Small builders & GCs hub · By James Grokman, CEO, TapeAndFloat · Published October 25, 2026 · Updated October 25, 2026

Documenting delays: weather, client decisions, backorders

Document a delay the day it starts: one row with the job, the date, the cause, what happened, the estimated days lost and who owns the fix, then a short written note to the client and an updated schedule. Most schedule fights start with a delay nobody wrote down.

Free download: Delay log (Excel). One row per delay with cause, days lost, who was notified, when and how, and whether the client confirmed in writing. It flags delays with no written notice to the client, notice later than your own setting, client decisions with no written OK, backorders with no new delivery date, change orders needed with no change order number, blank days lost and open delays with no end date. A Start Here sheet totals it all. The example rows are labeled; delete them before you start. No email required.

1. Why delays turn into schedule fights

A job slips a day for rain, three days waiting on a tile choice, a week for backordered windows. Each one feels small, so nobody writes it down. At the end the client sees a job that finished late and remembers none of the reasons. A short written record, made when each delay happens, lets you explain the schedule from facts instead of memory.

2. One row per delay

Keep one list (a spreadsheet is fine) with one row for each delay:

• Job and the date the delay started; the end date once it is over.
• Cause: weather, homeowner decision or selection, material backorder, inspection, sub no-show, change order, or other.
• What happened, in a sentence or two of facts.
• Estimated days lost.
• Who caused it, or who owns the fix.
• Whether the client was told, the date, and how.
• Whether the client confirmed in writing.
• Whether the schedule was updated, whether it needs a change order (and its number) and any cost impact.
• A link to the photos or the daily log for that day.

3. Write it the day it starts, and keep it factual

Note the cause and what you saw the same day, ideally in the daily log and then in the delay list. Stick to what happened, when, and who said what. Leave out blame. A delay that is written down when it starts is much easier to explain than one pieced together at the end of the job.

4. Tell the client in writing

A phone call or a talk on site is a good start, but follow it with a short written note: an email, a text or a message in whatever app you use. Say what happened, the cause, the estimated days, what you are doing about it and, if you need something from the client, what and by when. Keep a copy with the job. How much notice your contract calls for, and whether a delay gives you more time or money, is set by your contract; ask an attorney about your situation. Pick your own target (for example, within a couple of days) and track it.

5. The three common causes

• Weather. Note the day, the conditions and which work stopped. Photos help.
• Homeowner decisions and selections. When work waits on a choice (tile, fixtures, a layout change), write down when you asked, when you need the answer and what slips if it comes late. Get the client's OK in writing. If the choice changes scope or price, it is a change order; see also tracking allowances and selections.
• Material backorders. Get a new delivery date from the supplier in writing, put it in the log and tell the client. If you substitute a material, get that decision in writing too; see material orders and backorders.

6. Update the schedule and the subs

Every delay moves something. Update your 2-week lookahead and tell the subs whose dates moved. A short weekly update to the client built from the delay list keeps everyone on the same page; see updating clients and subs without PM software.

7. Close each delay

When the delay is over, fill in the end date and the actual days lost. If it needed a change order, enter the number once it is signed. An open delay with no end date is easy to forget and hard to explain later.

8. A ten-minute weekly review

Once a week, check: delays with no written notice to the client, client decisions still waiting on a written OK, backorders with no new date, change orders not written yet and open delays. Fix what you can while it is fresh.

Where an assistant helps

The hard part is remembering to send the written note while the job keeps moving. During the pilot, we flag a delay with no written notice to the client and draft a short update for your office to approve. We set it up one piece at a time, and a real person reviews everything.

Free 60-day pilot: keep working in your own phone, email and Google Sheet. Request a pilot spot.

More guides

• How small builders track change orders across every trade
• Chasing sub paperwork: COIs, W-9s and lien waivers for small GCs
• How small builders get paid faster on draws and invoices
• Keeping clients and subs updated without project management software
• Procore and Buildertrend alternatives for small builders
• How small builders track allowances and client selections
• How small builders track punch lists and warranty callbacks
• Job cost tracking without accounting software: budget vs actual
• Back-office tools for small builders in 2027: a checklist
• Bid follow-up: how small builders stop losing quotes they never chased
• Scheduling subs and inspections without a PM app
• Permit and inspection tracking for remodelers
• Collecting final payment and retainage from homeowners
• Material order and delivery tracking for small builders
• New lead intake: answering every inquiry the same day
• W-9s and 1099-NEC for subs: a simple year-round system
• Daily logs and job photos: a simple record for every job

Frequently asked questions

What should I write down when a construction job is delayed?

The job, the date it started, the cause (weather, homeowner decision, backorder, inspection, sub no-show, change order), what happened in a few facts, the estimated days lost, who owns the fix, when and how the client was told, whether they confirmed in writing, and whether the schedule and any change order were updated.

How soon should I tell the client about a delay?

As soon as you know, and in writing. Any notice period you must meet is set by your contract; ask an attorney about your situation. Many builders set their own target, such as within a couple of days, and track it.

Is a phone call enough to notify a client of a delay?

A call is a good start, but follow it with a short written note (email, text or app message) that says what happened, the cause, the estimated days and what you need from the client, and keep a copy with the job.

What if the delay is caused by the homeowner's decision?

Write down when you asked, when you needed the answer and what slipped. Get the client's OK in writing, and if the decision changes scope or price, write a change order.

Does documenting delays give me more time on the contract?

This is general information, not legal advice. Whether a delay gives you more time or money is set by your contract; ask an attorney. A clear, same-day record may help explain the schedule either way.