Construction daily reports are quality control records documenting the progress of a construction site. General contractors and project managers use them to ensure the project remains on schedule and within the budget. The reports are shared with the client and other stakeholders.
The information included in daily construction reports typically consists of the project phase, hours worked, a weather report, incidents that may delay the project, and any other pertinent information.
In this article, we will discuss the following:
- What Goes into Construction Daily Reports?
- Are They Necessary?
- Disadvantages of Paper-Based Reports
- A Better Way of Filing and Managing Construction Daily Reports
What Goes into Construction Daily Reports?
Every project is different. There is no standard construction daily report template. It depends on what the construction manager wants to be captured daily. However, there must be consistency in the manner and form. Below are some of the most common elements that go into daily logging:
- Construction daily report template: Project managers will usually have a template to guide the person completing the report. The template is designed to be easy to understand and complete quickly.
- Project information: This information goes at the top of the report. It includes details such as the project name, the client, the address, the report's date, and the author. This information is used for record-keeping and retrieval.
- Weather report: One of the most common delays at a construction site is the weather. For example, concrete cannot be poured over a snow-covered surface. Also, bad weather affects worker efficiency and increases the risk of accidents.
- Task progress: This section of construction daily reports shows the progress of various cost codes, for example, slab, walling, roofing, etc. It usually incorporates photographic evidence.
- Hours worked: This section logs the number of hours worked with a breakdown of the tasks undertaken.
- Materials and equipment used: A record of all the materials and equipment used during the day goes here.
- Potential issues: This section captures any issues of concern – for example, delays by a subcontractor, regulatory inspection issues, and so forth. Photos are included where necessary.
- Safety report: A safety report provides information on safety incidents, risks, and observations. Images are also included. This section is particularly important in the event of future litigation.
Are Construction Daily Reports Necessary?
Despite the role daily construction reports play in ensuring first-time quality, not all project managers use them. In fact, construction managers of small domestic projects rarely ever bother to document what happens daily - but that can leave you open to all sorts of trouble.
If you are still unconvinced, below are four reasons daily construction reports are a necessary quality control measure:
- Improve client relations: Most construction clients do not understand the complexities of a project. Providing them with a daily report creates transparency, demonstrates progress, and helps them understand the process. This goes a long way in building confidence and improving client relations. A happy customer results in word of mouth referrals and a steady flow of customers for a contractor.
- Reduce delays: One of the main reasons for project failure is poor communication and collaboration. Due to the large number of people involved in a construction project, there are bound to be misunderstandings and miscommunication. A construction daily report ensures that everyone is on the same page.
- Time management: Daily construction reports help project managers know whether the project is on track for completion as scheduled or falling behind. If the project is behind schedule, the construction manager can make staffing and process changes to save time and get it back on track.
- Dispute resolution: Documentation is invaluable in the event of a contract dispute with a client or litigation due to a safety incident. Reports can be used to verify hours worked, weather conditions, and material usage and prove the severity of safety incidents. This is why photographic evidence is a critical component of construction daily reports.
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Disadvantages of Paper-Based Construction Daily Reports
The industry norm has been to file paper-based reports. Ideally, the foreman walks around the site with a clipboard, makes his observations, records them on the construction daily report template, and takes photographs. This is the primary way it has been done since the concept was invented.
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Unfortunately, there are inherent disadvantages to paper-based reports.
- Time-consuming and prone to errors: A typical daily report takes an hour to complete. The project manager or foreman must recall everything that happened during the day from memory or refer to scribbled notes. This often results in inaccuracies.
- Lack of consistency: If different people complete the report on different days, there are bound to be inconsistencies because everyone has their style. Also, the consideration of whether an issue is pertinent is quite subjective.
- Submission delays: It is not unusual for paper reports to get misplaced, torn, or stained, resulting in delayed submissions.
A Better Way of Filing and Managing Construction Daily Reports
So, how do you eliminate the challenges posed by paper-based reports? The answer lies in technology – a daily reporting app that the foreman can use to log issues in real-time throughout the day and generate an inspection report at the end of the day by simply tapping a button on his mobile device.
FTQ360 is a construction quality management software that's downloadable as a mobile app. It comes with powerful features to help construction managers achieve first-time quality through regular daily inspections and reports. Some of the features at a glance include:
- Hundreds of pre-loaded inspection checklists
- The option to use text or voice-to-text functionality
- Capture and annotate construction site photos
- Consistent reports every time
- Reports are emailed instantly to all stakeholders
- Definitive proof of project compliance
- Built-in safety compliance and risk reduction
- Powerful analytics for insightful performance dashboards and reports
- Reduced Deficiencies through proactive defect reduction functions and tools
For more information on how FTQ360 can help you with construction daily reports, book a demo or start your 30-day free trial today.