This checklist helps you prepare a clear first discussion. It does not set the cutting method. It does not replace engineering, service locating, permits, site rules or a task risk review. Start with the facts you know. Mark the facts that still need a competent person.
State the result in plain words
Write one sentence about the finished result. Say what must be cut, drilled, scanned, ground or removed. Add the reason for the work. State what must stay in place. Mark the start and end points. If a drawing controls the work, name its number and revision.
Use dimensions that can be checked. Add the opening width and height. Add the cut length or hole diameter. Note the likely depth. State whether the work is in a slab, wall, beam, pavement or another element. Do not guess if the structure is not known. Record that gap.
Prepare a simple site map
Draw the work area. Mark the street, gate and entry path. Show stairs, lifts and narrow turns. Add the work face. Mark occupied rooms and public areas. Show where people and vehicles move. Add the closest practical load point. Keep the map with the photos.
Walk the access path before the call. Measure tight doors and gates. Note soft ground, steep grades and low clearances. State if the work is above or below ground. Say whether normal site activity must continue. Access can affect the method, setup and safe work area.
Collect clear photos
Take one wide photo of the whole work zone. Then take close photos of each marked cut or hole. Put a tape, rule or known object in the frame for scale. Photograph both sides of a wall or slab when access allows. Name each file by area and date.
Photos are a starting point. They do not prove what is inside concrete. They do not confirm structural approval. Add current drawings and service information where they exist. Tell the reviewer when a photo is old or when the site has changed since it was taken.
Record the concrete and structure
Say whether the concrete is new or existing. Note visible cracks, patches, joints and coatings. Record known reinforcement or post-tensioning information. Add the responsible engineer or designer when structural work is involved. Do not treat an old drawing as verified without the right review.
Mark any part that must be supported before a cut is complete. Think about the weight and shape of each released section. State who owns the support, lifting, removal and disposal plan. These items need agreement before work starts. They should not be left as an on-site surprise.
Identify services and hidden items
Gather current service drawings and site records. Mark known power, water, gas, data, fire and drainage routes. Use the relevant locating process for the site. Scanning can add useful information, but it cannot promise that every hidden item will be found. Keep that limit in the plan.
State who will review scan results and approve the marked work. Add any exclusion zone around a found item. Record the next step if information conflicts. A clear hold point lets the team pause before a cut or hole crosses an uncertain area.
Describe the work environment
Say whether the area is inside or outside. Note nearby homes, shops, offices, patients, students or site workers. Add any site limit for noise, water, dust, vibration or work hours. State who sets each limit. Share building rules and induction needs before the work date.
Concrete processing can create respirable crystalline silica. The work plan should follow current Queensland requirements and the site risk controls. Do not rely on a broad web statement for a task-specific control. The responsible parties should set the method, equipment, isolation and protective measures.
Plan water, slurry and waste
Confirm whether water is available and where it may be used. Mark drains and sensitive finishes. State how slurry, dust and loose material will be contained. Add the waste route and disposal responsibility. Protect nearby areas before work starts. Do not assume runoff can enter a drain.
List finishes that must stay clean. Add walls, glazing, ceilings, equipment and occupied rooms. State who moves loose items. Note any wet work that must happen first. Give fresh paint, flooring and joinery enough separation from cutting or removal work.
Set the work window
Write the earliest access time and the required handover time. Add site opening hours. Note deliveries, traffic peaks and other trades. State whether the area can close. If it must stay partly open, mark the route that remains available and the person who approves the arrangement.
Ask about setup, work, clean-up and handover as separate stages. Avoid a timing promise before the scope and constraints are reviewed. A small change in access, depth, reinforcement or section handling can alter the sequence. Keep room in the program for new site facts.
Make quote comparisons fair
Give each contractor the same brief. Use the same drawing revision and dimensions. Ask what is included for setup, scanning, cutting, supports, lifting, removal, protection and clean-up. Note the assumptions in each price. Compare the written scope, not only the total.
Ask what information is still missing. Ask which party must provide it. Record items that may change cost or timing. State how a change will be raised and approved. Keep the final quote, scope and attachments together so the site team can use one current record.
Prepare the day before work
Check that the approved marks are still visible. Confirm access, keys and inductions. Move loose goods as agreed. Tell affected people about the work zone. Check that the responsible site contact can be reached. Share any change in the structure, services, program or nearby activity.
Use a short pre-start walk. Match the site to the brief. Check each marked location. Review access and exclusion areas. Confirm the change process. If a key fact is not clear, pause that part. A short pause is better than carrying an unchecked assumption into the work.
Keep a clear work record
Name each area in the same way on the drawing, photos and notes. Record agreed changes. Add the date and the person who approved them. Keep scan markings and hold-point records with the job file. Take progress photos where the site rules allow.
At handover, walk the work area in good light. Check the agreed openings, edges and removal area. Note any item that still needs attention. Confirm clean-up and waste responsibilities. Record when barriers or supports may change. Ask the responsible party before removing a control.
Build a one-page brief
Put the job name and suburb at the top. Add one current site contact. State the finished result in one line. List the dimensions below it. Add the drawing revision, photo file names and known service information. Mark the work face and access path. Note the required work window. Keep open questions in a separate list so they cannot be mistaken for confirmed facts.
Give each open question an owner. The engineer may need to confirm a structural point. The site team may need to confirm access or isolation. A locator may need to review a marked area. The client may need to choose a finish or disposal option. Add a due date where it helps. Update the brief when an answer arrives, and keep the old version out of the active site file.
Use plain labels. Write “wall opening” instead of an internal nickname. Write the actual floor or room. Add north, south, east or west when two areas look alike. Keep dimensions in one unit. Show whether a depth is confirmed or estimated. A short, consistent brief reduces avoidable questions and gives every party the same starting point.
Send a useful first enquiry
Start with the suburb and site type. Add the required result, dimensions and material. Attach the plan and clear photos. Note access, services, occupied areas and preferred timing. List the approvals already held. Mark each open question. This gives the first review a practical base.
You can review the Cutcore quote-planning page, then send the project details to Cutcore. For a broader overview, compare the concrete cutting enquiry guide and the service directory.
