How to Prepare a Yacht Refit Scope of Work
By Maréa Yachts · Reviewed 15 July 2026
A scope of work is a written, item-by-item description of everything a refit is meant to achieve — what is to be done, where, to what standard, and who supplies what. It is what turns a set of loosely worded yard estimates into quotes you can actually compare, and it is the reference everyone returns to when a question arises mid-project. Written well, it makes disputes rare; written vaguely, it invites them.
Start with why, not with the list
Before anything is written down, it is worth being honest about the purpose of the refit. A yard period driven by a class survey coming due is a different project from one preparing a yacht for sale, one getting her ready for charter, one aimed at comfort and upgrade, or one simply putting right faults the crew have been living with. The purpose sets the priorities, and priorities are what you fall back on when time or budget tighten. A sale preparation rewards presentation and paperwork; a charter readiness period rewards guest-facing reliability; a compliance-driven period has items that are not negotiable at all. Write the purpose at the top of the document in a sentence or two.
Survey first, then write
The most common weakness in a refit list is that it describes impressions rather than findings. A condition survey — the extent of which is a matter for a qualified surveyor and the vessel in question — replaces guesswork with facts: what the coatings are actually doing, what the systems are actually doing, what is at or near the end of its service life. Writing the scope from survey findings tends to produce a shorter, sharper list than writing it from memory, because it removes both imagined problems and wishful omissions.
Sort the list before you price it
Three buckets are usually enough:
- Must-do — safety items, class and statutory requirements, structural work, and systems genuinely at end of life.
- Should-do — work that is sensible now because the yacht is already out of the water, opened up, or scaffolded, and doing it later would cost more in access alone.
- Nice-to-have — improvements that are real but discretionary, and that can be deferred without consequence.
The value of this split appears later. When something unexpected is found, you already know which line items give way.
Write each item so it cannot be read two ways
A useful item states four things: the location (which compartment, which surface, which system), what is to be done (inspect, repair, replace, renew, refinish), the materials or standards to be applied, and who supplies — owner-supplied equipment, yard-supplied, or subcontracted. "Tidy up the lazarette" is not an item. "Remove, clean and re-coat the lazarette deckhead to the specified system, owner to supply nothing, yard to supply all materials" is.
Typical workstreams
Most refit scopes organise naturally into these headings, which also helps yards route the enquiry internally:
- Hull and paint
- Teak decks
- Structural work
- Engineering and propulsion
- Electrical
- HVAC and plumbing
- Interior joinery and soft furnishings
- Electronics and navigation
- Tenders and toys
- Safety equipment
Say how you will know it is finished
Acceptance criteria are the quietest and most valuable part of a scope. For each significant item, note how completion will be judged and who does the judging — the captain, the surveyor, a class representative, a specialist. Agreeing this before work starts avoids the awkward conversation in which one party considers an item complete and the other does not.
Allow a contingency — it is normal
Once tanks are opened, panels are lifted and coatings are stripped back, refits find things. This is not a failure of planning; it is a characteristic of the work. A sensible scope acknowledges it: set aside a contingency and, more importantly, agree a change-order procedure so that any additional work is described, priced and approved in writing before it begins. How much contingency is appropriate varies considerably by vessel, age and the extent of the scope — that is a conversation to have with your surveyor and the yard rather than a number to assume.
Plan around the calendar, not just the list
Haul-out slots, shed availability, and the season all constrain what is achievable. Paint and coating work in particular is sensitive to conditions and to shed time. Bring the schedule into the scope early — a list that ignores when the yacht can actually be out of the water is a wish, not a plan.
Why the document earns its keep
When several yards are asked to price a vague brief, each fills the gaps with its own assumptions about extent, materials and standards. The quotes then differ for reasons that have nothing to do with the yards themselves, and comparing them is guesswork. A precise scope removes those assumptions. Every yard prices the same work, differences in the numbers become meaningful, and the document you used to buy the refit is the same one you use to run it.
What is a yacht refit scope of work?
A written list of every task in the refit, described with location, method, materials or standards, who supplies what, and how completion is judged. Yards price against it, and it is the reference if there is a disagreement later.
Do I need a condition survey before writing the scope?
In most cases it helps a great deal — it replaces impressions with findings, so the list reflects the vessel's actual condition. Discuss timing and extent with a qualified surveyor for your vessel.
Why do refit quotes from different yards vary so much?
Often because each yard has been asked a slightly different question. A vague brief invites each to assume its own materials, standards and extent. A precise scope narrows those assumptions and makes the quotes comparable.
Should the scope include a contingency?
Yes. Refits routinely uncover work that could not be seen until things were opened up. A contingency and an agreed change-order procedure mean extra work is priced and approved before it starts.
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