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Nobody wants to keep a site diary, and the day you need one is usually the day something has gone wrong.
The client asks “Was anyone actually there that day?”, or nobody can remember which day an extra was agreed.
At that point, whoever can find the record for that day is the one with a case.
This template uses the fields we use ourselves. It’s free to download.
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- Enter the “Start date” and the date, weekday and day-number columns update automatically
- Each sheet covers a 31-day month. For the next month, duplicate the sheet and set “This sheet from” to the first day of the month; the day number carries on
- Edit any date directly and the following days continue from it
- The first three rows are worked examples; just type over them
The fields a site log should record
| Field | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Date, weather | Rained-off days and slow-drying plaster: explaining the timeline later depends on this cell |
| Crews on site, number of workers | Who was on site which day, for checking crew invoices and answering the client about progress |
| Work done today | Write how far the work got, e.g. “second coat of bathroom waterproofing done”, not just “masonry” |
| Planned for tomorrow | Who is coming the next day and what needs preparing; writing it down means nobody is forgotten |
| Materials delivered / checked | When materials arrived, whether quantities were right, any damage: for reconciling with suppliers |
| Issues / to follow up | Problems found on site, instructions from the client, extras and omissions. The most important column |
| Recorded by | Who wrote it, so you know who to ask |
How to write entries you can rely on later
- Write what you saw, not how it felt: “Cold-water pipes corroded, photos taken” is more useful than “pipes in poor condition”
- Record what the client agreed on site the same day: who agreed, to what, and how it will be charged. Filled in the next day, it often doesn’t match
- Keep a row for days with no work: write “rained off” or “waiting for materials”, so it’s visible when the timeline is questioned
- Match photos to the log: on days you take photos, write “photos taken” in the issues column, so you know which day to look for later
- Write it the same day: five minutes before finishing work is far more accurate than remembering the whole week at the weekend
Public works projects use formal construction daily reports with many required fields.
Home renovations don’t need all that. The only thing that matters is being able to find the right day when something goes wrong.
Where Excel site logs usually break down
- Nobody fills it in: the file is on the office computer, people are on site, and by the time they’re back half of it is forgotten
- Photos don’t match: photos are on individual phones and in group chats; the log says “photos taken” but nobody can find them
- Attendance relies on memory: who came which day and when only gets noticed at month end when crew invoices need checking
Let phones record the two most tedious parts of the log
Everywhere Design is a project management app for construction and renovation teams.
Staff and supervisors check in by GPS on arrival, so who came on which day, and when, is recorded automatically.
Site photos go straight into the site album, sorted by month and trade, with no digging through group chats.
Issues found on site go on the site’s to-do list with an owner and a due date, and reminders go out automatically.
30-day free trial, no credit card required.
FAQ
Is a site log required for a home renovation?
Home renovations usually have no hard requirement to keep one; if the contract says so, follow the contract.
When the timeline, extras or warranty need settling, the record from that day is the most direct evidence.
Who should keep the site log?
Usually the site manager or project lead.
Crews may not have time to write it; they can say where they got to before leaving, and one person records it for everyone.
What is the difference between a site log and a construction schedule?
A construction schedule is the plan made before work starts: what is expected to happen on which day.
A site log is the daily record of what actually happened. Compare the two and you can see whether the job is behind.