How can I track construction progress remotely?
On this page
- Key facts
- What should the weekly report include?
- Which photos matter most?
- How do pay applications show progress?
- Can inspections happen remotely?
- When do you still need to be on site?
- How do you set up remote reporting at the start?
- How FloorStack helps
- Free tools for this step
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
Require a fixed weekly report: dated photos by room, schedule status against milestones, inspections passed or failed, and open change orders. Then check monthly pay applications, which on AIA forms show work completed against each budget line (AIA Contract Documents). Even in 2026, visit the site at least at key milestones, starting about 3 months before opening (Benco Dental).
Key facts
| Item | Guidance | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Start on-site monitoring | About 3 months before opening | Benco Dental |
| Progress evidence | G702/G703 show work completed and stored, retainage, prior payments and change orders | AIA Contract Documents |
| Schedule | Critical-path timeline with milestones through substantial completion | Husch Blackwell (Dec 2025) |
| Delay notice | Prompt written notice of delays and their impact | Husch Blackwell (Dec 2025) |
| Payments | Tied to milestones, not calendar dates | Dental & Medical Counsel |
| Virtual inspections | Offered in some cities, e.g., Sacramento, currently for listed residential permit types | City of Sacramento |
What should the weekly report include?
Put this in the contract so it isn't optional:
| Section | What you get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Photos by room | Dated photos of each operatory, sterilization, mechanical room and IT closet | See utilities before walls close |
| Schedule | Milestones hit or missed, with new dates | Delays show up early |
| Inspections | Requested, passed, failed, re-inspections | Permits drive opening |
| Change orders | Pending and approved, with cost and days | No surprises on the pay app |
| Deliveries | Equipment and long-lead items received | Lead times drive installs |
| Decisions needed | What the contractor needs from you, by when | Your delays count too |
Husch Blackwell recommends a critical-path schedule with milestones for design, permits, construction start, substantial completion and delivery, and prompt written notice of any delay and its impact (Husch Blackwell).
Which photos matter most?
The ones you can't retake: everything inside the walls and floor before it's covered. Floor-box utilities must match the chair maker's template, and A-dec says utilities must be accessible without tools (A-dec). Ask for photos with a tape measure in frame at:
- every floor box (air, water, vacuum, drain, power, data);
- in-wall blocking for cabinets, monitors and x-ray arms;
- data cabling runs and labels before ceiling tiles go in;
- shielding (if any) before drywall finish;
- the mechanical room before equipment arrives.
These become your as-builts. To see device locations on a 3D plan while you review photos, FloorStack Studio (live, free plan) builds a 3D IT plan of your office with every device placed.
How do pay applications show progress?
On AIA G702/G703, the contractor lists each budget line from the schedule of values with work completed this period, materials stored, retainage, previous payments and change orders (AIA Contract Documents). If a line says 80% complete, the photos should match. Stored materials are tracked in their own column until installed (AIA Contract Documents). Lien waivers should come with each pay app (AIA Contract Documents).
To compare spending against your budget as pay apps arrive, the free build-out cost & timeline calculator (coming soon) is planned to combine square footage, operatory count and region into a budget and schedule.
Can inspections happen remotely?
Some can, depending on your city. Sacramento offers virtual building, plumbing, electrical and mechanical finals through a video tool, but currently lists eligible permits as residential web permit types (City of Sacramento). Expect commercial dental inspections to be in person, and track the results from wherever you are. Many counties post results online; Anne Arundel County, for example, lets applicants schedule and track all inspections in its portal (Anne Arundel County).
To keep every permit, inspection and result in one view, the free permit & inspection tracker (coming soon) is planned for this step. See how to track permits and inspections.
When do you still need to be on site?
Benco's startup timeline starts on-site monitoring of contractor progress about three months before opening and puts inspecting all contractor work and testing equipment in the final month (Benco Dental). Plan visits at:
- layout marked on the slab, before trenching;
- rough-in, before walls close;
- cabinets and equipment set;
- the punch-list walk-through, before final payment (Dental & Medical Counsel). See the dental office punch list.
How do you set up remote reporting at the start?
Agree on the reporting format before construction begins, not after the first missed update. Put it in the contract or the pre-construction meeting notes: the day the weekly report arrives, who sends it, what photos it includes and where documents are stored. Ask for a single shared folder or platform the practice can access, organized by date and trade, so you are not searching email threads. Name one person on your side who reviews each report and raises questions within a day or two. Clear expectations at the start make remote oversight routine instead of a series of calls. Keep every report, even the routine ones, because together they form the project record if a dispute or warranty claim comes up later.
How FloorStack helps
FloorStack is a dental build-out platform that keeps the plan, photos, inspections and budget in one place you can open from your phone. Start at the Dental Office Construction hub, and see why build-outs get delayed and 20 questions to ask a contractor.
Related guides: the equipment pre-installation checklist.
Free tools on the FloorStack dental build-out platform for this step: FloorStack Studio (live, free plan), Build-out cost & timeline calculator (free tool, coming soon) and Permit & inspection tracker (free tool, coming soon).
Free tools for this step
- FloorStack Studio (live, free plan): a 3D IT plan of your office with every device placed.
- Build-out cost & timeline calculator (free tool, coming soon): estimate budget and schedule from your square footage, operatory count and region.
- Permit & inspection tracker (free tool, coming soon): track every permit, inspection and sign-off through the certificate of occupancy.
Frequently asked questions
How can I see my construction progress without visiting?
Require a weekly report with dated room-by-room photos, schedule status, inspections and change orders, and compare it to each pay application.
What photos should I ask my contractor for?
Everything that will be covered: floor boxes, in-wall blocking, data cabling, shielding and the mechanical room, with a tape measure in frame.
Can building inspections be done by video?
Some cities offer virtual inspections, but often only for certain permit types. Expect dental TI inspections in person.
How do I know a pay application is accurate?
Match each line's percent complete to photos and site visits, check change orders were approved, and require lien waivers.
When should I start visiting the site?
One supplier's timeline starts on-site monitoring about three months before opening.
Is there an app to track my dental build-out?
FloorStack Studio is live for 3D IT plans; the permit & inspection tracker is coming soon.
Sources
- AIA Contract Documents: Summary, G703–1992 Continuation Sheet
- AIA Contract Documents: Four Tips to Get Paid Quicker When Using AIA Payment Applications (Nov 2022)
- Benco Dental: Starting a Dental Practice Guide (PDF)
- Husch Blackwell: Before You Sign, A Tenant's Guide to Key Work Letter Issues (Dec 2025)
- Dental & Medical Counsel: A Dental Lawyer's Guide to Your Dental Office Build-Out
- City of Sacramento: Virtual Inspections
- Anne Arundel County, MD: Non-Residential Tenant Improvement Permit
- A-dec 200 Dental Equipment Pre-Installation Guide (PDF)
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