Ask a homeowner what was hardest about their renovation and the answer is rarely the dust. It's not knowing: whether the project is on schedule, what that charge was for, when they need to pick the tile. Every unanswered question becomes a phone call, a text at 9pm or a surprise visit to site.
A weekly update answers those questions before they're asked. It takes the site lead 15 minutes on a Friday and saves hours of calls the following week. This is the template Homeowner Project Portal is built around. It works just as well as an email.
The template
| Section | What to include | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Done this week | Three to five plain-language bullets | Shows progress, even on slow weeks |
| Next week | What's planned and which trades are on site | Homeowners plan around noise, access and pets |
| Schedule | On track, or days ahead or behind, and why | The question every homeowner has |
| Photos | Five to ten, each with a caption | Proof of progress, and a record for later |
| Decisions needed | Selections and approvals, each with a due date | Late decisions are the most common cause of delay |
| Change orders | Pending and approved, with a running total | No surprises on the final bill |
| Payments | Next draw, its milestone and when it's expected | Homeowners need time to arrange funds |
What goes in each section
1. Done this week
Short and specific: "Drywall hung in the addition", not "Interior work progressing". Homeowners can't tell from site what's been done, especially in phases like rough-in, where the work disappears into the walls.
2. Next week
The plan, the trades expected and anything the homeowner needs to do: clear the driveway for a delivery, keep the dog in on Tuesday, be home for the inspection.
3. Schedule
One line: on track, or a number of days ahead or behind, with the reason. If something slipped, say what you're doing about it. A delay explained on Friday is a minor annoyance. A delay discovered by the homeowner is a breach of trust.
4. Photos
Five to ten, captioned, taken from the same spots each week so progress is easy to see. Photos of rough-in plumbing and wiring before the walls close are worth taking anyway. You'll want them, and so will the next owner.
5. Decisions needed
Every open selection or approval, with a due date and what happens if it's late. Keep it near the top until it's done. Late selections are one of the most common reasons residential projects slip, and they're the easiest to prevent.
6. Change orders
Each one numbered, described, priced, with its schedule impact and its status. Below the list, a running total of approved changes against the original contract. Homeowners who see that number every week are rarely shocked by the final invoice.
7. Payments
The draw schedule with what's paid, the next draw, the milestone that triggers it and roughly when you expect to reach it. If the homeowner is paying from a construction loan, their lender may need inspection photos too. Give them plenty of notice.
A worked example
Here's the week 9 update for a fictional project: a kitchen renovation and rear addition at 14 Wren Lane, by Copperline Builders, scheduled for 16 weeks.
Week 9 of 16 · Friday, October 16 · On schedule
Done this week: Drywall hung and taped in the addition. Kitchen rough-in plumbing and electrical inspections passed on Wednesday. New window installed in the breakfast nook.
Next week: Drywall finishing and primer. Cabinet delivery on Thursday morning: please keep the driveway clear from 7am.
Decisions needed: Backsplash tile by Friday, October 23. If it's later, tiling moves back a week and so does the countertop template.
Change orders and payments sit below, the same every week:
| Change order | Cost | Schedule | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CO-1 Add six pot lights in the addition | $1,850 | No change | Approved |
| CO-2 Move the breakfast nook window 12 inches | $620 | No change | Approved |
| CO-3 Upgrade backsplash to quartz slab | $2,400 | +3 days | Waiting for your approval |
| Approved changes to date | $2,470 |
| Payment | Share of contract | Milestone | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deposit | 10% | Contract signed | Paid |
| Draw 1 | 25% | Framing complete | Paid |
| Draw 2 | 25% | Drywall complete | Expected week 11 |
| Draw 3 | 25% | Cabinets and countertops installed | |
| Final | 15% | Substantial completion and walkthrough |
Notice how the decision and the change order connect: if the homeowners choose the quartz slab (CO-3), it changes the tile decision. The update puts both in front of them in the same week, with a date.
Making it a habit
- Same day, every week. Friday works well: the week is done and homeowners have the weekend to make decisions.
- Send it on quiet weeks too. "Waiting on cabinet delivery, on schedule" is still worth sending. Silence makes people anxious.
- One place for everything. Updates, photos, change orders and draws in a single thread or portal, so nothing gets lost in texts.
- Get approvals in writing. A thumbs-up text is not a signed change order.
Common mistakes
- Updates only when there's bad news. Then every update is dreaded.
- Photos with no captions. Homeowners can't tell what they're looking at.
- Selections without deadlines. "Let us know about the tile" becomes a two-week delay.
- Change orders without a running total. Ten small changes add up, and the final invoice shouldn't be where the homeowner finds out.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a builder update homeowners?
Weekly, on the same day, for the whole project. A predictable weekly update cuts down on calls and site visits because homeowners know when news is coming. Urgent issues still get a call the same day.
What should a weekly construction update include?
What was completed this week, what's planned next week, whether the schedule is on track, captioned photos, decisions the homeowner needs to make with due dates, the status of change orders, and the next payment draw and the milestone it's tied to.
How should change orders be shown to homeowners?
List every change order with a number, a short description, the cost and schedule impact, and its status: pending or approved. Show a running total of approved changes against the original contract, so the homeowner always knows where the final price stands.
How do I get homeowners to make selections on time?
Give each selection a due date tied to the schedule and say what happens if it's late, for example 'If tile isn't chosen by Friday, tiling moves back a week.' Put open decisions near the top of every update until they're made.