The Last 5%

The Last 5% – Why We Struggle to Finish Strong

In this blog, I’m going to talk about the last 5%.

This is something I’ve struggled with personally and something I’ve seen over and over again in our industry. Early in my career, before I learned to keep a to-do list and develop a strong personal organization system, my PM and superintendent would constantly remind me: “Jason, it’s the last 5%.” I was great at starting tasks, but not so great at finishing them completely.

At the time, I didn’t want to hear it. I thought it was nitpicking. But looking back, they were right. I’d leave tools lying around, drawings unmarked, checks undone. I’d stop once the “main” part of the job was done and overlook those final steps that make all the difference.

What is the Last 5%?

The last 5% means:

1. Putting tools away where they belong
2. Tidying the drawing after the change is made
3. Double-checking the measurements
4. Completing the inspection and documenting it properly
5. Verifying the submittal is complete and approved
6. Making sure the day plan actually gets into the worker huddle’s hands

It’s the part of the process that ensures the work is truly complete, not just “good enough for now.”

Why It Matters

In Lean terms, true excellence is plan, build, finish, and the “finish” part has to be 100%. Skipping the last 5% is like leaving a puzzle missing the final piece. From the outside, the job looks nearly done, but it’s incomplete, unpolished, and vulnerable to defects or delays.

The truth is, many of the issues we see on jobsites aren’t because people didn’t start well, they’re because they didn’t finish well. The missing detail becomes a rework item. The unchecked measurement leads to an error in the next phase. The incomplete documentation causes confusion down the line.

How to Build the Habit

Finishing the last 5% is a discipline, and like any discipline, it can be taught and developed:

1. Personal Organization Systems – Use to-do lists, checklists, and Lean planning boards to make sure tasks are carried through to completion.
2. Mentoring – Teach newer team members to always think in terms of “plan, build, finish.”
3. Accountability – Supervisors and foremen should actively look for the last 5% and call it out when it’s missed.
4. Culture of Completion – Make “the last 5%” a common saying on your site, so everyone understands it’s non-negotiable.

A Real-World Example

I’ve been watching a home inspection influencer here in Phoenix, and every video is a masterclass in spotting the last 5% left undone: missing grout, insulation gaps, cracks that weren’t sealed, sloppy finishes. None of these things take much time to fix, but they were skipped. And skipping them undermines the professionalism of the entire job.

If we want to be truly Lean, we need to model the last 5% ourselves, teach it to our teams, and make it part of our identity as builders. Finishing well isn’t just about looking good, it’s about quality, safety, customer trust, and pride in our work.

Key Takeaway

In construction, success isn’t just about starting strong, it’s about finishing completely. The “last 5%” is where quality, safety, and professionalism live, and we must make it a habit to see every task through to the very end.