Key takeaways
- Handover planning starts in the first weeks of the project, not the last.
- Verify 10 things before accepting the keys: as-builts, testing and commissioning, snag list, warranties, O&M manuals, training and more.
- A complete handover pack is what your facilities team runs the office on from Day 1.
An office fit-out handover checklist covers ten things to verify before you accept the keys: as-built drawings, testing and commissioning records, a closed snag list, warranties, O&M manuals, training, keys and access, signage, permits and certificates, and a contacts list. Actuate Builders Inc. (ABI) explains each one, and when to start preparing for them, which is much earlier than most people think.
What is a fit-out handover?
A fit-out handover is the formal transfer of a finished office from the contractor to the client, with the documents, tests and training needed to operate it. It usually happens when the space is complete enough to use, with any minor defects recorded on a snag list for the contractor to close.
Done well, it is the moment your facilities team takes control with everything they need. Done badly, it is the start of months spent chasing drawings, passwords and phone numbers.
When should handover planning start?
In the first weeks of the project, not the last. Test plans, document formats and training sessions should be agreed at the start, so nothing is rushed at turnover. Most handover problems are born on Day 1: as-builts left for later, a facilities team trained in the final week, a snag list that gets listed but never closed.
Phased projects make the point even more clearly. When floors are handed over one at a time, every floor needs its own complete handover, not just one at the end.
What should be on an office fit-out handover checklist?
- As-built drawings
- Testing and commissioning records
- A closed snag list
- Warranties
- Operation and maintenance (O&M) manuals
- Training for facilities staff
- Keys, cards and access
- Signage and wayfinding
- Permits and certificates
- Contacts and escalation list
1. As-built drawings
As-builts show what was actually built, not what was designed: partition positions, ceiling layouts, MEP routes, data points, sprinkler heads and access panels. Ask for editable CAD files as well as PDFs, and spot-check them against the site during the walkthrough. Your facilities team will use them for every future change.
2. Testing and commissioning records
Every system should be tested before you accept it, and the results written down: air-conditioning performance and balancing, electrical tests and panel schedules, fire alarm and sprinkler interfaces (usually witnessed with building administration), data cabling test results and emergency lighting. Signed records protect both sides if something fails later.
3. A closed snag list
A snag list records defects found during inspection: a scratched panel, a door that doesn’t latch, a missing cover plate. The point isn’t to have one; it is to close it. Agree which items may stay open after handover, who will fix them and by when, and verify each one when it is done.
4. Warranties
Collect warranties for equipment and workmanship, with start dates, coverage periods and the contact for each claim. Where a manufacturer requires it, make sure equipment warranties are registered in your company’s name.
5. Operation and maintenance (O&M) manuals
O&M manuals tell your team how each system works and how to keep it working: operating instructions, maintenance schedules, spare parts lists and supplier details. Ask for them organized by system, not as a pile of product brochures.
6. Training for facilities staff
The people who will run the office should be trained on every system before handover, not after: air-conditioning controls, lighting schedules, access control, AV and any building management system. Record who attended, and keep training materials or recordings in the handover pack.
7. Keys, cards and access
Get a key schedule that matches every lock, every access card programmed and tested, and all master keys accounted for. Change default codes and passwords on access systems, alarms and network equipment before you move in.
8. Signage and wayfinding
Check that room numbers match the as-built drawings, that exit and statutory signs are in place and lit where required, and that brand and wayfinding signage is installed as approved. Signage problems are easy to fix before move-in and awkward afterwards.
9. Permits and certificates
Collect copies of the permits and clearances required for the works and for occupancy. Depending on your city and scope, these can include the building or fit-out permit and its ancillary permits from the Office of the Building Official, fire safety clearances and the Fire Safety Inspection Certificate (FSIC) from the Bureau of Fire Protection, a certificate of completion, and the building administration’s own clearances. Requirements vary by local government unit, so confirm the list at the start of the project.
10. Contacts and escalation list
Everyone should know who to call in week one: the contractor’s project manager, key subcontractors and suppliers, the building administration, and who to escalate to if a response is slow. Include the response times agreed for the defects period.
What goes in a handover pack?
Everything on the checklist, organized so your facilities team can find it on Day 1, in print and digital form. A simple folder structure works:
- 01 Drawings: as-builts in CAD and PDF
- 02 Testing and commissioning
- 03 Snag list and close-out
- 04 Warranties
- 05 O&M manuals
- 06 Training records
- 07 Keys and access
- 08 Permits and certificates
- 09 Contacts and escalation
What happens after handover?
Handover starts the defects liability period: the time, set in your contract, during which the contractor must fix defects that appear. Use it well. Report issues in writing, keep a log, and schedule a review visit before the period ends. The first months of operation are also when your team learns the building, so keep the contractor’s contacts close.
Frequently asked questions
What is included in a fit-out handover pack?
A complete handover pack includes as-built drawings, testing and commissioning records, a closed snag list, warranties, operation and maintenance manuals, training records, a key and access schedule, permits and certificates, and a contacts and escalation list, organized so the facilities team can use it from Day 1.
When should handover planning start?
In the first weeks of the project, not the last. Agreeing test plans, document formats and training at the start means nothing is rushed at turnover. Most handover problems, such as missing as-builts or untrained facilities staff, come from decisions left for later.
What is a snag list?
A snag list is a record of defects found during inspection, for example a scratched panel, a door that doesn’t latch or a missing cover plate, that the contractor must fix before or shortly after handover. Each item should have an owner, a deadline and a verified close-out.
Who should attend the handover walkthrough?
Typically the client’s facilities lead and project lead, IT for data and AV, the contractor’s project manager and key subcontractors, and a building administration representative for fire and life-safety interfaces. Everyone signs the snag list so open items are agreed.
What should you do next?
Planning a fit-out, or about to accept one? Send your floor plan or site, your target turnover date and the constraint you’re most worried about, and ABI will walk you through what a complete handover looks like.
Email request for quotation @abi-ph.com or call 02 8815 4837, or see ABI’s Fit-Out service.