Free scope of works
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Free scope of works (PDF-ready). Define inclusions, exclusions, deliverables, milestones and responsibilities for a construction contract.
Commercial Director
Updated 5 July 2026
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What is a scope of works?
A scope of works is the contracting document that defines exactly what work is to be done on a project: the inclusions the contractor is responsible for, the exclusions that are specifically not part of the deal, the deliverables to be handed over, the milestones and program, and who is responsible for what. It sets out the site and background, a clear description of the works, the standards and specifications to be met, the materials and who supplies them, the program and key dates, and the acceptance or handover requirements. It is the reference everyone returns to when a question arises about whether something was in the price.
Most construction disputes and cost blowouts trace back to a vague or missing scope. When the boundary of the work is not written down, the client assumes something is included and the contractor assumes it is not, and the gap becomes a variation, a delay or an argument. A clear scope of works, tied to the contract and any drawings or specifications, sets that boundary before work starts. It defines what done looks like, what is expressly excluded, and how variations will be handled, which protects the price, the program and the relationship. It works best when the exclusions are as explicit as the inclusions, because it is the unstated assumptions that cause the trouble.
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Benefits of using this scope of works
- Clear boundary: written inclusions and exclusions set exactly what is and is not in the contractor's price before work starts.
- Fewer variations: an explicit scope reduces the assumed-included gaps that turn into disputed variations and claims later.
- Defined deliverables: listing what will be handed over sets a shared definition of what finished and complete actually means.
- Program clarity: milestones and key dates tie the works to a timeline everyone has agreed rather than a vague finish.
- Responsibility split: recording who supplies, does and approves each part removes the who was meant to do that argument.
- Payment alignment: a scope broken into deliverables and milestones supports fair progress claims tied to real completion.
- Dispute reference: a signed scope is the document both parties return to when a question about the work arises.
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What to include in a scope of works
This scope of works covers 10 key areas:
- Project and parties: project name, client, contractor, and contract reference
- Site details and background to the works
- Description of the works: a clear, plain summary of what is to be built or done
- Inclusions: the specific works, supply and services the contractor is responsible for
- Exclusions: the works and items specifically not part of this scope
- Standards and specifications: codes, drawings and specs the work must meet
- Materials and supply: what is supplied by whom, and any nominated products
- Deliverables: the items, documents and handovers to be provided on completion
- Program and milestones: start, key dates, and completion or practical completion
- Responsibilities, assumptions, variation process, and acceptance or sign-off
How to use this scope of works
- Describe the works in plain terms: Start with a clear, plain-language description of what is to be built or done and why, so anyone reading the scope understands the project without needing every drawing. This summary sets the context for the detailed inclusions and exclusions that follow, and stops the scope becoming a list of items with no sense of the whole.
- List inclusions specifically: Set out exactly what work, supply and services the contractor is responsible for, item by item, referencing the relevant drawings, specifications and standards. Be specific rather than general, because a scope that says the works generally are covered leaves far too much room for one party to assume something is in and the other to assume it is out.
- State exclusions just as clearly: Write down what is specifically not part of this scope, because the exclusions prevent the assumed-included disputes that cause most variations. If a related item could reasonably be thought part of the job but is not, say so explicitly. Unstated exclusions are the single biggest source of scope arguments on a project.
- Define deliverables, program and responsibilities: List the deliverables and handover items, set the key milestones and dates, and record who supplies, does and approves each part of the work. Note any assumptions the scope relies on, such as access, existing conditions or client-supplied items, so the basis of the price and program is on the record if those assumptions turn out to be wrong.
- Agree the variation process and sign off: Set out how changes to the scope will be requested, priced and approved, so a variation follows a process rather than a corridor conversation. Have both parties review and sign the scope, and issue it with the contract, because a scope that is agreed and signed is the reference that resolves questions instead of starting them.
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Prepare and agree the scope of works before the contract is signed and before work starts, because it defines the price, the program and the boundary of the job. It should be issued as part of, or referenced by, the contract so it has contractual weight rather than sitting as an informal note.
Update the scope through a controlled variation process whenever the work changes, rather than letting changes accumulate as undocumented site instructions. Review it at project milestones to confirm the delivered work matches the agreed scope and that variations have been captured. A scope that is written once and then diverges quietly from what is actually being built loses the very protection it was meant to provide.
Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:
- AS 4000-1997 General conditions of contract (construct only)
- AS 4902-2000 General conditions of contract for design and construct
- National Construction Code (NCC), incorporating the Building Code of Australia
- Security of payment legislation in each state or territory (for example the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW)) for progress claims tied to scope
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<div style="max-width:480px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Roboto,sans-serif;border:1px solid #E5E7EB;border-radius:12px;padding:20px;background:#ffffff;">
<p style="font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.05em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#0E7490;margin:0;">Free template</p>
<p style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;color:#071D49;margin:6px 0 0;">Scope of Works</p>
<ul style="margin:12px 0 0;padding-left:18px;color:#374151;font-size:14px;line-height:1.6;">
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Project and parties: project name, client, contractor, and contract reference</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Site details and background to the works</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Description of the works: a clear, plain summary of what is to be built or done</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Inclusions: the specific works, supply and services the contractor is responsible for</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Exclusions: the works and items specifically not part of this scope</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Standards and specifications: codes, drawings and specs the work must meet</li>
</ul>
<p style="font-size:13px;color:#6B7280;margin:14px 0 0;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #E5E7EB;">Free <a href="https://www.maptrack.com/templates/scope-of-works-template" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">Scope of Works</a> by MapTrack</p>
</div>Please keep the “by MapTrack” attribution link in the snippet.
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