What is substantial completion, and what does reaching it actually trigger?
Substantial completion is the milestone where the owner can use the project for its intended purpose; reaching it starts the retainage release schedule and the warranty period.
Start free→Substantial completion is the point where the work is finished enough that the owner can occupy or use the project for its intended purpose, even if a punch list of minor items remains. It is a defined contractual milestone, not a feeling that the job is mostly done. It marks the line between building the project and closing it out.
Substantial completion is one of the most consequential dates on the job. It starts the clock on the warranty period, begins the retainage release schedule, and shifts certain risk and responsibility to the owner. Getting the date right and documenting it matters, because every downstream deadline counts from it.
Scaftra models the closeout milestone and the warranty period as built surfaces, with substantial completion feeding the punch, retainage, and final-payment chain. The project lifecycle includes a distinct Warranty status for the post-completion service period. One honest note: automatic entry into the Warranty status on transition is planned, not yet built, so the status exists and renders but is not auto-entered today.
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