Renovation Site Diary

Who this is for

A week of building work, written down as it happens. One row a day for who was on site, what was done, what arrived and what was decided.

Homeowners living with building work who want their own record of each day, useful when a question about progress, a delay or a decision comes up weeks later.

What this helps you track

• Which trades were on site each day and how many people
• What work was carried out and what was delivered
• Problems and questions raised, and who raised them
• Decisions made on site and who made them
• Photos taken each day, so each one can be matched to the diary

How to use it

1. Write the project, the address, the week commencing date and the contractor in the header.
2. Fill each day's row in the evening while it is fresh, even if the entry is only no one on site.
3. Write issues and decisions in plain words, with who said what, and copy any agreed change into the change log.
4. Number your photos or note the time taken so each can be matched to the day.
5. Tick the weekly checks on Friday or at the weekend, and start a new sheet each week.
6. Use the online version on a phone on site if easier; it saves in your own browser.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why keep a diary if the builder keeps one?

Their diary records what they think matters. Yours records what you saw and agreed, which is what you will want when checking an invoice, a claimed delay or a question about what was decided.

How much should I write each day?

A line or two per column is enough. The aim is a record that someone else could follow, with names, times and quantities, rather than a full account of the day.

What should I photograph?

Anything that will be covered up, such as pipes, cables, insulation and foundations, plus deliveries, damage and finished stages. Write the photo number or time in that day's row.

Should decisions made on site be confirmed?

It is sensible to confirm any decision that affects cost or time in writing with the contractor, and to log it as a change. The diary shows when and how it came up.