Make a register of what must stay

Give each retained element a room name, position and photograph. “Keep the doors” is unclear if some doors are being reused elsewhere and others must remain in place. Describe the intended result for each item: untouched in position, removed for storage or excluded from the work area.

Include less obvious priorities such as a working entrance, a finished stair, existing trim or equipment serving another part of the property. Record existing visible damage without trying to diagnose its cause. These records help distinguish the starting condition from later questions.

An instruction to retain an item does not establish that it can be protected or recovered in its current condition. Ask the assessor to identify conflicts between the retention list and the removal scope. Some decisions may need the designer, owner or relevant specialist before a method can be agreed.

Record who is responsible for moving loose items, arranging storage and approving changes if a retained element blocks the agreed work. Avoid informal instructions to individual workers that differ from the current scope.

Use the same register during the prestart walk-through and completion review. Update it when the owner changes a decision, preserving the earlier version. Send YAK the items that matter most with your enquiry so the assessment can focus on the boundaries that affect your project.