What is a construction log?
A daily construction log or daily report is a necessary tool that compiles information from each day that there is work performed at each construction site. Basically, it is used to record the daily progress of construction projects.
Putting together a construction journal can seem like a chaotic, never-ending project. The good news is that the advent of digital solutions has simplified this demanding process by automating some of its most time-consuming aspects.
Despite its paramount importance, many people in construction still sometimes seem to underestimate its need. However, those who needed to go back and refer to them weeks later understood why daily logs are a fundamental component of the construction process.
Daily construction records can also be valuable when companies end up in court or arbitration, as the documentation can be useful in scenarios like he said, she said. In other words, daily records can serve as an objective source of truth about anything that occurred on site.
For this reason, it is essential that no information is lost. All facts must be documented in these daily reports because anything left out can result in damaging conflicts or costly misunderstandings. 
There is no hard and fast rule about how records should be completed, as both digital and handwritten notes are acceptable. However, daily records created with pen and paper began to be seen as problematic for a number of reasons, such as the fact that they cannot be updated or that their legibility depends greatly on the handwriting of the person creating them. .
Daily construction records are typically completed by the construction foreman, superintendent or even project managers. After all, the more information that is collected, the better the documentation will be.
Each day's data should be collected regularly, at least once a week. In the pre-digital days, daily reports were often placed in a three-ring binder in the office.
As digital technologies are taking over, people on site now have the option of storing this precious information online with the help of construction logbook software. This way, all project agents can effortlessly access it and share it with other team members.
In summary, here are some of the main benefits of making your construction daily records process digital:
- You are able to generate personalized and very professional looking records that can be shared with different project stakeholders (e.g. construction managers, clients, etc.).
- You can easily access and update the report on-site using just your tablet or mobile device.
- Send, store and retrieve crucial project information quickly.
- Adjust your report based on each project's requirements and needs.
- Better collaboration and coordination between different parties as all information is easily accessible in the cloud.
- Automatically generated weather reports and greater data accuracy in general.
- More in-depth and intuitive daily construction logs.
What is included in a construction log
Depending on the type of project, a construction journal may look different. In any case, however, there are certain elements that must always be included. Here are some of the most notable sections of a construction journal and the information that should be included in each:
Site conditions
The location conditions section typically includes what the weather was like that day. This is important for documentation because if something like grading needs to be done but it has been pouring rain for three days in a row and the field is very muddy, it will show that everyone was ready but unable to do the work within the scheduled time frame.
Guys
This area is where the number of subcontractors, laborers, architects, engineers and other employees who were on the job site can be noted. Names do not always need to be listed, but they can be useful in certain situations.
Main contractor activities
This is a general description of what the main contractor did during the day. If written on paper, it is typically written in short, unabbreviated sentences due to space constraints.
Subcontractor activities
As described above, this category includes all subcontractor activities throughout the day on the field. Additionally, a list of problems they may have encountered or what needs to be done next can be included. Using construction log software, subcontractors can send and receive updates from other project stakeholders in real time.
Comments
This section will include visitors, accidents, altered or unsafe conditions, scheduling issues or delays, important deliveries, sequencing, and unsuccessful attempts to contact people. This is also where any extras can be documented, as not all extras have a written contract and the documentation needs to be found somewhere.
Tests and inspections
Any tests and inspections performed during the day should be documented so everyone knows when each one has been completed. This can also be an integral part of the blocking process.
Memos of meetings and discussions
Meetings and discussions are an important part of the day-to-day life of a construction site and what is discussed at each of them needs to be documented.
Delays and problems created by the owner or representative
Owners and reps can cause job problems because they continually change their minds about what they want or need. Any changes, sequencing changes, ambiguous plans required and anything else must be documented, so that it can be proven at the end if the owner or representative complains when the work is not completed within the expected time.
Materials and equipment delivered
Documenting when materials and equipment were delivered will allow everyone to keep track of what is available. This is also crucial if equipment is only to be at the workplace for a few days, as it lets people know when it needs to be returned.
Designs
Small sketches or drawings may be needed to document changes to plans. These changes to the agreed plan must always be documented in the construction log so that everything progresses as expected.
Photos
A photo is worth a thousand words, which means that sometimes it's better for photos to tell the story rather than writing it all down.
Materials and equipment being ordered
Just like documenting when materials and equipment arrive, people both in the field and in the boardroom need to know when these two are being ordered. This will let everyone know that these items will arrive sooner rather than later.
Maintenance and repair records
Tracking when equipment maintenance has been completed and when equipment is being repaired can help keep companies on track on job sites.
As everyone can see, the construction diary has numerous sections that need to be filled out. However, by filling them out, everyone will remember the events of each specific day, which is much better than trying to refer to a person's memory a week, a month or even a year later.
3 Reasons Everyone Needs to Keep Daily Construction Logs
Construction sites are very busy places and the person in charge may not always be physically supervising everything. Additionally, project managers, superintendents, and other responsible people are trying to keep track of hundreds, if not thousands, of small details every day. And all this information can easily be lost or forgotten.
A well-updated work diary can help a lot in this regard. Especially after the emergence of digital solutions where documentation of all website activity has become faster and more accurate, daily reports can act as the objective source that can keep everyone updated.
This ensures that nothing will be forgotten and that everyone will remember what was completed on a cold, snowy day in February 2012.
There are many ways to generate a daily construction log. Regardless of how you choose to create, it's crucial that all information is included in a straightforward and understandable way. For example, all abbreviations used must be common and well known, so that there are no misunderstandings on the part of the numerous project members.
In cases where the daily log is handwritten, which is no longer recommended, whoever creates the report needs to make sure that all information is legible and well documented.
Handwritten or digital, it is already clear that everyone involved in a construction project must keep a detailed and up-to-date construction diary. And here's why:
1. Dispute Resolution
According to Plan Academy, in 2015 alone, the global cost to the construction industry due to legal disputes was $42.8 million. Furthermore, a legal conflict can last, on average, 14 months. These statistics emphatically show that disputes are one of the main problems in the sector.
Daily construction records can help reduce project disputes and, by extension, increase field productivity and improve collaboration between different parties.
Because daily construction reports include information such as what was said during team meetings, who was present at the job site each day, what arrived at the job site, what accidents may have occurred, and what the weather was like, this gives everyone an idea of what happened every day. As long as they are properly completed, these reports can be used for legal issues, as they will offer specific details of everything that happened during the project.
2. Standardization
Each work is different, but that does not mean that a new scenario that we see now will not also appear in the future. Once scenario information is documented in the daily construction log, everyone can go back and review that information at any time in the future. This will save workers time and since time is money, it is also possible to save a lot of money.
What is most important is that, based on data collected from previous daily records, construction stakeholders will be able to standardize all different systems and processes for future projects, improve predictability and increase savings.
3. Changes
There are always employees leaving or being promoted on construction sites, and the information contained in daily logs can be a wealth of information for those new to the process.
These daily logs are a great place for a person to start as they learn about the project, determining what has already been done and figuring out what needs to be done in the future to keep everything on schedule and on schedule.
As everyone can probably imagine, these daily construction logs can take a little time to fill out and complete each day. After all, there is a lot of information to write down every day and no one wants to leave out any pertinent details, as one of them could be important in the future.
What You Should Always Include in a Construction Journal
If someone has a really busy day and finds that they simply don't have time to fill out the entire form, they should include at least three things. The three basic areas that should always be completed include what was done in the workplace that day, the highlights of the day, and any concerns that arose.
Of course, it may also be necessary to include a weather report, especially if the weather has prevented someone from doing their job. Images are also a great addition to your log, as they often portray the situation on the ground in a much more accurate way.
While the rest of the information contained in a construction log may sometimes be considered perfunctory and not always necessary, most organizations consider it to be important in the event of legal disagreements in the future.
After all, if anything is left out of these daily records, it could be interpreted as something being hidden. This can open up a lot of problems that could simply be avoided by taking the time to fill everything out in detail.
