When you work in construction, you focus on the technical or critical aspects of project management, such as scheduling, budgeting, or inventory management. Most people find creating construction reports a hassle, but they are an essential part of every project. From the conceptualization and planning stages to the construction and final handover, reports are necessary to keep everything on track.
There are different kinds of reports are needed for other parts of the construction reporting process. Each report is essential to the success of the project as a whole. Reports allow all the people involved to see what’s going on, from owners and partners to contractors and safety officers.
Making choices for your construction project can be scary, and it is critical to have the correct information so you can make the right decision. Reporting gives you the data you need to make smart business choices and spot risks before they become too big to handle.
This article will discuss what a construction report is, the different types, what they mean at other times of a project, and how to improve the reporting process.
What Is Construction Reporting?
Construction reporting involves gathering, organizing, and analyzing information about a building project’s current state and progress. Once you have the construction document, you must clearly and concisely communicate that information to people who need it. This keeps everyone on the same page and with the same updated information.
Reporting on construction work is an integral part of project management because it helps managers spot problems early on and decide how to fix them. Construction project reports are essential for keeping everyone, such as stakeholders and crews involved in the project, on-site and updated on its progress, issues, and successes.
Types of Construction Reports
Businesses in any industry need project reports to be successful. These detailed records show how a project is going, its state, and any problems that have come up. Reports give businesses the information they need to make intelligent choices.
Here are the common types of reports used in construction:
Daily Reports
Look at the daily report to see how much work gets done each day. If you have your team keep daily logs that include written notes and pictures of the progress, you can see progress every day and share it with your clients.
Sales Reports
Sales records for construction projects show the company’s earnings. These reports show the number of contracts or jobs won and their worth, as well as the amount of money sent to and received from clients and any payments that are still due.
Financial Reports
Financial reports show a business’s economic health. They can include information about income, costs, gains, and losses. Reports make managing money more accessible, and they help business owners make smart choices and find ways to improve things more quickly.
Reports on work-in-progress (WIP)
A construction work-in-progress report gives an in-depth look at a project’s progress and current state. The report makes it easy to handle the project and shows how the current information compares to the original schedule. You can find out if the job is over or under budget and how much it will cost to finish.
Quality Control Reports
Quality control reports tell you about the quality of a building project’s work. In these papers, you can find information about how well project requirements and industry standards were met. These papers may contain information about inspections and audits. Reports on quality control help make sure that standards for quality are met.
Change Orders
Building change order reports show how the original price, schedule, or scope of work for a project has been changed. They can tell you why the change was made, how it will affect the project’s schedule or budget, and if any permissions are needed for the change. Change order reports keep everyone on the project up to date on changes.
Stakeholder Reports
A stakeholder report can show how a construction project is going and its current state. Users can look at these reports to learn about the project’s price, schedule, and other details. These reports can help them monitor risk and make intelligent business choices.
Who is Responsible for Generating Construction Reports?
Reporting is a group effort that involves many people in any construction job. In the reporting process, everyone is responsible for making sure that the information is correct, up-to-date, and valuable. Knowing these jobs and responsibilities is essential so that the reporting process runs smoothly and quickly and meets the project’s goals. By making these roles clear, construction professionals can improve communication, hold each other accountable, and eventually have a better project outcome.
In this section, we have listed the people who have critical roles in generating construction reports.
Owners
Owners may have a lot to say about the reporting process because they are essential stakeholders. They might give ideas or specific needs that they want to be included in reports. They are involved at any critical point in the project, from the beginning to the end.
Site Leadership Team
Usually, in construction, a few key people take the lead in ensuring everything goes according to plan.
- The project executive usually leads, especially if problems arise during the project.
- The project manager, on the other hand, ensures that everything is tracked and seen. They also need to ensure that all of the reports align with the project’s goals.
- Supervisors are usually in charge of reporting what they see in the field. They are the project’s eyes and ears.
- Site supervisors are in charge of daily activities and make sure that daily reports are kept up to date.
- Foremen write down what they see in the field and make sure that quality and safety standards are met.
Safety Officers
Safety officers and site safety managers are in charge of site safety. They help ensure safety rules are followed and plan and carry out safety steps on the job site. Safety staff may also keep track of safety reports and ensure they are kept up to date and correctly managed.
Trade Partners
Each trade partner may have their own set of records for their own business, but the general contractor is usually in charge of combining all of them. Some consultants, like quantity surveyors, may be in charge of more specialty reports, like cost management reports.
Subcontractors
Subcontractors also provide thorough reports on their trades, including the amount of material used, the amount of work done, and the progress made on the project.
Consultants
Consultants give advice based on their knowledge and may be in charge of special studies, such as cost analyses and compliance checks.
The Benefits of Generating Accurate Reports
Reporting in construction can help a company in many ways, such as by making it easier for team members to work together and make decisions. With reports, you can figure out your construction’s return on investment, see what jobs are still due, and look over your budget.
Clear and Accurate Information
Construction reporting encourages openness by giving everyone involved accurate and up-to-date details about the progress and state of each project. Making reports clear can help owners, funders, and project managers trust and believe in them.
Close Communication and Collaboration
Construction reporting gives everyone involved a single source of information they can use to communicate and work together. These reports can help people talk to each other more openly and hold people accountable.
Good Decision Making
Reports give people who are interested in a project accurate information that helps them make decisions. For example, a report that says a task is behind schedule might prompt the project manager to add more resources or change the schedule to keep the project on track.
Easier Monitoring of Project Progress
Construction reports can help stakeholders monitor the progress of different project tasks and milestones. They can also regularly monitor these reports to spot possible problems early on and make changes to keep the project on track.
Evaluation of The Project’s Performance
Reports show a construction project’s progress and performance so that stakeholders can hold team members accountable for their work and judge the general performance. Project managers can see where team members may need to improve their work by keeping track of things like how many hours were worked and what tasks were completed.
Tips on How to Create Better Reports
Building project reports can protect your business and help you monitor the project’s progress. We listed a few tips that will help you improve your work.
Aim for Clear and Concise Reports
Clear reporting standards are essential to ensure that everyone knows what information is needed when it is required, and how it should be presented.
Standardized Templates
Using standard forms for reports helps make sure that all project reports are the same. It is easier to look at data and make choices when all stakeholders get reports that are structured, written, and presented in the same way.
Utilize Automation for Data Collection
The results can be more accurate if the data collection is done automatically. With automated reporting, data can be gathered in real-time, making sure that everyone has the most up-to-date information at all times.
Monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
By tracking your project’s KPIs, you can focus on the other parts of the project that need more attention when writing up building reports. This helps ensure that everyone is working toward the goals of each project.
