Building Renovation Decision Log
This is a practical guide to building a decision log for a building renovation project — a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why, adapted to the realities of renovating or refurbishing an existing building.
What a Decision Log is
A decision log is a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why. For the full concept and how it works in general, see Decision Log. On a building renovation project it plays the same role, tuned to this kind of work.
Why it matters for a Building Renovation project
Building Renovation projects live or die on renovating or refurbishing an existing building. A well-built decision log gives the team a shared, explicit reference for exactly that — reducing ambiguity, aligning stakeholders, and making problems visible early enough to act. Skipping it, or doing it generically, is how building renovation projects drift into avoidable delay and cost.
What to include
- Decision
- Date and owner
- Rationale
- Alternatives considered
- Impact
Building Renovation-specific considerations
Tailor the decision log to the risks that most often derail building renovation projects:
- Unknown existing conditions
- Occupied-site working
- Scope changes on discovery
Example
On a real building renovation project, the decision log would be shaped by renovating or refurbishing an existing building. In particular, it should explicitly account for the project’s biggest risks — unknown existing conditions, occupied-site working, scope changes on discovery — rather than treating them as afterthoughts.