Contractor Timesheet Template: Free Download + Complete Guide (2026)

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

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

1. Logging from memory at week-end — misallocates 15–25% of hours across phases
2. No cost codes — just total hours — useless for job costing
3. Burying delays in productive phase codes — hides true efficiency; use code 99
4. No foreman sign-off — unverifiable for payroll compliance and disputes
5. 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