Daily Report Examples by Trade: Concrete, Electrical, Plumbing, Framing, Drywall and More
A trade daily report should cover the same core facts as any daily report (crew size, hours, work performed by location, delays, safety, photos) plus the trade-specific details that prove progress: quantities in the units the trade is paid by, inspections, material status and conflicts with other trades. Below are short example entries for eight common trades that subcontractor foremen can model.
General contractors: these examples work well as attachments to your subcontract requirements. See subcontractor daily report requirements for sample contract language.
What every trade report includes
- Company, foreman name, date, project
- Headcount by classification (foreman, journeyman, apprentice, laborer) and total hours
- Work performed with location and quantity
- Equipment used and status
- Material received or short
- Delays, conflicts, and what you need from the general contractor
- Safety: pre-task plan done, incidents or near misses
- Photos
Concrete
Log: pour location, CY placed, mix, start and finish times, pump or truck count, tests taken, finishing and curing, weather and temperature during placement.
6 workers, 52 hrs. Placed 46 CY 4,000 psi slab on grade, Building A, gridlines 1 to 3 / A to D. First truck 6:45 AM, last truck 10:10 AM, 5 trucks. Testing agency took 2 sets of cylinders, slump 4 in. Power troweled, curing compound applied 2:30 PM. Ambient 54 F. Truck 4 waited 25 min for pump line repair.
Printable form: Concrete daily report template.
Electrical
Log: rough-in area, conduit LF, wire pulled, devices set, panels, inspections, ceiling and wall cover status.
5 workers, 40 hrs. Rough-in Level 2 rooms 201 to 210: 640 LF 3/4 in. EMT, 38 boxes. Pulled feeders to panel 2HA. Rooms 201 to 205 ready for above-ceiling inspection. Room 207 blocked by mechanical duct at the ceiling; need coordination answer before Thursday.
Printable form: Electrical daily report template.
Plumbing
Log: underground or rough-in LF by size, fixtures, tests and inspections, sleeves and penetrations.
4 workers, 32 hrs. Installed 120 LF 4 in. cast iron waste and 85 LF 1 in. copper domestic water, Level 1 restrooms. Air test on waste stack held 15 min. Inspection requested for Friday 8 AM. 6 floor sleeves set at Level 2 deck ahead of pour.
Printable form: Plumbing daily report template.
HVAC and mechanical
Log: duct LF or pieces, equipment set, hangers, start-up, controls, test and balance.
6 workers, 48 hrs. Hung 210 LF supply duct, Level 3 corridor. Set RTU-2 with crane 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM. 14 hangers installed Level 3 east. Waiting on revised damper submittal; dampers needed by next Wednesday to hold ceiling close-in.
Printable form: HVAC daily report template.
Framing and carpentry
Log: LF of wall, SF of sheathing, blocking, trusses set, area completion percent.
8 workers, 64 hrs. Framed 260 LF interior walls, Level 2, units 201 to 206. Set 18 roof trusses, Building C. Blocking for casework in rooms 104 to 108 complete. Level 2 interior framing about 70% complete.
Printable form: Framing daily report template.
Drywall
Log: sheets or SF hung, taped, finished level, rooms, inspections (screw or fire-rated), conflicts.
7 workers, 56 hrs. Hung 1,900 SF 5/8 in. Type X, Level 3 corridor and rooms 301 to 304. Taped rooms 201 to 206. Fire-rated corridor wall ready for screw inspection. 2 rooms held for missing electrical boxes (rooms 305, 306).
Printable form: Drywall daily report template.
Roofing
Log: squares installed by system layer, roof area, weather and moisture conditions, flashing, tear-off.
5 workers, 30 hrs. Installed 14 squares of insulation and cover board, Roof Area C. Membrane installed 9 squares. Rain started 1:45 PM; area temporarily sealed 2:00 PM. Crew released 2:15 PM. Curb flashing at RTU-2 pending mechanical setting the unit.
Printable form: Roofing daily report template.
Sitework and excavation
Log: CY excavated or hauled, LF of utility, compaction tests, trench protection, utilities located.
4 workers, 36 hrs. Excavated and hauled 120 CY, east parking lot. Installed 180 LF 8 in. storm line, MH-3 to MH-4. Trench box used at depths over 5 ft. Compaction test passed at MH-3. Private locator marked fiber line not shown on survey; photo and location sent to general contractor.
Printable form: Earthwork daily report template.
Comparison table: key metrics by trade
| Trade | Main unit | Must-log item that protects the sub |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete | CY | Truck wait times and test results |
| Electrical | LF conduit, EA devices | Areas blocked by other trades |
| Plumbing | LF pipe | Pressure tests and inspection requests |
| HVAC | LF duct, EA units | Submittal status affecting install |
| Framing | LF wall | Percent complete by area |
| Drywall | SF | Rooms held for other trades |
| Roofing | Squares | Weather stops and temporary dry-in |
| Sitework | CY, LF | Unmarked utilities and test results |
Why subs should care
Detailed trade reports are your best protection when a general contractor says your crew was short, or when you need to back up a change order or delay request. If you write "held for missing boxes" with room numbers and photos on the day it happens, you have a record.
Elevator, fire protection and specialty trades
Smaller trades often submit the thinnest reports, and they are often the ones in a dispute about access or sequence. A short example for fire protection:
3 workers, 24 hrs. Installed 180 LF of 1 in. branch line, Level 2 east, rooms 210 to 216. 14 heads set in pendant position. Level 2 west not available, ceiling grid already started by Delta; requested access window from general contractor.
A simpler way for trade foremen
Foremen are paid to build. Typing a report at 4 PM is the part that gets skipped. Cascade is SMS-first field intelligence for general contractors and subcontractors: superintendents and foremen text in their day, along with their subs, and Cascade builds the daily report, so a foreman can text "5 guys, 640 ft EMT rooms 201 to 210, 207 blocked by duct" with a photo and be done. It handles: Daily reports, manpower and hours by sub, photos, toolbox talks, pre-task plans (JHA), safety incidents and corrective actions, project + schedule planning, automatic sub reminders, analytics and plain-English answers.
Subcontractor access is free. See how SMS daily reports work for subcontractors. For general contractors, onboarding and integration are free, with a one-month pilot on the general contractor plan and no contract lock-in, priced below Raken, Procore and ACC, guaranteed. Need a blank form in the meantime? Use our daily report template.
Frequently asked questions
Should every trade use the same daily report form?
Use the same core sections for every trade (manpower, hours, work performed, delays, safety, photos) so the general contractor can roll reports up. Then let each trade add the units and details that matter to its work, such as cubic yards for concrete or linear feet of conduit for electrical.
What units should subcontractors use in daily reports?
Use the units in your estimate and schedule of values: CY for concrete, LF for pipe, conduit and framing, SF for deck, drywall and roofing, EA for fixtures and devices. Matching estimate units makes production tracking and pay apps easier.
Do subcontractors need to include photos?
Yes, ideally two to five photos tied to the work performed and any problem conditions. Photos of work before it is covered, such as in-wall rough-in, are the most valuable.