A daily report is an important document that documents the progress of a construction project on a daily basis. It is a communication tool to ensure that everyone involved in the project is updated on the progress and any changes. It is also a key tool to help keep the project on schedule and within the set budget. A daily report should include the number of workers on site, any injuries or accidents, materials that have been delivered, any delays, active operations, and any problems that have been encountered. These reports must be completed accurately and submitted on a daily basis in order to keep the project on track and the stakeholders informed.
Daily Progress Report (Construction)
Why are construction daily reports important?
Construction daily reports are crucial because they keep track of daily activity at the job site and can be used to update owners or investors who are unable to visit the job site. This report can be useful to refer to after the project is finished in order to learn more details or determine when specific tasks were completed. These daily reports can assist owners and managers in comprehending the reasons behind delays if the project encounters any obstacles or delays.
Daily reports can be useful for demonstrating adherence to regional and national workplace regulations regarding safety, instruction, and tool use. The daily reports might be helpful evidence if there are any legal issues following the project.
What is a construction daily report?
A daily report on construction is a document that keeps track of the supplies, workers, activities, and developments at a construction site each day. The daily report for the entire project is created by the site manager or foreman. Contractors and subcontractors may submit their own daily reports outlining their work progress if they are working on the project that day.
A construction daily report contains in-depth details about the team, the work completed, labor hours, equipment, and materials. It may include these different sections:
How to create a construction daily report
Follow these steps to make a construction daily report:
1. Format the report
First, choose whether to create the daily report using a template or software. Both options typically have fields for all pertinent data, but you might find that one method better suits your needs. Utilizing software for daily reports can speed up the filing process and facilitate data sharing.
You can also decide how to structure reports before the project starts so that all of the daily reports are uniform and satisfy your project’s requirements. You might choose to use a header in place of the report’s cover page or edit the template’s existing information to track additional resources.
2. Fill in site information
Next, fill in the basic information for your project. You can add information to the template since some details, such as the job specifics, the report author, and the location, are likely to remain the same throughout the project. Since some jobs have multiple phases, you might decide to include the phase in the essential job information. In case there are delays in the work process caused by the weather, be sure to update the report every day.
3. Fill in work progress
Its important to detail the progress on-site each day. Include any updates, their general status, and the number of work hours contributed for each task after listing individual and group tasks. Including pictures can aid in tracking the progress and may even be more effective than providing in-depth descriptions of each step.
4. Fill in workers and visitors present at the site
It’s crucial to list every crew member who attended the job site each day, along with the team or contractor they assisted, and the number of hours they worked. This can serve as a useful guide when paying contractors or hired teams. You can monitor non-working visitors, such as owners, coordinators, or private visitors like family members, under a separate list. You can list employees as visitors if they visited the location but did not log any working hours.
5. Include equipment and material updates
Indicate whether each piece of heavy machinery is in use, broken, or not. This can make it easier to monitor borrowed or rented equipment and how well workers used it. For materials, track current inventory numbers and deliveries. As the inventory for the necessary supplies decreases, it can show progress in lengthy or difficult tasks.
6. Add information about events
Next, document all important events that could impact the project. Include on-site directions and meetings, along with who attended. This can demonstrate who participated in particular decisions and when staff members were made aware of project updates. Including details about crew members’ safety training and licenses can help you demonstrate that your project complies with all regulations. You can also document hazards, violations and any safety incidents.
For nearby or site-specific events that don’t fit into other categories, a section on significant events can be helpful. This might include regional occurrences like road closures or community events that affect whether workers, equipment, and supplies can get to the location.
An important section to include is potential delaying events. These events may be included in a separate section, but it’s crucial to include this one alone and predict how long the delay might be. This can give you specifics when informing stakeholders about updates.
7. Check and affirm the information
Before finishing the daily report, make sure there are no errors or omissions. Proofreading carefully can help maintain accuracy and professionalism. If the report is accurate, sign it, put your name and the date next to it to show that you finished it.
8. Send daily reports to stakeholders
Sending completed daily reports to anyone who might need project updates without visiting the site is crucial. This could be project stakeholders, such as the project’s owners, board members, or administrative personnel. Since everyone can access the most recent information, sending daily reports can also help management address problems as they arise.
Tips for writing construction daily reports
Here are some tips for writing better construction reports:
Designate someone specific to write the reports
If the person writing the daily reports is familiar with the project and responsible for making sure they are completed each day, the reports can be more accurate and detailed. To ensure a consistent project record, assigning a specific foreman or site manager to file these reports can be helpful.
List information where its relevant
Some events may fit under several categories. For instance, you might list a storm first under the heading “weather” and then under “potential delaying events” In their respective sections, additional delaying circumstances, such as equipment failure or delivery delays, may also be listed. If you need to review specific events later, having this information in multiple places can make it simple to comprehend each section without having to read the entire report.
Consider software
You can save time and add extra information, like pictures of the progress, by using software. You may be able to draft or complete daily reports on a cell phone or tablet with specialized software for creating daily reports. Some software allows for simple planning document attachments and timekeeping software integration. In addition to being searchable, having this data available digitally can sometimes make it simple to compile it into monthly or topical reports.
Keep reports organized
To find specific reports quickly, arrange any paper reports you maintain or paper copies of digital reports by date. Make sure to set aside sufficient room for the daily reports for the entire project, especially if you intend to keep them on site. This can make it simple for you to refer to them as necessary throughout the project.
FAQ
How do you write a construction daily report?
- Step 1: List job details. …
- Step 2: Describe weather conditions. …
- Step 3: List tasks completed. …
- Step 4: List workers and hours worked. …
- Step 5: List equipment and usage. …
- Step 6: List materials and usage. …
- Step 7: Identify potential delays. …
- Step 8: Draft a safety report.
What should a construction report include?
A construction daily report is a record of the work that was done, the weather, and the materials that were brought in or used on the job site. Daily updates on project status are provided to the project management team, which also includes the owner and general contractor.
How do you prepare a project daily report?
- Job details. …
- Crew list. …
- Weather conditions. …
- Work accomplished. …
- Site visitors. …
- Equipment on site. …
- Material quantities. …
- Material deliveries.
