You're sure you'll remember what the supervisor said about the kitchen window height. You won't.
Memory isn't a recording. It drifts every time you recall something, and we fill the gaps with what we expected to hear. Six months later, two honest people can remember the same conversation completely differently.
That's what a site diary is for. It's the cheapest insurance you'll buy on your build: a dated record of what happened, who was there, what was said and the photos to prove it. When there's a record, you don't have to argue. You point to it.
Your builder keeps one. You should too.
Supervisors keep a site diary, sometimes called a daily report or site log. You don't need anything that formal. Keep your own simple version, and add an entry for every site visit, phone call or important email.
For each entry, record:
- Date and time: Tue 14 May, 7:40 to 8:10 am
- Weather, and any recent rain: fine, heavy rain Sunday
- Who was there: the supervisor and two carpenters
- Stage and progress: frame up, roof trusses on, no battens yet
- Conversations and instructions: supervisor confirmed the kitchen window moved per variation V07
- Issues you noticed: water ponding along the east slab edge, temporary downpipe disconnected at the rear
- Photos: IMG_2041 to 2058, wide and close-up of the east slab edge
- Follow-up: emailed the supervisor at 9:15 am; they'll drain it by Friday
Five minutes after each visit is all it takes.
What good evidence looks like
Good evidence is simple: date + context + proof.
- Take two photos: one wide, one close. The wide shot shows where, so include a door, window or corner you'll recognise. The close-up shows what. Put a tape measure in the shot when size matters.
- Be specific. "Bedroom 2, east wall: three studs bowed about 8 mm over 1.8 m" is useful. "Frame looks a bit wonky" isn't.
- Write like a witness, not a critic. "Electrician didn't attend as booked; supervisor advised Thursday" beats "useless sparky didn't show". A neutral record is far more convincing if it's ever read by someone else.
- Write it the same day. Back-filling a week from memory defeats the purpose.
- Attach what backs it up: emails, signed variations, inspection certificates, delivery dockets and your independent inspector's reports.
Photograph what's about to be covered
The most valuable photos are of things that will soon be hidden. Once they're covered, the only way to check them is to cut into your house. Take these whether you see a problem or not.
- Before site start: the kerb, footpath, verge, street trees and neighbours' fences and driveways.
- Before the slab pour: under-slab plumbing, membrane laps and penetrations, reinforcement and bar chairs, edge beams and termite protection.
- After the pour: the whole slab, the slab edges and any cracks, with a ruler for scale.
- Frame: each room's walls and ceiling, tie-downs and bracing, and lintels over openings.
- Rough-in: every wall and ceiling with pipes, wiring and ducts visible, before insulation and plasterboard go on. You'll thank yourself later when you want to hang a TV.
- Waterproofing: wet-area membranes, especially at floor wastes, wall-to-floor junctions and shower hobs, before tiling.
Watch the water around your slab. On every visit, especially after rain, photograph the whole slab perimeter. Check temporary downpipes are connected and discharging away from the house, and that the ground slopes away. Photograph any ponding and email the supervisor the same day. Water sitting against the slab on reactive clay can lead to slab movement and cracking after you move in, and those dated photos show who was managing site drainage at the time.
Anthony Painter
Adding a reference number to each photo makes your diary much easier to search.
Paper or digital?
Either works if you're consistent. Digital usually wins, because photos are dated automatically, entries are searchable and backups are easy.
Whichever you choose:
- Keep everything in one place: one folder or app per build, with sub-folders by stage.
- Back it up to a second location.
- Don't rely on texts or a group chat. They're hard to search and easy to lose. Copy anything important into your diary or an email.
- Keep your records until well after your defects period and warranties have run out. Storage is cheap. Disputes aren't.
Choosing an app
If you go digital, the best app is the one you'll actually use. Look for one that:
- stores dated photos with each entry
- exports to PDF so you can send a clean report
- shares easily with your builder or inspector
- doesn't let entries be quietly edited later
A few I've come across: Site Report Pro (a one-off purchase, no subscription, with configurable PDF reports) and SiteWalk: Smart Field Notes (video and voice memos that get transcribed, with a shareable link). A plain notes app and a well-organised photo folder will also do the job.
The short version
- Make an entry for every visit, call and important email, on the same day.
- Keep it factual and specific: who, what, where and when.
- Take a wide and a close-up photo, and tie them to your notes.
- Photograph everything before it's covered.
- Keep it all in one place, backed up.
Start on your next site visit. You'll feel the benefit within a week, and you'll be very glad of it if something's questioned months later.
FAQs
What's the minimum I should record?
The date, who was there, what stage the build is at, anything you were told, anything that looks wrong, and a few photos.
Will my diary help in a dispute?
It can. Records made at the time, dated, factual and backed by photos carry far more weight than anyone's memory.
Can I go on site to take photos?
Check your contract and arrange visits with your supervisor. A building site is a workplace, so follow their safety rules.
How long should I keep everything?
At least until your defects period and warranties have ended. In Queensland the defects period runs 12 months from practical completion, and structural warranty cover runs much longer. When in doubt, keep it.
Further reading
Anthony Painter
Anthony Painter
Anthony Painter
Anthony Painter
Anthony Painter
Anthony Painter
