Jobs
Add a pre-start confirmation note to the job
A written record of agreed conditions before work starts — your protection if access issues or scope disputes arise.
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Guided operating lesson
Site Notes and Job Planning
Arrive at every job prepared, with a plan that prevents the surprises that cause delays, disputes, and unprofitable variations.
Running the Job Properly20 minFoundation
Who this is for
Tradespeople who show up and figure it out as they go, and want to understand why that approach costs more time and money than it saves.
Why it matters
Ten minutes of planning before a job starts prevents hours of problem-solving mid-job. Site notes and a pre-start checklist are the professional's first tool.
Lesson outcome
A pre-start planning habit and a site notes template you use before every job.
Real-world problem
The job that took twice as long because of one missing detail
A roofer shows up to start a re-roof and discovers the client has not cleared the attic as agreed. The scaffolding is already booked. The tiles have been delivered. He spends half a day sorting the access issue, loses two hours of productive time, and has to come back the next day — unpaid — to finish. The fix was a pre-start call the day before, confirmed in writing.
Why this happens
Pre-start checks feel like unnecessary overhead
When you have done the same job a hundred times, it feels like you know what to expect. But client-dependent conditions — access, decisions, preparatory work — are outside your control and vary every time.
Verbal agreements leave gaps
When scope is discussed verbally and not recorded, both parties remember the parts that serve them. Pre-start notes close the gap before it becomes a dispute.
Professional standard
Confirm access, decisions, and dependencies before day one
A professional confirms all client-dependent conditions in writing before mobilising. This protects both parties and eliminates the most common cause of job delays.
Site notes are a management tool, not paperwork
Top contractors record measurements, site conditions, access notes, and client instructions on site. These notes are the source of truth if anything is disputed later.
Step-by-step operating system
Pre-start and site notes process
1
Pre-start call or message the day before
Confirm access, whether any preparatory work is done, who will be on site, and any last-minute changes to scope. Send a brief written confirmation of what was agreed.
BuilderBuddi: Add a pre-start note to the job in BuilderBuddi confirming the access and scope conditions.
2
Take site notes on arrival
Record site conditions before you start: access quality, existing damage, any scope variations from the quote, client instructions given on arrival.
BuilderBuddi: Use the job notes field in BuilderBuddi to capture any conditions that differ from scope.
3
Document variations immediately
If the scope changes — client asks for extra work, hidden conditions are found, materials differ — document it before you do it, not after.
BuilderBuddi: Create a variation note in the job record. If it affects the price, discuss and confirm before proceeding.
4
End-of-day notes for multi-day jobs
At the end of each day, note what was completed, what is outstanding, and what needs to happen before the next start. 2 minutes that prevents hours of confusion.
BuilderBuddi workflow cards
Use BuilderBuddi as your site management system
Job notes in BuilderBuddi give you a running record of every site event — accessible on your phone and available if any dispute arises.
Jobs
Log site conditions and variations as they occur
A timestamped record of everything that happened on site, without relying on memory.
Review recordThe carpenter who found asbestos mid-job
Context: A carpenter began stripping a wall and found material he suspected was asbestos-containing. He was not sure whether it was in the original scope.
Challenge: He needed to stop work, inform the client, and document the discovery before proceeding. No verbal agreement would protect him if a dispute arose later.
Recommended response: Stop immediately, photograph the material and its location, add a dated note to the job record, and contact the client to discuss scope change and any regulatory requirements.
- • Add a note to the job record immediately with the date, time, and description
- • Photograph and attach or describe the site condition
- • Contact the client by message (written record) to inform them
- • Document client instructions before resuming any work
Field notes
- • Pre-start calls are the most reliable way to prevent the first-day delays that derail job timelines.
- • Site notes written at the time are legally far stronger than recollections written after a dispute.
- • Documenting a variation before you do the work is the only way to ensure it is paid for.
- • End-of-day notes take two minutes and make next-morning starts 30 minutes faster.
Key takeaways
- A pre-start confirmation the day before prevents the majority of first-day access and scope problems.
- Notes written on site in real time are your best protection if a dispute arises.
- Document variations before you do them — not after.
- Site notes are a management tool that makes you faster and more professional, not extra paperwork.
Common mistakes
Relying on the original quote as the complete scope record
Consequence: When site conditions differ from quote assumptions, there is no documented record of what was agreed at the point of change.
Prevention: Create a job note every time the scope or conditions deviate from the original quote.
Not confirming access before mobilising
Consequence: You arrive with a crew and materials to discover the site is not ready. Costs real time and money, often unpaid.
Prevention: Confirm all access and preparatory conditions the day before, in writing.
Recording nothing because "it is a simple job"
Consequence: Simple jobs that turn complicated have no documentation when the dispute starts.
Prevention: Apply the same notes discipline to small jobs as large ones. Disputes are not proportional to job size.
Complete this in BuilderBuddi
Implementation checkpoint
Tick these only when the real business output exists. This keeps Blueprint tied to work done, not pages viewed.
0% complete
Decision point 1: A client asks for extra work mid-job that is not in the quote. What do you do before starting the additional work?
Practical action
On your next job, send a pre-start confirmation message the day before, take site notes on arrival, and log any scope deviations in BuilderBuddi before you do the work.
Worksheet prompt
Think about the last job dispute or payment issue you had. Was there a documentation gap that made it harder to resolve? What note would have prevented it?
Worksheets and templates
Site Notes Template
DOCXA structured template for pre-start checks, arrival notes, and variation documentation.
Ready for immediate use
Pre-Start Checklist
ChecklistA one-page checklist of conditions to confirm before mobilising to site.
Ready for immediate use
Related operating playbooks
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