Progress Claim Checklist

Before you start

A progress claim bills for the portion of a job completed to date, rather than waiting until the whole project is finished. It keeps cash coming in on long jobs, but it only works if each claim is anchored to what was agreed. Before you raise one, have the contract, the agreed payment schedule and your record of work completed in front of you.

Progress claims are often governed by the contract and, in construction, by security-of-payment rules that differ by state. This checklist is general guidance on preparing a claim — confirm the specific timing, format and entitlement rules that apply to your contract and state. For background, see how progress claims work.

Anchor the claim to the contract

Start by grounding the claim in what was agreed:

• The contract reference and the agreed total or schedule of rates
• The payment schedule or milestones the claim relates to
• The percentage or stage now complete
• Any approved variations to add to the claim
• The claim number in sequence, so nothing is double-billed

A claim that the customer can line up against the contract is far quicker to approve than one that simply states a figure.

Show the work and do the maths

Now build the claim itself in a logical order:

1. State the total contract value including approved variations
2. Show the value of work completed to date
3. Subtract the amounts claimed in previous progress claims
4. Apply any retention the contract holds back
5. Add GST where it applies
6. Arrive at the amount now payable for this claim

Attach supporting evidence — photos, a quantity surveyor's certificate, delivery dockets or a completion summary — so the assessor can sign it off without coming back to you.

Submit it correctly

Finally, get the claim to the right place at the right time:

• Send it to the nominated contact or superintendent, not just the site team
• Use the format and reference numbering the contract specifies
• Submit within the claim window the contract allows
• Keep a dated copy and proof of submission
• Diarise the date a payment schedule or response is due back

Timing matters: many contracts only allow claims in a set window, and missing it can push your payment to the next cycle.

Common mistakes

These are the slips that most often stall a progress claim:

• Double-claiming — forgetting to deduct previous claims
• Over-claiming — billing more progress than the work supports
• Missing retention — not applying the held-back percentage
• Late submission — missing the contract's claim window

Keeping a running claim register avoids most of these. A guide to invoicing for progress on a build covers the wider workflow, and if approved claims are being paid late, a free debt appraisal can help you tackle the ageing. This is general information only, not legal advice.