Managing a construction project requires more than having the right materials, skilled labor, and a sound plan. Large projects require coordination between multiple trades, design changes, and extensive planning, and keeping all of that straight during the building process can be challenging. That’s why documentation is crucial to the process.
Rigorous documentation at every project stage helps things run smoothly, stay on schedule, reduce budget overages and meet all necessary regulatory and safety requirements. Documentation records everything that happens during the construction process, so there is always a record to check for when disputes or regulatory checks arise. Even after a project is finished, the construction documentation can be invaluable for future renovations or repair needs.
Types of documentation to keep during construction
Every construction process step should be documented to ensure accuracy and avoid costly errors. Some of the most common types of documentation include:
- Building plans: These plans provide detailed information about the structure, dimensions, materials, and systems used in construction or specifications required for the client’s needs. As a project progresses, building and specification plans may change. These changes are marked “as-built” to reflect any variations from the original plans. This specification is crucial for future maintenance, repairs, or expansions and helps prevent misunderstandings when assessing the work after completion.
- Project management documentation: Keeping track of all the communication and coordination between design teams, contractors, subcontractors, and clients is crucial in a construction project. Everything related to project management, including contracts, schedules, change orders, and other communication forms, must be documented consistently and kept for future reference.
- Budget documentation: The budget is one of the hardest things to track on any construction project. Job costing documentation tracks every expense associated with the project, including materials, labor, equipment rental, and more. This documentation ensures the project stays within the required budget and provides an accurate financial record for audits and future cost assessments.
- Safety documentation: Detailed safety documentation is required by law. Safety procedures, training records, equipment inspection reports and other forms of documentation are needed to keep workers safe and ensure compliance with OSHA regulations during the building process. Additionally, safety documentation to ensure the structural integrity of the construction project is also required and needed for future reference.
- Licensing and insurance documentation: Most projects require various licenses, bonding, and insurance policies during and after completion. These documents protect all parties involved in the construction process, including the client, the general contractor, and the subcontractors.
Project spotlight: ABO Plasma Center
Despite how vital proper documentation is to the construction process, we often work on projects where we don’t have access to the records we need. In our spring 2024 newsletter, we highlighted one such project, the ABO Plasma Center project in West Valley, Utah. Our team was hired to take care of the structural engineering elements of this project. However, we soon realized that critical documentation of the initial building construction process was missing.
Without these crucial documents, our team had to conduct in-depth structural assessments of the building’s existing framework, including a comprehensive vertical analysis. The construction plans called for installing new mechanical units to serve the freeze units below, and we needed to ensure that the structure could support the additional load.
The team also conducted wind and seismic analyses to evaluate the potential impact of external forces on the building with these new modifications. We had to ensure that the building could withstand the region’s weather patterns and was structurally sound enough to meet safety standards and regulations.
Working without the proper construction documentation on this project was challenging. Our team had to conduct thorough analyses involving precise measurements and assessments to ensure the new modification plans aligned with the building and remained structurally sound. Our team did an incredible job meeting the needs of this project and gained a new appreciation for the crucial role that comprehensive construction documentation can play, even years after the work is complete!
Why documentation matters
For new developments and renovations, effectively tracking the construction process is critical for a project’s success. Proper documentation during construction helps make sure the projects stay on schedule and within budget while meeting safety and quality standards. Keeping a record of a project’s documentation for future reference is also crucial for future renovation or repairs once a project is complete.
At McNeil Engineering, we understand how vital comprehensive documentation is to the success of every project. That’s why we prioritize meticulous record-keeping in all our work for clients so they also have a record of the construction process. If you’re embarking on a construction or renovation project, let us help prioritize your documentation needs with our construction administration services and establish robust processes to track every detail so your project finishes on time and within our budget. Reach out today for a consultation on your next project.
