During a substantial completion walk-through, a designer notices that a door was installed incorrectly.

The NCIDQ IDPX exam tests the designer’s understanding of project closeout procedures, particularly during a substantial completion walk-through. A substantial completion walk-through is conducted to identify any remaining issues or deficiencies before the project is fully completed and turned over to the client.

Option A (Meet with the general contractor, review the drawings, and schedulereplacement):While meeting with the contractor and reviewing drawings may be part of the resolution process, the first step is to document the issue formally. Scheduling a replacement without documentation skips a critical step in the closeout process.

Option B (Process a change order and include the new door location):A change order is used to modify the contract scope, cost, or schedule during construction. The door being installed incorrectly is a deficiency, not a change in scope or location requiring a change order. This option is incorrect.

Option C (Add the door location and problem to the punch (deficiency) list):This is the correct choice. During a substantial completion walk-through, the designer should document any issues, such as an incorrectly installed door, on the punch list (also called a deficiency list). The punch list is a formal record of items that need to be corrected or completed by the contractor before final completion, ensuring the issue is addressed systematically.

Option D (Ask the client to accept the door, with a credit memo):Asking the client to accept the incorrect installation with a credit memo is premature and unprofessional. The designer should first document the issue and work with the contractor to correct it, as it is the contractor’s responsibility to meet the contract requirements.

Verified Answer from Official Source:

The correct answer is verified from NCIDQ’s official study materials on project closeout and punch list procedures.

“During a substantial completion walk-through, the designer should document any deficiencies, such as incorrect installations, on the punch (deficiency) list for the contractor to address before final completion.” (NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide, Project Closeout Section)

The NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide specifies that the punch list is the appropriate tool for documenting deficiencies during a substantial completion walk-through. The incorrect door installation should be recorded on the punch list for correction, making Option C the correct next step.

Objectives:

Understand the purpose of a punch list during project closeout (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Project Closeout).

Apply documentation processes to address construction deficiencies (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Construction Administration).