Scheduling

What's in scheduling

Construction schedules work at different levels of detail. The templates cover each one:

• Master and milestone schedules: Gantt charts, milestone schedules and sample single and two storey house schedules.
• Look-ahead schedules: three week, six week and weekly look-ahead planners for the field team.
• Lean planning: pull planning templates for working back from a milestone with trade partners.
• Procurement and tracking: procurement schedules, progress tracking and delay notice letters.

Schedulers and project managers own the master schedule. Superintendents and foremen run the look-aheads and pull plans, and the delay notice letter helps document time impacts as they happen.

Popular construction schedule templates

• Lean Construction Pull Planning Template: plan backward from a milestone with the trades.
• Six Week Look Ahead Schedule Template: a rolling short-term plan for the field.
• Weekly Lookahead Planner: assign this week's tasks by crew.
• Construction Project Gantt Chart: a bar chart of activities and durations.
• Construction Milestone Schedule Template: key dates for owners and executives.
• Construction Procurement Schedule - Detailed: track submittals, orders and deliveries.
• Construction Schedule - Two Storey House (Microsoft Project): a sample residential schedule.
• Construction Delay Notice Letter: give written notice of a delay.

Related categories and guides

Start the baseline in Project Planning, and track progress with Reporting templates and Administration logs.

From the Academy: Fundamentals Of Construction Scheduling, Lean Construction – Pull Planning Explained and the glossary entry for Critical Path.

Frequently asked questions

What is a pull planning template?

Pull planning is a lean technique where the team starts from a milestone and works backward, with each trade stating what it needs from the trade before it. A pull planning template gives the session a structure for tasks, handoffs, durations and commitments.

What is the difference between a master schedule and a look-ahead?

The master schedule covers the whole project and is used to track the critical path and key dates. A look-ahead covers the next few weeks in more detail so the field team can line up crews, materials and inspections.

Which software do I need for these schedules?

It depends on the template. Some are named for the software they use, such as the Microsoft Project house schedules, while others are spreadsheets or printable sheets. Check the format listed on each product page.

How often should a construction schedule be updated?

Update look-ahead schedules every week. Master schedules are usually updated at a regular interval, such as monthly, or whatever the contract requires, and whenever a significant delay or change occurs.