What Goes in a Bank Draw Package (Checklist)

A draw request is you asking the bank to release the next slice of the construction loan. The reviewer on the other side doesn't know your job — they know paper. If every dollar you're requesting has a document, and every document is where they expect it, the draw funds. If not, you get the phone call, and the draw slips a week.

The checklist

Most residential construction lenders want some version of this:

• Cover sheet — line items by phase or cost code, amount requested per line, total, project address, draw number
• Backup for each line — the vendor invoice or receipt behind every requested dollar
• Proof of payment for prior draws — canceled checks, ACH confirmations, or payment records showing the last draw actually went where you said
• Lien waivers — from each sub and major supplier, usually conditional progress waivers matching the amounts being paid
• Inspection report — some lenders order their own; others accept photos of completed work
• Budget summary — original budget vs drawn-to-date vs remaining, so the loan stays in balance

What gets draws rejected

Three failures cause most rejections. Backup that doesn't add up to the request — the cover sheet says $22,100 for framing and the invoices attached total $19,400. Missing waivers — one plumber's signature holds the entire package. And disorganization — the reviewer can't match documents to lines, so the file goes to the bottom of the pile.

The fix is boring: number everything. Line 3 on the cover sheet should have attachments named 03-something. A reviewer who can approve your draw in ten minutes will fund you faster than one who needs an afternoon.

Do it in one click instead

NeatBuild generates the numbered cover sheet and a package where every invoice, payment proof, and signed lien waiver is auto-named to its line. What used to be an evening of scanning is a preview and a download.