Daily Checklist Template Excel: Fill & Download for Free

Hey!Here’s a detailed overview of what daily construction reports are, what the purpose is of daily reports, what goes in them and how to make them admissible for court and some best practices.Construction daily reports document all on-site work done for a construction project in a given day.They typically include:Weather conditionsNumber of working hoursType of work performedSafety observationsPotential delaysCompleted tasksWhat’s the purpose of a construction daily report?By documenting the construction project activities, reports provide transparency, reduce communication issues and safety risks, and protect you during lawsuits.Here are the benefits in more detail:They reduce delays and other issuesMost of the time, construction projects fail because of bad communication and collaboration. Since many people and companies are involved in projects, there’s a constant risk of misunderstandings, mistakes, and delays.Daily construction reports can reduce these by documenting and sharing observations made during site visits. Not only do they help stakeholders understand what needs to get done, they also allow you to catch small issues before they grow bigger.They improve customer relationsWhen it comes to your client, daily reports help you in several ways:They create transparency for your actions.They allow you to demonstrate your progress.They help the client understand your process.Your client, for example, may ask you why HVAC is taking so long to install. Daily reports would give them a window into the duration of each individual step, causing them to increase their patience.If you send daily or weekly reports that demonstrate what you’ve been doing (including materials used, hours spent, etc.), the customer will also feel confident you’re doing a good job.Translation: They’ll be happy to quickly pay whatever invoices you send their way.They help you manage your timeAs with any kind of reporting, construction progress reports allow you to get a better general view on your project and its progress, issues, risks, evolution, etc.If you’re not creating regular site reports, you’re driving blind — and won’t know if you’re heading in the right direction (let alone whether you’ll arrive on time!).They can settle disputesIf a client or general contractor disputes an invoice, your daily construction documentation will be invaluable. It could verify the number of hours worked, the materials used, supplier delays, or weather conditions.That’s why you should always strive to include detailed documentation, photos, and client signatures on every report. If need be, you might even be able to use them in court (more on that below).Even if you have a great relationship with your customer, don’t assume disputes and court claims are out of the realm of possibility. Your team could change, your customer’s management could change — and at that point, any verbal agreements will be moot. Without daily reports, new team members won’t know what was agreed upon or discussed, which could lead to conflicts.In the end, daily construction reports are all about maintaining quality and managing risk. When you make daily reporting a priority, you’ll reduce unplanned costs, lower safety risks, and keep your project on the right track.What goes into a daily report?Since they only include what you need, daily reports all contain different building blocks. Here are the most common elements:Project information: The project name and number, address, report date and author, etc. Adding this information helps managers, customers, and other parties immediately see which project goes with which report. It’ll also help when you need to look up an old report in your archive.Weather conditions: Changes to the weather, such as rain, snow, or intense sun, can cause delays (e.g. when pouring concrete slabs), impact worker efficiency, and increase the potential for accidents.Labor time spent: The workers on site, the number of hours they worked, and what they did.Equipment used and received: Which major materials were used or received, and which weren’t received (and are causing delays).Tasks in progress and tasks completed: Which tasks are in progress (e.g. slab pouring 70% complete) and which tasks are done (and can be documented with photos).Potential risks, issues, delays: Anything worth noting, plus areas where managers or the customer could intervene (e.g. a delay of another contractor that prevents you from starting your portion). Don’t forget to include photos so everyone can see the exact issue.Safety observations and accidents: All safety risks and observations, again with photos. (When accidents happen, the daily report can protect you from litigation.) In the case of accidents, record who was involved, when and where it occurred, how it impacted the work, and any photos of the event.How to make your daily report admissible for courtAs noted above, daily construction reports are often the most important piece of evidence used in court during a contract dispute. But the problem is they’re not always admissible.In addition to having your daily reports signed by the client, you should also follow this advice from Corwin & Corwin law firm:“The most common ground for admissibility of job reports (often the only ground) is that the reports are regularly kept business records of the party who offers them as evidence… To avoid tripping on any of these evidentiary requirements at trial, assign a supervisor or foreman who is on site to fill in the report form each day.At the end of each week (or at regular intervals) collect the reports from each foreman and file them by project at your office. Make sure there is a report for each day you were on site, and that all are complete and accurate. If there are questions or gaps, address them immediately.”Best practices for creating daily construction reportsWhether you’re using an old-school notebook or a nifty new app, there are certain best practices you should follow for your daily construction reports:Provide sufficient detail: Too often, daily reports are drafted noting the date, the weather, and a broad description of the work being performed. This isn’t sufficient for properly communicating with other parties, or for disputes or court claims. Don’t forget that progress reports are supposed to document what happens on the project every day — and not only when problems arise.File reports as early as possible: Memories fade quickly. The shorter the time between events and notation, the more accurate the reports will be. By using an app, you’ll be able to document observations as soon as you make them.Report delays in detail: Record when activities get delayed or stopped, plus the reasons why (e.g. due to weather or an accident). Make sure you record each day of the delay; if you only note a delay’s start date, it’ll look like it only lasted one day.Get it signed: Getting construction site reports signed by a client, manager, or other responsible party increases their value. To preserve the integrity of the reporting, don’t make any changes once it’s signed.Use a checklist: Checklists reduce the risk of mistakes, increase the likelihood everything will get documented, and free up your mental RAM. So use your app’s checklist feature to make a list of what should be in each daily report.Keep it simple: Make sure your report is readable by using common language and including ample pictures. Don’t use specialist terms; just stick to a concise and clear description that anyone can understand.How to use reports to improve your servicesJust like in any other industry, one of the goals of reporting is to understand how your company or project is doing — and to use that information to boost future performance.You might, for example, include manpower details — like trades and hours — into your daily report. Then, along with progress data, you could use this information to track the performance of your team.By keeping daily records of work progress, you’ll gain clearer insight on ongoing projects as well as improve future processes.Daily report example and templateReady to see a construction daily report in action?We created a simple checklist in ArchiSnapper that has an overview of the items to review:FYI: You can download this daily report template here and upload it into your ArchiSnapper account from here.Using this checklist, project managers, foremen, or superintendents can use their mobile device to create a comprehensive site report, even adding pictures and sketches, assignees, dates, PDF annotations, etc.When they finish, the daily report could look like this:Click here if you’d like to see a video of how we used the ArchiSnapper app to create this report.If you’re not yet ready to use an app like ArchiSnapper for your daily reports, we’ve also drafted a construction daily report template (Excel) you can download instead.Whether you use an app, a notebook, or an Excel document, the important thing is to always create construction daily reports. So you can reduce delays, keep your customer informed, settle disputes …I hope this information is useful!Jerry

I will be talking about some of the roles, skills, and techniques that every Estimator should know about Quantity Surveying in this article. I have created a list of 10 Things that I believe are essential to every Estimator.A Quantity Surveyor/Estimator is a person who measures the value of a construction project, from the initial project startup to the completion stage. Quantity Surveyors have a good understanding of the complete construction cycle and the roles of each professional and trade required to build a successful project.Quantity Surveying is the ability to provide accurate values for project cost, estimating task duration times, and providing maximum profits for Project Stakeholders.The Quantity Surveyor commonly referred to as an Estimator has a good understanding of All the roles involved in the project, which is necessary to provide accurate values for project costs.So what should every Estimator know about quantity surveying?1. Know Your Position On The TeamEvery company has a certain niche market that they focus on to keep there project pipeline full and every company is structured differently. Your role and the type of company you work for will determine what aspect of the quantity surveying process you are expected to know. Know your role and find ways to continuously get better.2. How To Set Up Systems To Speed Up TasksTo be an efficient Estimator you have to have the ability to gather project-specific information and store it in a manner that allows you to refer back to it quickly. This is just one of the many tasks that you are faced with as an Estimator. To make things easier for yourself you should set up Check-list, Templates, and have some good estimating and project management software.List all the tasks that you do to get your project values, from A-to-Z and break down each task into smaller steps. Also mention the Check-lists, Templates, and software you use for each task and step.3. How To Produce Accurate Project Values ConsistentlyThe systems and processes that you set up will assist you in preparing accurate estimates consistently in a timely manner.Learn how to calculate and use productivity and crew rates to calculate your estimate totals. Using productivity and crew rates provide you with labor cost and task duration times. Simply using a Square foot cost by a value will not provide you with enough information to provide accurate estimates.4. Be aware of All The Parties Interested In The ProjectEvery project has a list of people who are interested in the project. The roles of each of these people differ and some may have an impact on your project cost. Identify the Project Stakeholders and their objectives. Each Stakeholder will have a negative or positive impact on the project an some of the Stakeholders decisions will have an impact on the project cost. Failing to identify each Stakeholder and understanding how they affect project cost can end up costing you a lot of time and money.5. Understand The Project Life CycleEach project has its own Life Cycle and a unique set of deliverables. You should have a clear understanding of who is needed at each step in each phase of the project. The project has an Initial Start-Up Phase, the Intermediate Phase, and the Final Phase. Each Phase has a set of deliverables that need to be started or completed to start the following Phase. Pay close attention to the project schedule, important project deliverables and project milestones.6. Understand The LawA good estimator must know the applicable building codes, laws and regulations to help generate values. As an Estimator, you must be familiar with the Construction Standards and Labour Codes. You can save yourself a lot of headaches by staying familiar with relevant laws and regulations and by conducting yourself in a manner that protects you and the Stakeholders from legal issues.Your job as an Estimator consist of more than just number crunching. To be a good Estimator you must be well rounded in all aspects of the project. Knowing your role and the role of other professionals on the job will make your job a lot easier.7. Learning From Your MistakesEven though some may not admit it, I believe that we all make mistakes. So instead of being quick to point the finger and flip out on someone else for your mistake, you should look into the office mistake and see what you could have done to avoid it. This may sound like some motivational B.S. to you but the truth is that mistakes allow you to improve yourself and the people around you.If and when you do encounter issues, you should takes notes and consider what cost will be incurred because of the mistake and immediately find ways to rectify the situation.8. Master The Art of CommunicationExcellent communication is the ability to communicate your message effectively to the other party and for the other party to have a clear understanding of your message.An Estimator is forced to communicate with numerous people throughout a Project's Life Cycle. Your ability to deliver your message to Stakeholders, General Contractors and your team will help you be more efficient at your job.9. Find Ways To See Value in Every One You Work WithExcept for the fact that your team usually stays the same, you will have to work with different people on most projects. Being able to see the value that everyone brings to the table will help you to appreciate the skills and knowledge that each individual has.See what you can learn from each person and implement what you learn into your daily system. See if any of them have any Checklists, Templates or Tools that you can use to speed up your tasks.10. Your Ultimate job is to Create ProfitsYour Ultimate job as an Estimator is to generate profits for the Stakeholders. Costly mistakes and poor workmanship will have a negative impact on the project. If you make costly mistakes and don't pay attention to details then you will be out of a job or business very quickly.To ensure that you are profitable on every project you should constantly refer to your Systems, Templates, Check-lists, and Software to generate and prepare your values.ConclusionYour job as an Estimator is not easy and you must have the ability to pay close attention to detail. Along with providing cost data, the Estimator must understand the roles each professional involved in the project.Creating toolkits and systems for completing tasks will allow you to produce accurate estimates, quickly. Remember that Investors and Stakeholders are counting on you to be there Cost Consultant and provide them with reliable values and filter through cost estimates provided by other parties.Project Cost Estimator

I've practically spent the past 3–4 years focusing solely on this topic. These habits have helped me so much in all areas of life giving me the ability to get in there and get shit done even when I have no inkling of desire to do so.Here goes :-COLD SHOWERSGreat for the body and for your hair, but more importantly it puts a quick pep in my step. Almost like being given a small dose of adrenaline every morning.Also is a great conditioning tool for discipline. Training your mind to experience a handful of seconds in discomfort for the pleasure of feeling rejuvenated afterwards.-NUTRITIONAlthough fairly obvious of the benefits gained from healthy eating and lots of water drinking, it truly went unprecedented how my demeanor reflected my choice of eating until I started strictly monitoring what I put into my body. The more strict and more healthy I was, the more energy, excitement, and positivism I had each day.Feel great waking up and gets your day going on the right foot.Your body will thank you tremendously for years to come.-ORGANIZATIONFairly straightforward. It's aesthetically appealing even if its tedious work at first.Have easier access to your belongings.Gives extra time to focus on other priorities and presents a tidy environment to do so.-MEDITATIONAnother habit that might be ignored by many until experimenting and realizing the profound benefits it can provide.Great for nearly all of your body's systems. (Another, your body will thank you later habit)Great for your mind. Trains your conscious mind to overcome your unconscious tendencies. Brings the present moment into focus. Diminishes stress. Makes for a more keen and prepared mind. Clears mental fog. Establishes an understanding of what you need to do for your own best interest.Really though, the benefits from meditation could be its own separate post and I am just trying to summarize.-READING / WRITINGI just consider this to be the equivalent of using a dumbbell to exercise your biceps, except the brain is the muscle and the book is the tool.Plus you get wicked smart.-EXERCISEHonestly just like meditation, I can elaborate an abundance of reasons why this would greatly improve your livelihood. Knowing how common knowledge it is already, ill focus on other habits.Don't shrug this one off though, exercise is a foundation stone to build upon for self improvement.-NATURE WALKSGiven the right climate and surroundings, a nice casual stroll through wilderness or some sort of scenic route is resoundingly therapeutic. Similar to meditation. I do this any chance I get when my daily endeavors have been fulfilled.Bonus points for interacting with people you come across with along the way. I used this as a way to fight social anxiety and practice casual conversation.-HYGIENE / APPEARANCETaking extra time for grooming and taking more care with your image is a great confidence boost.I recently have nearly finished updating my wardrobe to a more semi formal look and absolutely love being able to walk out the door feeling like a million bucks.-PRODUCTIVITY BINDERThis is a personal gratifying habit of mine that I update/revise daily.I have pocket sheets dedicated to specialized excel templates for the following: To Do list, Goals, Schedule, Exercise, Budget, Financial tracking, Wish List, Bucket List, Daily resolution checklist, Etc. Practically any given topic condensed into a binder that can be accessed and reviewed at any time. I can provide pictures if requested. I am quite proud of this and can't imagine living without this binder.-NO FAPYes I know, there seems to be a lot of controversy dealing with this subject so I won't try to convince anyone one way or the other, but I would be lying if I said this is just a small habit with miniscule benefits.Abstinence from masturbation and pornography in general was more than likely the most significant improvement of my life. It literally fostered the creation of an entirely new personality that encouraged most of the listed habits above to be tolerated.Studies can illuminate exactly what practicing this habit can entail, but personally it made me more energetic, more friendly, more outgoing, more hardworking, more well spoken, more confident, and nonetheless more of the person I wanted to be.-DEEP SLEEPAlthough we all sleep of course, but making sure you are getting the ideal amount of sleep every night is fundamental for day to day endeavors.I use to sleep only about 5-6 hours a night and although I managed fine, I was quite surprised how changing my sleep schedule produced a more revitalized self each day. Preparing for sleep instead of forcing myself to sleep, sleeping an extra couple hours juxtaposed to my 5-6 hour usual sleeping time, cutting off all lights that might interfere with sleep, all sounds, no caffeine hours before sleep, etc. Just solely focusing on allowing my mind and body to be in an environment suited for a well, uninterrupted night of sleep.————————————————————————Would you like to add anything else? Let me know in the comments.