Lesson 3 - Project Documentation

CMG 6400 – Introduction to Construction Management

Instructor: Jeffrey M. Williams

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 Project Documentation – Records and Reports

• In earlier years, all that seemed to be needed to assure quality

construction was a fulltime Resident Project Representative
(RPR).
– On premise, the RPR would ensure the owners’ money's worth by
applying years of construction experience.

• No detailed records were kept, many decisions made in the

field should have been made by the architect or engineer, and
many "deals" were made involving construction tradeoffs,
without any documentation.
– Many of old-time inspectors still operate in this manner.

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 Project Documentation – Records and Reports
• Any project could become involved in litigation, and
it could be several years after an incident before testimony of
the inspector as a witness is requested.
– An interesting fact, to be recognized by all inspectors.

• Any record the inspector makes in writing, recorded in a form

that retains credibility, may be referred to
by the inspector while on the witness stand.
– An allowable method of refreshing a witness's memory.

• Notes by the inspector must be made on the same day that an

incident or conversation took place.
– It is not acceptable to write notes on scratch paper, and later
transcribe them into the inspector's diary or log book.
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 Project Documentation – Records and Reports

• Any inspector who fails to keep adequate records

is not performing a competent job and should be
replaced.
– Instead of providing services the owner is paying for,
such an inspector is simply adding to the overhead
cost of the project.

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 Project Documentation – Records and Reports
• A written document, as a record of an act, condition,
or event is normally admissible when offered if:
– 1. The document was made in the regular course of
business.
– 2. The document was written at or near the time of
the act, condition, or event.
– 3. The possessor of the record or other qualified witness
testifies to its identity and the mode of its preparation.
– 4. The sources of information and the method and time
of preparation were sufficient to indicate its
trustworthiness.
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 Project Documentation – Records and Reports

• It is preferable to establish a filing system for an

entire company/agency rather depending on record-
keeping systems designed for individual projects.
– Any effort to utilize a design-oriented filing system
for construction is doomed from the start.

• In the absence of an established company system

of records filing, the RPR may be the only person
to develop and maintain competent project records.

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 Project Documentation – Records and Reports
• A sample of categories of the filing system of a major
engineering firm in the US is shown here.
– Each relates exclusively to construction phase activities.

See more categories on pages 47-48 of your textbook. 8

 Individual Project Records
• It is often the RPR’s responsibility to determine specific
needs of the employer with regard to the types of construction
records for a specific project.
• Federal agency projects often provide a very specific list of
records, reports & documentation required.
– Plus some specific requirements concerning the
form in which such records must be maintained.
• Often the printed forms themselves are provided.

• Each inspector should always maintain a daily diary in which

notes and records of daily activities and conversations are
kept.
– Not a substitute for the Daily Construction Report.
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 Construction Records

Fig. 4.1a Daily Construction Report.

See this entire report on pages 49-51 of your textbook.

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 Individual Project Records

• All field office files should be kept up to date and maintained for ready
reference at the job site during the entire construction phase of the
project.
– Upon work completion, files should be turned over to the
architect/engineer.
• Field office files should include the following categories:

– 1. Correspondence. – 5. Reports.
– 2. Job drawings. – 6. Samples.
– 3. Shop drawing submittals. – 7. Operating tests.
– 4. Requisitions. – 8. Deviation requests.

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 Construction Reports

• The most commonly accepted form of progress

record is in the form of a Daily Construction Report.
– Filled-in by the RPR or the contractor's CQC daily.

• The daily report is highly necessary as a progress

record, and the use of this report in combination
with an inspector's daily diary allows two types of
information to be recorded in separate documents.

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 Construction Reports

• The Daily Construction Report should include data indicated in the

sample on page 49. (Fig. 4.1a)
– Where electronic reporting is used, companion input forms can gather
input data and digital photos from the field.
• An electronic reporting system also can provide the means of capturing
daily inspection reports.
– Usually scanned images.
• It is not uncommon to require monthly reports also.
– Monthly Report of Contract Performance. (Fig. 4.5, Pg. 56)
– General Project Status Report. (Fig. 4.6, Pg. 57)

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Construction Reports
– 1. A hardcover, stitched binding field book, as used by surveyors, or a
"record book“, obtainable at stationers.
– 2. Pages should be consecutively numbered in ink.
• No numbers should be skipped.
– 3. No erasures should be made.
• Cross out incorrect information & enter correct data next to it.
– 4. No pages should be torn out of the book at any time.
• Place a large "X" through the page, and mark it "void."
– 5. Report every day & account for every calendar date.
• If there is no work on a given date, "no work" should be entered.
– 6. Entries must be made on the same date that they occur.
• If notes are kept on separate paper & later transcribed into the
diary, the credibility of the entire diary comes into question.

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Construction Reports
– 1. Record telephone calls made/received, a substantial
outline of the nature, including statements/commitments.
– 2. Record any work/material in place not corresponding to
drawings or specifications, as well as the action taken.
– 3. Record time & name of the contractor's representative
to whom field orders are delivered, and nature of the
order.
– 4. Note unforeseen conditions observed by the inspector
that may cause a slowdown by the contractor.
– 5. Where a contractor is performs extra work because of
an unforeseen underground obstruction, make a count of
all personnel & equipment, and how they are occupied.
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Construction Reports
– 6. Record the content of all substantive conversations held
with the contractor at the site, as well as any tradeoffs,
deals, or commitments made by either party.
– 7. Record all field errors made by any party at the site.
• Identify in detail and indicate probable effect.
– 8. Show name of the job at the head of every page.
– 9. Sign every diary entry, indicating your title immediately
under the last line of entry on each day's report.
• This precludes claims that additional wording was
added later.

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 DOCUMENTATION OF SAFETY HAZARD WARNINGS

• In each case involving an "imminent hazard," the resident inspector

should take the following steps :
– 1. Notify the contractor's superintendent or foreman.
– 2. Issue written notice to the contractor to take immediate action to
correct the hazard and record this action.
– 3. Upon failure or refusal of the contractor to take steps to correct or
remove an the hazard, note the time & telephone the OSHA
compliance officer and make a full oral report.
– 4. Write a full report to the design firm or owner, including
a summary of all pertinent data recorded in the diary.
– 5. On sending the field report to the design firm or owner, telephone
them advise of the forthcoming report, describe the incident briefly,
indicate action taken & and record call.

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 DOCUMENTATION OF JOB SITE MEETINGS

• Proceedings of job conferences or job site meetings,

management meetings, safety meetings,
coordination/scheduling meetings, and similar
functions is important.
– The RPR should attend all such functions, fully prepared
to document for personal information the business
transacted at each such meeting.

• Where statements are made by more than one

person, identities of all speakers should be listed.
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 CONTRACTOR SUBMITTALS
• Recommended procedure for handling contractor submittals
is to require that all such submittals be made directly to the
RPR by the general contractor.
– Such practices are created to make use of a proven system
that can help prevent disputes or field errors.
• If all such material is properly logged in/out, claims by the
contractor of excessive holding time, or claims of submittals
that were never made, can be quickly and effectively
confirmed at the site.
– In the illustrated submittal log spaces are provided for
indicating the action taken on each submittal as well.
(Fig. 4.4, Pg. 54)
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 CONTRACTOR SUBMITTALS

• Until the advent of electronic project management tools,

contractor submittal was largely a manual bookkeeping job.
– With computerized systems, it has become interactive.
• Involved parties can be notified of the submittals currently in
progress.
– Users can begin with a master list of expected submittals
& samples and develop the specific list for the project.
• Scanned or photographic images can be used as attachments
to process the submittals electronically.

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 CONSTRUCTION PHOTOGRAPHS
• Much reliance is being placed on use of photography to
document progress, damage, technical detail, types of
materials, methods of installation, evidence of site conditions,
and similar tasks.
– The RPR will probably do most of the photography.

• Four basic types may be needed:

– Public relations photography - Appeals to the layperson, showing
what an impressive structure is being built.
– Progress photography - Discloses quantity & kind of work
completed since the last progress photographs were taken.
– Documentation of safety hazards.
– Claims support.
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 CONSTRUCTION PHOTOGRAPHS
• Much reliance is being placed on use of photography to
document progress, damage, technical detail, types of
materials, methods of installation, evidence of site conditions,
and similar tasks.
– The RPR will probably do most of the photography.

• Four basic types may be needed:

– Public relations photography - Appeals to the layperson, showing
what an impressive structure is being built.
– Progress photography - Discloses quantity & kind of work
completed since the last progress photographs were taken.
– Documentation of safety hazards.
– Claims support.
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