Labor is the most expensive and most commonly underestimated cost in construction. Autodesk's 2024 survey found construction crews spend 35% of their time on non-productive activities that go undetected without systematic time tracking.
Key Takeaways
- Labor = 30–45% of total project cost on residential remodels — the largest controllable category
- Track hours by cost code / phase, not just by day — that's the only way to compare against your estimate
- Overtime is the most common hidden labor cost — 2 hrs/day OT for 15 days = $1,900+ unplanned cost on a 3-person crew
- Timesheets are legal documents — required by FLSA for all non-exempt employees; retain for 3 years
Why Cost Code Tracking Changes Everything
|
Timesheet Type |
Good For |
Not Good For |
|
Hours only |
Payroll |
Job costing |
|
Hours by job |
Knowing which job got time |
Phase-level variance |
|
Hours by job + cost code |
Payroll + job costing |
Nothing — complete picture |
Template 1: Daily Field Log (Per Worker)
DAILY FIELD TIME LOG
Worker Name: ________________________ Date: _______________
Trade / Role: _______________________
Project: ____________________________ Foreman: ____________
TIME IN: ________ TIME OUT: ________ BREAK: ________
REGULAR HOURS: ________ OVERTIME HOURS (1.5x): ________
WORK BY COST CODE / PHASE:
Cost Code Description Hours
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[01 – Demo] [Remove existing cabinets] ______
[06 – Drywall] [Hang drywall master bath] ______
[99 – Non-prod] [Material run, waiting insp] ______
TOTAL: ______
MATERIALS USED:
Item: ___________________ Qty: _______ Receipt: □ Attached
DELAYS:
□ Weather □ Material wait □ Inspection □ Access □ Other
Duration: _______ hrs Notes: _____________________________
WORKER SIGNATURE: ____________________ DATE: _____________
FOREMAN APPROVAL: ____________________ DATE: _____________
Template 2: Weekly Crew Timesheet
WEEKLY CREW TIMESHEET
Project: ____________________________ Week of: ___________
Foreman: ___________________________
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
WORKER MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOTAL OT HRS
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
__________ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _____ ______
__________ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _____ ______
__________ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _____ ______
__________ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _____ ______
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
CREW TOTAL ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _____ ______
HOURS BY COST CODE THIS WEEK:
Code Phase Hrs This Week Total to Date
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
01 Demo / Site Prep ___________ ___________
02 Framing ___________ ___________
03 Electrical Rough ___________ ___________
04 Plumbing Rough ___________ ___________
05 Insulation ___________ ___________
06 Drywall Hang ___________ ___________
07 Drywall Finish ___________ ___________
08 Painting ___________ ___________
09 Finish Carpentry ___________ ___________
10 Flooring ___________ ___________
11 Tile ___________ ___________
12 Punch / Cleanup ___________ ___________
99 Non-Productive ___________ ___________
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
TOTAL ___________ ___________
ESTIMATE CHECK (update weekly):
Phase Est Hrs Hrs to Date Remaining On Track?
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Framing _______ ___________ _________ Y / N
Drywall _______ ___________ _________ Y / N
[Other] _______ ___________ _________ Y / N
FOREMAN SIGNATURE: ____________________ DATE: ____________
Template 3: Project Cost Code Summary (Job Costing Integration)
PROJECT LABOR COST CODE SUMMARY
Project: ____________________________ As of: _____________
Labor Budget: $_______________________
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
CODE PHASE EST HRS EST $ ACT HRS ACT $ VAR %
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
01 Demo ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
02 Framing ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
03 Electrical ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
04 Plumbing ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
05 Insulation ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
06 Drywall Hang ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
07 Drywall Finish ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
08 Painting ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
09 Finish Carp ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
10 Flooring ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
12 Punch/Cleanup ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
99 Non-Productive ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
TOTAL ______ $____ ______ $____ ____%
Loaded Labor Rate: $______/hr
FORECAST TO COMPLETE:
Remaining hours estimated: ______ × $______/hr = $_________
Projected total labor cost: $_________
Original labor budget: $_________
Projected variance: $_________ ( ____% )
Overtime: The Hidden Labor Cost
2 hrs/day OT × 15 days = 30 OT hours
30 hrs × ($42 × 0.5 OT premium) = $630 additional cost per worker
3-person crew = $1,890 in unplanned overtime
Prevention: Flag any worker approaching 38 hours by Thursday. Track OT as its own cost code line. Persistent OT means the schedule or crew size is wrong — fix the source.
5 Common Timesheet Mistakes
- Logging from memory at week-end — misallocates 15–25% of hours across phases
- No cost codes — just total hours — useless for job costing
- Burying delays in productive phase codes — hides true efficiency; use code 99
- No foreman sign-off — unverifiable for payroll compliance and disputes
- Paper timesheets left in trucks — photograph or submit digitally within 24 hours
Revelant Article：Contractor Invoice Template: How to Bill Clients and Get Paid Faster in 2026
The Data Flow
Timesheets → Daily Reports — hours + what was accomplished each day → construction daily report template
Timesheets → Job Costing — hours × loaded rate = actual labor cost by phase → construction job costing guide
Timesheets → Schedule — phase hours-to-date vs. estimate reveals schedule risk → construction project schedule
Sources: Autodesk State of Construction Workforce 2024 · FLSA DOL · FMI Construction Workforce Survey 2024 · NAHB 2025