A service contract often starts with an installation, and the installation ends with a walk-through. That last visit is where unfinished work, missing parts, and undocumented changes either get written down or get lost. This guide covers only the close-out stage. It has not read any particular seller's contract or any state's form, so it describes common practice and tells you what to check in your own paperwork.
What the punch list is
A punch list is the written record of open items found at the final walk-through: a scratch on a cabinet, a missing bracket, a drain line not secured, a control not explained, a cleanup not done. Installers and sellers use other names for it, such as completion list or close-out sheet. The name matters less than the content. Ask for it in writing, and ask that each item name the thing, its location, the person responsible for the fix, and the date by which the fix will be made.
Run the unit before the crew leaves
Run the item through its normal cycles while the installer is still on site. Check that it starts, stops, and reaches the settings you asked for. Confirm that connections for power, water, gas, venting, or data are secured and that any shutoff valves can be reached. Note the model and serial numbers as they appear on the unit and compare them with the order. If something cannot be tested on site, write down what was not tested and why.
Questions to ask at close-out
Ask the installer to confirm in writing which party is the installer of record, since later service calls may depend on that name. Ask for the operating instructions, the warranty card or registration page, any permit or inspection record the job required, and the contact route for the next repair. Ask whether the installer will return to close any open items and who signs if a different crew closes them.
What a sign-off should say
A sign-off is more than a signature line. It should identify the job, the items installed, the items tested, the open items still outstanding, and the date of the walk-through. Read the sign-off against the signed order. If the order promised a part and the sign-off is silent about it, ask the installer to add the difference before you sign. Do not sign a blank or partly filled sheet, and do not accept a verbal promise to fix a listed item later.
Keep a copy of everything
Photograph the installed item, its connections, its labels, and any open items before the crew leaves. Keep the signed punch list, the final invoice, the operating instructions, and any inspection record together in one file. A service contract may ask for proof of the installation date and the installer's identity when you file a claim, so check your contract for a clause on proof of installation and the documents it accepts.
When to hold back the final payment
Many sellers expect the balance on completion. A common practice is to pay the balance only after the open items are closed and the sign-off is complete. If the seller will not agree to that order, ask what the written route is for reopening a listed item after payment. Compare the answer with the payment terms in the order, not with what was said on site.
Questions for the installer before the walk-through
Ask who attends the walk-through, whether the seller's representative will attend, how disputed items are handled, and how long the installer keeps the job file. Ask whether a second visit is included or charged separately, and what happens if the unit fails during the first week. The answers should match the written order and the service contract. Where they differ, the written document controls until the difference is settled in writing.
Where the published figures sit
The state pages on this site list who regulates service contracts in each state, the statute or program cited, and whether a roster is published. This guide does not restate those rules. Use the state pages and their tables for the published figures, and use this guide to decide what to check in the room.