Complete checklist mapping
Every deliverable required by the subcontract or GC closeout checklist is extracted, mapped, and tracked — no item assumed satisfied without evidence.
The most rigorous retainage release pack a subcontractor can send.
RetainageClear assembles a documentation-complete Retainage Release Completeness Pack — every closeout checklist item, every required lien waiver, every warranty and O&M, the indexed submission set, and the chase log — checked against the contract and statutory requirements before a specialist releases it.
Every closeout checklist item mappedLien waiver sequencing verifiedWarranty · O&M · as-built · TAB · training sign-offSpecialist release on every pack5-business-day SLA
Why packs fail
A single missing document can trap five figures of retainage.
Your scope is done. The punch list is closed. But 5–10% of your contract value stays hostage until a dense, multi-system documentation packet is accepted by the GC or owner. Miss a lien waiver entity, an unsigned training form, an O&M binder format mismatch, or an open punch nickel — and the retainage stays frozen.
Most subcontractors run closeout by hand, from memory, once or twice a year. The contract has not been read end-to-end since it was signed. That is exactly where completeness gaps hide.
RetainageClear exists to close that gap with a single, exhaustive standard applied identically to every file.
167 days
average wait for retainage release (Clemson / Siteline)
The benchmark
Measured against the contract and the statute — item by item.
We do not summarize the requirements and hope. Every pack is scored against a versioned rule pack tied to the exact closeout checklist and applicable prompt-payment statutes. These are the provisions each pack is held to.
Correct waiver forms and parties
Conditional and unconditional waivers are sequenced per the pay application, with correct entity names, notarization where required, and statutory language per state law.
Warranty letters and operation manuals
Manufacturer warranties, O&M manuals, and as-built/redline drawings are indexed and verified against the equipment schedule and submittals.
Startup, TAB, and commissioning reports
Testing, adjusting, balancing (TAB) reports, startup logs, and commissioning sign-offs are collected and cross-referenced to the scope of work.
Owner training documentation
Training session attendance sheets, recordings, or sign-offs are confirmed present and dated per the contract requirements.
Final pay app and release request
The final pay application, retainage release request, and any required statutory declarations are assembled into a formal submission packet.
How a pack is built
Intake to specialist release, with deterministic gates the AI cannot overrule.
AI extracts and drafts. Deterministic rules — running as code, outside the model — decide what is complete. A human specialist signs every release. That order is never reversed.
01
Retainage Trap Scan
Upload the subcontract, closeout checklist, and current document dump. We return a free completeness read: which items you already have, and which are missing.
02
Evidence & artifact collection
As your authorized clerical agent, we gather lien waivers, warranties, O&Ms, as-builts, TAB reports, training sign-offs, and punch status from your team and vendors.
03
Grounded drafting
The release request, cover letter, and index are drafted from your validated data and the contract rule pack into field-locked templates — no legal opinions, no invented facts.
04
Deterministic completeness gates
Every checklist item is resolved or exception-coded; waiver entities match the contract; amounts reconcile to the pay app; SCRA is screened. Any failure blocks release.
05
Specialist release
A construction-billing specialist reviews the exception queue and signs the release. High-value or complex packs route to attorney review first.
06
Delivery
You receive the pack: indexed submission set, chase log, evidence log, release request packet, and a formal cover memo — ready for you to submit to the GC or owner.
The bar we hold
Rigor you can measure.
100%
Specialist-released
No pack ships without a human signature.
5 days
Standard SLA
From complete intake to released pack.
<1%
Critical-defect target
Tracked against a gold-standard pack library.
6+
Document categories verified
Warranties · O&Ms · as-builts · TAB · training · waivers · pay app
Why RetainageClear
Built to be the most thorough option a subcontractor has.
Documentation-complete, by design
The deliverable is completeness itself — every closeout item and waiver accounted for or explicitly exception-coded. Nothing is left implicit.
Deterministic, not vibes
The gates that decide completeness are code, not a model's opinion. A drafting error cannot slip past a contractual requirement.
In its lane, on purpose
We prepare documentation and run searches as your clerical agent. We never contact the GC or owner, give legal advice, or guarantee payment dates.
Engagement
Flat fee, per released pack. No contingency, ever.
Simple, predictable, and aligned with a documentation standard — not a cut of any recovery.
- A free Retainage Trap Scan before you commit — see exactly what is missing.
- One flat fee per released Retainage Release Completeness Pack ($1,250–$3,500/project); disclosed pass-through search fees.
- Optional success fee (1.5%–3% of retainage released within 60 days of accepted pack, capped).
- Optional portfolio retainer ($1,500–$4,000/mo) for continuous closeout queue management.
FAQ
Questions, answered precisely.
Is RetainageClear a law firm?
No. RetainageClear, a service of Your Deputy, Obuke LLC, provides documentation-completeness services. It is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and does not represent you in any legal matter. Attorney review is available and recommended for high-value or complex packs.
Do you contact the GC or owner or guarantee payment?
Never. RetainageClear is not a debt collector and does not contact the GC or owner. The subcontractor remains the party responsible for submitting all documents and pursuing payment. We do not guarantee payment dates.
What makes a pack 'complete'?
Completeness is defined by the contract closeout checklist and applicable statutes: every required document present or exception-coded, lien waivers correctly sequenced, amounts reconciled, and SCRA screened. Deterministic gates enforce each one before release.
How fast is it?
The standard SLA is five business days from complete intake to a specialist-released pack. The free Retainage Trap Scan is returned much sooner and tells you exactly what is still needed.
How are you priced?
A flat fee per released pack ($1,250–$3,500), plus disclosed pass-through costs. Optional success fee tied to retainage released within 60 days. No hourly billing.
See what's missing before it costs you another month of cash.
Start with a free Retainage Trap Scan. Send your subcontract, closeout checklist, and current documents and we'll return a completeness read against every requirement.
Documentation-completeness service · not legal advice · the subcontractor submits every notice.