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GCO.General Contractor
Ottawa
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Our process

A clear process, from first conversation to handover.

Understand the stages and the questions at each one. The specific communication, documentation and handover arrangements should be confirmed in your project agreement.

Start your project

01 / Project stage

Discuss

Start with the goals, the property and the timing. Identify what needs review before a proposal.

What to prepare
Property information, goals, timing and known constraints.
What to clarify
A clearer understanding of the questions to resolve.

02 / Project stage

Define

Review the site, scope, assumptions and selections so the proposed work is understandable.

What to prepare
Available drawings, priorities, selections and questions about the proposed work.
What to clarify
An agreed description of the scope and its assumptions, subject to the proposal.

03 / Project stage

Coordinate

Consider the sequence, trades, access and decisions that influence the work.

What to prepare
Timely decisions, access arrangements and any emerging changes to the requirements.
What to clarify
A shared understanding of sequence and decisions, as agreed for the project.

04 / Project stage

Complete

Agree how the finished work, outstanding items and applicable documents will be reviewed.

What to prepare
Your observations against the scope and any items that need follow-up.
What to clarify
A review of completion and any applicable handover information.

The written scope

Make the assumptions visible.

Included work, exclusions, selections and schedule dependencies belong in the same conversation. This illustrative outline shows the kinds of questions a scope document can help organise; it is not an approved GCO contract template.

When something changes

Ask how changes are documented, and how price and timing implications are reviewed before approval. Confirm who can approve a change and how the updated scope is recorded.

GCO. / Scope outlineIllustrative example

01 / Proposed commercial interior renovation

Define the work.
Make the decisions visible.

Included work
Areas, surfaces and services to review
Operations & access
Occupancy, deliveries and available work windows
Assumptions & exclusions
What needs investigation or a separate scope
Dependencies
Landlord requirements, procurement and required reviews
Change approval
Scope, price and timing implications

Example project plan · Not a delivered project or contractual promise.

Communication during the work.

Confirm the person responsible for communication and the agreed update approach before work begins. Ask which decisions need your input and how questions should be raised. No default weekly update or response deadline is implied.

Completion and handover.

Clarify how the walkthrough, outstanding items and applicable documents will be handled. Any warranty or aftercare terms should be confirmed in the project documents, rather than assumed from a website statement.

Planning questions

Clarity before commitment.

Yes. Indicate what information is already available and what is still being considered. Any drawings or professional input required will depend on the scope.

Project extent, existing conditions, layout changes, selections, access, material availability and any required professional review all influence the proposal.

Ask how a change is recorded and how its price and timing implications are reviewed before approval. The agreed approach should be clear in your project documents.

Sometimes, but not every space can remain occupied. Feasibility depends on the scope, safe access and sequencing. Raise occupation requirements at the start.

The next conversation

Tell us what you’re planning.

Share a few details about the space, the work you have in mind, and your timing.

Start your project