Ask any delay analyst what decides an EOT claim and the answer is rarely the method — it is the records. This checklist covers what to keep from day one, so entitlement can be proved instead of argued.
The core records
- Approved baseline programme and every revision, with approval correspondence.
- Regular progress updates (XER/XML native files, not just PDFs) — the backbone of any TIA or windows analysis.
- Site diaries and daily reports: labour, plant, areas worked, and what stopped work.
- Photographs and drone surveys, dated and located.
- Correspondence register: instructions, late information, access restrictions — logged when they happen.
- Notices: every claim notice with proof of delivery, tracked against the contractual time-bar.
- Minutes of meetings recording delays raised and responses given.
Three habits that transform claims
- Record cause, not just effect — “no access to Zone B, awaiting Employer NOC” beats “no work in Zone B”.
- Update honestly. Manipulated updates destroy the analysis later; tribunals notice.
- Centralise. Records scattered across inboxes are records lost — one structured system per project. This is exactly why we built PlanningShare.
If a delay event is live on your project now, start the record discipline today and get in touch — the earlier the records regime starts, the stronger the claim.