Contractor Schedule of Values: What It Is and How to Build One (2026)

On jobs over $50,000, "pay me in thirds" doesn't cut it. A schedule of values (SOV) breaks your contract into line items — each with its own percentage of total value — so you can bill accurately as each phase is completed.

What a schedule of values is

A schedule of values is a table that shows how the total contract amount is allocated across different work items. Each line item has:

• Work description (e.g., "Framing," "Rough plumbing," "Electrical rough-in")
• Scheduled value (dollar amount for that scope)
• Percentage of total contract
• Completed this period (billed on each draw)
• Previously completed (cumulative)
• Balance to finish

Why GCs and owners require an SOV

Without an SOV, there's no objective way to verify that a progress payment matches the work actually completed. The SOV creates a mutually agreed baseline at contract signing — so every draw request is just a matter of checking which line items are complete.

How to build your first SOV

1. Start from your estimate line items — every item in your estimate becomes a line in the SOV
2. Verify the total matches your contract — SOV should sum to 100% of contract value
3. Front-load where defensible — mobilization, demolition, and early phases happen first and should have higher values
4. Don't over-front-load — GCs and owners review for "front-loading" and will push back on items valued far above their actual cost
5. Submit before work starts — get the SOV approved at or before contract signing, not with your first draw

Common SOV line items for a residential addition

• Mobilization and general conditions: 5%
• Demolition: 5%
• Foundation and concrete: 12%
• Framing: 18%
• Roofing: 8%
• Windows and exterior doors: 6%
• Electrical rough-in: 5%
• Plumbing rough-in: 5%
• HVAC rough-in: 5%
• Insulation and drywall: 10%
• Finish carpentry and millwork: 6%
• Painting: 5%
• Finish electrical and plumbing: 6%
• Flooring: 4%
• Final cleaning and punchlist: 2%
• Certificate of occupancy: 3%

ConstruMate generates itemized estimates that map directly to a schedule of values — making it easy to create your SOV before the first draw request. Try it free.

Build an estimate that becomes your SOV →