How to write a lake bank repair scope your board can bid
A lake bank repair scope should list every section of bank by number and length, describe its condition, state the slope and grass result the board wants, and spell out access, pipes, permits, schedule, warranty and a bid form priced by section. When every bidder prices the same written scope, the board compares like with like instead of choosing between 3 different projects on price alone.
Why a written scope matters
When each contractor bids their own idea of the job, the board ends up comparing 3 different projects and choosing on price alone. A written scope fixes that. Every bidder prices the same work, and the board can explain its choice to residents.
Without a scope, 1 bid might cover only the worst 200 feet while another covers every lake. Some include lawn repair behind the bank and others leave it out. Some offer a warranty in writing and others offer a handshake. The numbers on the bottom line look comparable, but the jobs are not. Boards that vote on those bids often find the gaps after the work starts, when change orders arrive or residents complain about their yards.
A scope also protects the board. If an owner asks why the board picked a contractor, the board can point to a written standard that every bidder was measured against.
What every lake bank scope should include
- A map of every section. Number each section of bank, and give its length in feet.
- The condition of each section. Note how far it has cut back, how steep it is, and what sits near it: fences, patios, pool decks, pipes.
- The result you want. State the slope the bank must be rebuilt to, usually the slope in the original permit, and that grass must reach the waterline.
- How the grass gets established. Name the sod, and who waters it until it roots.
- Access limits. Say whether equipment may cross residents' yards, and who repairs lawns, sprinklers, walkways and fences if it does.
- Pipes and outfalls. List the drain pipes along the bank, and say who extends or repairs them.
- Permits. Say who is responsible for getting any permits the work needs.
- Schedule and phasing. Say which lakes or sections go first, any dates residents need left alone, and whether the work may wait on lake levels.
- Warranty and inspections. Ask for the warranty in writing, with separate terms for material and labor, and for scheduled inspections after the job.
- A bid form priced by section. Ask every bidder to price each numbered section separately. That makes the bids easy to compare and lets the board phase the work.
How to fill in each part of the scope
Mapping and numbering sections
Start with a site plan or an aerial image of each lake. Walk the bank and break it into sections where the condition changes, or where a lot line or structure makes a natural break. Give each section a number that includes the lake, such as Lake 2, Section 4. Record its length in feet. The numbers become the language the board, the manager, the residents and every bidder use for the rest of the project.
Describing condition
For each section, note how far the bank has cut back from where it used to be, whether the grass is hanging over an undercut, whether the slope has slumped, and how steep it is now. Note anything within a few feet of the edge: fences, patios, pool decks, foundations, irrigation lines, light poles and drain pipes. Dated photos from fixed points should go with the written notes.
Stating the result
The scope should describe the finished bank, not the method. State the slope the bank must be rebuilt to, which is usually the slope shown in the original permit. Our guide to the lake bank slope rule explains how to find it. State that grass must reach the waterline. Leaving the method open lets each contractor propose how they will reach the result, and lets the board judge them on the result and the warranty.
Access and resident property
This is where many lake bank jobs go wrong. If the scope does not say whether a contractor may cross residents' yards, and who repairs what gets damaged, the board will hear about it from owners. Be specific. Name lawns, sprinklers, walkways and fences. Ask each bidder to say how they will reach the bank and what they will restore.
Pipes, permits and phasing
List every drain pipe and outfall along the bank, and say who extends or repairs them, because a rebuilt bank often changes where a pipe ends. Say who gets permits, and whether permit time is part of the schedule. For phasing, say which lakes go first and whether any dates are off limits, such as community events. Note whether work may wait on lake levels during the wet season, which runs May through October.
Warranty and inspections
Ask for the warranty in writing with separate terms for material and for labor. Ask how long each lasts, what it covers, and what voids it. Ask for scheduled inspections after the job, with a written report each time. A warranty without inspections leaves the board to find problems on its own.
What a good bid form looks like
A bid form priced by section lets the board compare bids line by line and decide which sections to fund first. A simple layout works.
| Lake and section | Length in feet | Condition notes | Bidder price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake 1, Section 1 | From the walk | From the walk | Filled in by bidder |
| Lake 1, Section 2 | From the walk | From the walk | Filled in by bidder |
| Lake 2, Section 1 | From the walk | From the walk | Filled in by bidder |
Add lines at the bottom for anything priced separately, such as pipe work or permit fees, so it does not get buried in a section price. Ask every bidder to fill in the same form and to list any exclusions in writing.
Start with a test section
Before awarding the whole job, many boards approve a short section first, where residents can see it. Our Proof Section is about 100 feet at a spot residents can see, and its fee is credited to the full job.
A test section gives residents something to look at instead of a description. It also shows the board how a contractor handles access, cleanup and communication before the board commits to every lake. Photograph the section before work starts, when it finishes, and after the next wet season. That record is often what persuades a divided board.
Common mistakes in lake bank scopes
The first mistake is letting the contractor write the scope. A scope written by 1 bidder tends to fit that bidder's method and price. Other bidders either match it or bid something different, and the board is back to comparing different jobs.
The second is leaving out access and restoration. The repair can be good and the job can still go badly if residents lose lawns, fences or sprinklers without a plan to fix them.
The third is asking for a lump sum. A single number for every lake hides which sections cost the most and makes phasing hard. Pricing by section fixes both.
The fourth is skipping the warranty details. "Warranty included" means little without the terms in writing.
The fifth is specifying a method that has failed before. A scope that calls for regrading and laying sod with nothing to hold the soil at the waterline often produces the same failure a few seasons later. Our guide on why regrade and sod fails explains why. If the board wants to compare approaches before writing the scope, see the repair options compared.
How to use the scope after the job
The scope does not stop being useful when the contract is signed. Keep it with the minutes. Use the section numbers in every inspection report, every photo log and every warranty claim. Years later, a new board or a new manager can open the file and see exactly what was rebuilt, where, when and to what standard.
We will help you write it
Our free lake bank walk gives you every section measured and photographed and a written scope any contractor can price, us or not. If you hire us, we rebuild the slope from the waterline up with leading edge technology that lets the grass root into the bank so it holds, and our method keeps the work at the bank and out of residents' yards. We do every foot of the work ourselves with no subcontracted crews.
Every job carries a 5 year material and 5 year labor warranty in writing, with inspections in years 3, 5, 7 and 9, each with a written report for the minutes. For a quick first read before the walk, try the Lake Bank Risk Score. To book a free lake bank walk, call (561) 309 9603.
Questions boards ask
Who should write the lake bank scope?
The board or its manager should own the scope, even if someone helps prepare it. A scope written by 1 bidder tends to fit that bidder. Our free lake bank walk produces a written scope any contractor can price, whether the board hires us or not.
Should the scope specify the repair method?
Usually it is better to specify the result: the slope, grass to the waterline, access limits and the warranty. That lets each contractor propose a method and lets the board judge bids on the same finished result. The board can still rule out methods that have failed on its lakes before.
Why price each section separately?
Pricing by section makes bids easy to compare line by line. It also lets the board phase the work by lake or by priority, and fund the sections closest to homes first.
What should we ask for in the warranty?
Ask for the warranty in writing, with separate terms for material and labor, and scheduled inspections after the job with a written report each time. Our work carries a 5 year material and 5 year labor warranty, with inspections in years 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Do we need a test section before awarding the job?
It is not required, but many boards find it helps. A short section where residents can see it answers questions that a description cannot. Our Proof Section is about 100 feet, and its fee is credited to the full job.
Who handles permits in the scope?
The scope should name who is responsible for getting any permits the work needs, and whether the time to get them is part of the schedule. Ask each bidder to confirm this in writing.
More guides
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We measure and photograph every section of your bank, and you get a written report you can put in front of the board. It is yours to use whether you hire us or not.