What is a site visit?

A site visit is a physical inspection of a construction site. It’s an opportunity for the project team behind the build to see the work in progress and to identify any potential problems. 

They can be conducted by the project manager, the engineer, the architect or any other member of the project team.

There are many benefits to conducting site visits. They can help to:

Ensure that the project is on schedule and within budget.

Identify and address any potential problems.

Communicate with the client and the contractor.

Gain a better understanding of the project.

Build relationships with the client and the contractor.

How to plan and coordinate a site visit

Planning and coordinating a site visit can be a bit of work, but it’s important to do it properly in order to get the most out of the visit. Here are a few tips:

Set a clear purpose for the visit. What do you hope to accomplish by going to the site?

Identify who needs to attend. This will depend on the purpose of the visit, but make sure those going are doing so for a reason.

Make sure to schedule the visit for a time when the site is accessible and the work is in progress.

Send out a reminder to everyone who is attending the visit. This should include the purpose of the visit, the date, time, and location.

Site visit organization tips

Now you have your visit in your diary, here are some tips to make sure it’s productive.

Bring a clipboard and pen to take notes. Don’t try to remember everything. If there are issues that you’ll have to deal with when you go back to the office, you need to have the details. 

Take pictures of the site. This can be helpful for documenting the work that’s been done and for identifying any potential problems.

Ask questions. The people who are working on the site are the experts. Ask them questions about the work they’re doing and about the site conditions.

Be respectful. The people who are working on the site are busy. Be respectful of their time and their work. Think about scheduling some time with them in advance to talk. 

Be safe. This means wearing the appropriate safety gear and following all safety procedures.

Be observant. This means taking note of the work that has been done, as well as any potential problems. There’s nothing worse than raising an issue when there isn’t one there.

Be communicative. This means keeping the client and the contractor informed of your findings.

Virtual site visits

In some cases, it may not be possible to conduct an on-site visit. In these cases, you may be able to conduct a virtual site visit. 

These can be conducted using video conferencing software, such as Zoom or Google Meet. This allows you to see the site and interact with the people working there.

Using Doodle to organize your next site visit

Doodle is one of the world’s favorite scheduling tools and it can help you to simplify the process for site visits. Simply create a poll and invite people to vote on times that work for them. Within minutes, you’ll be able to find something that works for everyone.