Are you still wondering why you should keep detailed site reports?
In this article, we explain the benefits of site supervision and the importance of reports for your company. We'll also look at the legal value and advantages of site supervision, particularly in terms of monitoring work progress and technical compliance.
The main purpose of the site meeting is to finalize the administrative, technical and material organization of the project, and to highlight any potential problems.
Each meeting will follow a very precise schedule:
Here again, the various players in the project have very specific roles:
The worksite meeting or visit enables you to check that the work specified in the contract between the contractor and the client is being carried out. Each participant can sign off on the project progress documents. These show the status of the work to date.
The site meeting is also an opportunity to move the project forward and make important collective decisions, particularly with regard to any unforeseen events or modifications.
The site report must include a summary of the observations and discussions made during site visits and meetings. This ensures that everyone involved has access to the same information, reducing the risk of misunderstandings.
Its role is essential, as it enables precise monitoring of the progress of work and the identification of actions to be taken or reviewed. In short, it will record everything that has been said and everything that needs to be done, by whom, for whom, how and when.
The aim was to deliver a project in line with the original estimate.
The following points are essential:
If you're in charge of drafting the minutes for a large-scale project, remember to divide your document by lot, sector or type of activity, to ensure that it's as clear and structured as possible. The site report should be sent to everyone involved in the progress of the project.
Also known as a "site report" (PV de chantier), the report is not a contractual document in the legal sense of the term, according to Afnor standard NF P. 03-001 (Article 4.2.1.). It is, however, an essential document in the event of a dispute. Indeed, it can be put forward to appointed experts. By recording the progress of work in the report, as well as any findings of defects and/or other problems, the project manager guarantees his good faith and his communication with the client. Its purpose is primarily informative. The legal obligations of the various parties involved in the project must in all cases be mentioned in the initial contract.
Site reports regularly contain the statement: "After x days without dispute, the site report will become contractual". However, without prior mention of this fact in the initial contract, the report will have no legal value. In fact, it must be specified in the contract that the report will have the value of a contractual document for it to be considered as such.
It is generally advisable to inform the parties involved of any dispute within 8 days of receipt of the written report. Under no circumstances, however, may such protests go beyond the contractual obligations previously established.
In the case of major changes, a written agreement between the parties is required.
Please note: if a project owner accepts work carried out outside the contract during a site visit, a judge may not accept a written challenge after the fact in the event of a dispute.
As a craftsman or building contractor, don't forget that you are responsible for the proper execution of the work carried out on a construction site. This means you need to keep a close eye on progress, by holding regular site meetings to detect any problems at an early stage.
With the minutes of these meetings, you'll be able to keep track of all the progress made on the site.
To make your life easier, you now have the option of producing your reports directly via a dedicated software program or application. L'Techtime application, for example, lets you easily retrieve the entire history of activities carried out during a project, and compile all the information you need: resources, technical and administrative documents, plans, photos, etc.
There are now many different platforms available to help you manage the day-to-day running of your construction sites. You're bound to find the one that's right for you among the many offerings available on the market today.
