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Labor is the largest cost on most construction projects — and the hardest to control without reliable time tracking. CFMA found contractors who track labor by cost code earn margins 2–4 points higherthan those using summary timesheets or no tracking.

Key Takeaways

Labor = 35–45% of total project costs — the category with the most estimate variance
Cost-coded timesheets are the minimum for job costing — summary hours alone don't cut it
FLSA requires accurate hours records — signed timesheets are your compliance document
Timesheet data feeding job costing is worth 10x more than data feeding payroll alone

3 Copy-Ready Templates

Template 1: Daily Crew Timesheet

(Multi-crew sites, FLSA compliance, real-time cost tracking)

DAILY CREW TIMESHEET

Company: ____________________________

Project / Job #: _____________________ Date: ___________

Foreman: ____________________________

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

WORKER TRADE TIME IN TIME OUT BREAK REG OT

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

____________ ______ ______ _______ ____ ___ ___

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

CREW TOTALS ___ ___

HOURS BY COST CODE

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

[ ] 100 — Demo / site prep _______ hrs

[ ] 200 — Framing _______ hrs

[ ] 300 — Rough MEP _______ hrs

[ ] 400 — Insulation _______ hrs

[ ] 500 — Drywall _______ hrs

[ ] 600 — Finish carpentry _______ hrs

[ ] 700 — Tile / flooring _______ hrs

[ ] 800 — Paint _______ hrs

[ ] 900 — Punch / cleanup _______ hrs

[ ] 999 — Travel / non-billable _______ hrs

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

TOTAL CODED: _______ (must equal crew total above)

Foreman Signature: __________________ Date: __________

Template 2: Weekly Employee Timesheet

(Payroll processing, small crews)

WEEKLY EMPLOYEE TIMESHEET

Employee: _______________________ Week Ending: ________

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

DAY JOB # COST CODE TIME IN TIME OUT BREAK HOURS

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

MON ______ _________ ______ _______ ____ _____

TUE ______ _________ ______ _______ ____ _____

WED ______ _________ ______ _______ ____ _____

THU ______ _________ ______ _______ ____ _____

FRI ______ _________ ______ _______ ____ _____

SAT ______ _________ ______ _______ ____ _____

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

REGULAR: _____ OVERTIME: _____

TOTAL: _____

HOURS BY JOB:

Job ___________: _____ reg _____ OT

Employee Signature: __________________ Date: __________

Supervisor Approval: _________________ Date: __________

Template 3: Per-Job Labor Cost Sheet

(Track total labor from start to finish on one project)

PER-JOB LABOR COST SHEET

Project: ____________________ Contract Value: $________

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

PHASE EST HRS ACT HRS VARIANCE VAR %

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Demo / Site Prep ______ ______ ______ ____%

Framing ______ ______ ______ ____%

Rough MEP ______ ______ ______ ____%

Drywall ______ ______ ______ ____%

Finish Carpentry ______ ______ ______ ____%

Tile / Flooring ______ ______ ______ ____%

Paint ______ ______ ______ ____%

Punch / Cleanup ______ ______ ______ ____%

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

TOTALS ______ ______ ______ ____%

LABOR COST SUMMARY

Worker Loaded Rate Reg Hrs OT Hrs Total

_____________ $________ ______ ______ $______

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

ACTUAL LABOR COST: $________

ESTIMATED LABOR COST: $________

VARIANCE: $________ (___%)

Standard Cost Codes

Code	Phase
100	Demo / site prep
200	Framing
300–320	Rough MEP (electrical/plumbing/HVAC)
400	Insulation
500	Drywall
600–610	Finish carpentry / cabinetry
700–710	Tile / flooring
800–810	Paint / fixtures
900	Punch / cleanup
950	Supervision
999	Travel / non-billable

Keep it to 10–15 codes — match exactly to your estimate line items.

Overtime Basics

Federal: >40 hrs/week = 1.5× — the workweek is fixed, can't shift to dodge OT
CA, AK, NV: daily OT applies (>8 hrs/day = 1.5×; >12 hrs = 2×)
FLSA requires: daily hours, weekly totals, regular rate, OT earnings — daily timesheets satisfy all

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

Implementation Rules

Fill out end of each day on site — not weekly from memory
Combine with daily report — one submission (construction daily report template)
Foreman signs same day
Employee signs weekly summary before payroll runs
Submit to office within 24 hours

Connected systems: construction job costing · how to estimate construction costs · construction overhead and profit

Sources: CFMA Labor Tracking Benchmarks 2024 · US DOL FLSA Recordkeeping · NAHB Cost of Construction Survey 2025

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Blog

Construction Payment Schedule Template: Protect Cash Flow on Every Job

Construction Closeout Checklist: Complete Project Closeout Guide (2026)

How to Get Construction Clients: 10 Strategies That Work in 2026

Construction Budget Template: Free Download + Complete Guide (2026)

Construction Subcontractor Agreement Template: Free Download (2026)

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

3 Copy-Ready Templates

Template 1: Daily Crew Timesheet

Template 2: Weekly Employee Timesheet

Template 3: Per-Job Labor Cost Sheet

Standard Cost Codes

Overtime Basics

Implementation Rules

Construction Overhead and Profit: How to Calculate Your Markup (2026)

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

How to Start a Construction Business: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Construction Job Costing: How to Track Profit Per Project (2026)