Site manager skipped the punch list walkthrough, now we're stuck

We finished a 40 unit apartment remodel in Austin last Friday. The site manager signed off without doing the final walkthrough on the software, just marked everything complete. Now the owner is saying we missed 12 items and wants us back on site next week with no budget for it. Has anyone else dealt with a manager that bypasses the checklist and makes you eat the cost?

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dylan_patel26d ago

The 12 missing items are probably the same ones that show up on every punch list walkthrough, and that's the key thing nobody is talking about. The software timestamp on the sign off is your proof he lied about doing the walkthrough, and that's a paperwork violation on his end, not a quality issue on yours. I would screenshot every single entry that shows he marked complete without a photo, because those timestamps become your legal footing if the owner tries to withhold final payment. Then you tell the owner you'll come back, but only with a signed change order for the extra trip, and you CC the GC's office on that email so it's not just a handshake deal. If the owner refuses, you hold the warranty period hostage until they play ball, that always gets their attention. The site manager cut corners to look efficient to his boss, and now he's fine letting you eat his shortcut, so make him explain that to the owner in writing.