Meeting Minutes Template

Full Description

This construction meeting minutes template helps you run recurring site and project meetings and keep a clear record of what was decided. It tracks who attended and who was absent and breaks agenda items down by scope, so open items are carried forward and closed out meeting by meeting.

What are construction meeting minutes?

Construction meeting minutes are the written record of a project meeting, such as a weekly site meeting, owner progress meeting or subcontractor coordination meeting. They list who attended, summarize each item discussed, record decisions and assign actions with a responsible person and due date. Minutes are circulated after the meeting and reviewed at the next one, so they become a running history of the project and a reference if questions arise later.

When to use it

• Weekly site or progress meetings with the owner and consultants.
• Subcontractor coordination meetings.
• Design coordination meetings during preconstruction.
• Recurring safety or quality meetings.
• Any meeting where decisions and actions need a written record.

What’s included

• An itemized list of attendees and absentees for each meeting.
• Agenda items broken down by major scope or tracking item, such as structural steel.
• A numbering system in the format scope.meeting.item, for example 1.2.4 is scope item 1, meeting 2, discussion point 4.
• A review section where previous items are checked off once actioned.
• A new discussion section at the bottom that rolls into the list for the next meeting.

The template is an editable Word document (.docx).

How to fill it out

1. Enter the project, meeting type, number, date, time and location.
2. Record attendees and absentees, with company and role.
3. Review open items from the last meeting and mark each as closed or still open with an update.
4. Record new discussion points under the right scope heading and number them, for example 1.3.1 for the first steel item at meeting 3.
5. For each action, note who is responsible and the due date.
6. Issue the minutes soon after the meeting and ask attendees to report corrections before the next one.

Tips

• Keep entries short and factual: what was decided, who will do it and by when.
• Never renumber old items. The number is how people find them later.
• Record decisions that affect cost or time and follow them up in writing.

Related templates and guides

• Construction Startup Meeting Template
• Project Meeting Minutes Template
• Three Week Look Ahead Schedule Template
• Safety Meeting Attendance Log
• Guide: Construction Meeting – Five Golden Rules

Frequently asked questions

What should construction meeting minutes include?

The project and meeting details, attendees and absentees, a review of open items from the last meeting, new items discussed, decisions made and actions with a responsible person and due date. Many teams also note the next meeting date and attach updated schedules or logs.

Who takes the minutes in a construction meeting?

Usually the party who chairs the meeting, often the general contractor’s project manager or the owner’s representative. The contract may say who is responsible. Whoever takes them should issue them promptly and give attendees a chance to correct them.

How soon should meeting minutes be distributed?

As soon as practical, ideally within a day or two, while the discussion is fresh. Many projects set a deadline for comments, after which the minutes are taken as accepted. Late minutes lose their value as a record of what was agreed.

How does the numbering system in this template work?

Each item gets a three-part number: scope, meeting and discussion point. Item 1.2.4 is scope 1, such as structural steel, raised at meeting 2 as the fourth point. The number stays with the item until it is closed, so it is easy to track across meetings.

Are construction meeting minutes legally binding?

Minutes are a project record rather than a contract, but they can be used as evidence of what was discussed and agreed. That is why they should be accurate and circulated for correction. Formal changes to scope, price or time should still follow the contract’s change process.