Point Paving Checklist

Pre-Bid Walkthrough + Contractor Review Guide. Prepared by Ryan Clark, Pavement & ADA Specialist, Forticon.

Use this checklist before soliciting bids, during contractor site walks, and before releasing final payment. For site-specific ADA measurements and legal exposure assessment, consult a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) and qualified legal counsel.

Section 1: Before You Call Anyone — Site Documentation (Points 1–5)

Five things to document before a contractor ever sets foot on your property. These become your baseline for scope verification, ADA compliance, and dispute resolution.

1
Photograph the entire lot — every corner, all ADA stalls, access aisles, curb ramps, drainage channels, and transitions. Date-stamp everything. This is your baseline if there are disputes later.
2
Walk the lot with a slope meter or level at accessible stalls and routes. Note any slopes exceeding 2% cross-slope or 5% running slope. These are ADA triggers.
3
Count total stalls and verify against the ADA table: 1–25 = 1 accessible, 26–50 = 2, 51–75 = 3, 76–100 = 4, 101–150 = 5. Note any gaps.
4
Document visible distress: potholes (location + approximate size), alligator cracking areas, drainage ponding locations, utility cut patches, faded markings.
5
Note edge conditions: curb transitions, gutter lines, tree root uplift areas. These affect subgrade assumptions in bids.

Why this matters: Contractors who arrive to an undocumented lot have an informational advantage. You're relying on their assessment of scope. Do your own assessment first — even a rough one — and the conversation changes.

Section 2: During the Contractor Site Walk (Points 6–15)

Ten questions and observations to make while walking the lot with each contractor. These predict quality, scope completeness, and execution risk.

6
Ask the contractor to walk the entire lot with you, not just the areas they quoted. Narrow quotes often miss areas they don't want to reprice.
7
Ask: "What's your subgrade assumption?" If the answer is vague, the bid is incomplete. Base repair costs are where bids diverge most.
8
Ask: "Is ADA work included in this scope?" If not, ask why and get it in writing. ADA exclusions are the #1 source of change orders.
9
Ask: "What prep work is included?" Cleaning, edge milling, tack coat application, crack routing — all of these affect quality and should be specified.
10
Ask: "Who actually does the work — your crew or a sub?" Subcontracted work carries different liability and warranty implications.
11
Ask: "What's your warranty, and what does it cover?" Get it in writing. "1-year warranty" that excludes base failure is nearly worthless.
12
Ask: "What's your mobilization cost?" For small lots, this is often 20–40% of total cost and isn't shown on the per-sqft line.
13
Note their response time, whether they showed up on time, and whether they measured or eyeballed square footage. These predict execution quality.
14
Ask: "Have you done similar work for HOAs/commercial properties in this area?" Ask for references and actually call them.
15
After the walk, ask: "When can I expect the written proposal?" If the answer is vague, that predicts their project management quality.

Red flag: A contractor who doesn't ask you questions during the site walk is not gathering the information they need to write an accurate scope. That leads to change orders.

Section 3: Bid Comparison Checklist (Points 16–20)

Five items that must appear explicitly in every written bid. If any of these are absent, the bid is incomplete and should be returned for revision before comparison.

16
Square footage and unit pricing are explicitly stated — not just a lump sum. You need per-sqft pricing to compare bids accurately.
17
Scope of base repair is specified — not "as needed" but a described approach with a per-sqft price for additional base work discovered during construction.
18
ADA work is addressed — either included with specs, or explicitly excluded with a separate quote available on request.
19
Materials specified by type and grade — not just "asphalt" but mix type, thickness, and compaction standard.
20
Timeline and access plan is described — start date, completion date, staging plan if the lot must stay partially open.

Use the Three-Bid Decoder at /tools/bid-decoder/ to run a cost-per-year-of-useful-life comparison across all three bids automatically.

Section 4: ADA Red Flags to Catch Before Work Begins (Points 21–23)

Three checks to complete before any contractor mobilizes. These prevent compliance problems from being created or worsened by the project itself.

21
Confirm ADA stall count hasn't changed from your baseline documentation. Adding or removing stalls can trigger a full compliance review.
22
Any grade change — even an overlay — can shift cross-slopes at accessible stalls. Request a contractor confirmation that accessible slopes will be maintained at or below 2.08% cross-slope.
23
If any path-of-travel routes are disrupted, get a pedestrian access plan in writing before work starts.

California-specific risk: Any paving work that touches accessible areas or paths of travel can trigger an obligation to bring the entire accessible route into compliance. Do not assume the contractor is aware of this. Confirm it explicitly in writing before signing.

Section 5: Post-Project Punch List (Points 24–25)

Two final steps before you release final payment. These protect you from paying for work that wasn't completed to spec.

24
Before releasing final payment, walk the lot with the contractor and verify: all ADA stalls accessible, all specified repair areas patched, striping complete and visible, debris cleared, drainage channels clear.
25
Photograph everything again with date stamps. Compare to your pre-project baseline. Document any disputes in writing within 7 days.

The 7-day rule: Most contractor warranty disputes hinge on when you noticed the deficiency. A dated post-project photo set and a written punchlist sent within 7 days of completion is a far stronger position than a verbal complaint two months later.

Related free tools

Three-Bid Decoder Score and compare contractor bids on cost-per-year-of-useful-life. Takes 3 minutes. Contractor Vetting Scorecard Pressure-test a contractor before signing. License, insurance, warranty, scope clarity. ADA Risk Scorecard Quick first-pass triage of your parking lot's ADA exposure. Takes 3 minutes.