The records a resident engineer (RE) must keep are essential for deciding what payments are due to the contractor and what claims and extensions of time are to be allowed. They record the quality of the works as built and all tests thereon. They keep track of progress and decisions made, the financial expenditure and the probable final cost of the job. When the project is completed they provide details and drawings of all the works as built.
The records required come under four categories:
historical weekly reports showing progress of the work, a diary, and minutes of all discussions and decisions relating to progress and changes to the work, and daily weather data;
quantitative and financial measuring quantities of work done, recording facts about varied work and contractors claims, estimating expenditure to date and probable final cost of works;
qualitative recording all observations of the quality of the work and materials used, including nature of foundation materials, test results, test certificates from manufacturers and suppliers; performance tests on completed works;
as built records record drawings of all the works as built, details of the origin and quality of all materials used in the works, names of suppliers, manufacturers instruction manuals for equipment, and the operational instruction manual for the works as a whole.