Working aid
Defect list template: status, responsibility and deadlines, so the chain does not break
Most defect lists do not fail at recording but afterwards: no responsible party, no deadline, no proof of receipt, three versions in circulation. This template takes every defect from the finding to the accepted rectification — with the status model and the three escalation levels that count in a dispute.
Working aid by Open Experience GmbH. Version: September 2026
What belongs in a defect list?
A reliable defect list keeps, for each defect, an unchangeable number, the location in the project structure, the trade, a description of the symptom without asserting a cause, photo and drawing references, the responsible contractor as a mandatory field, the date of the finding, a status from a fixed model (open: rectify, to be clarified, under observation; closed: rectified, price reduction, irrelevant, rejected), the cost allocation, the external visibility and the deadline chain: deadline of the notice of defects, date and proof of receipt, grace period, announcement of substitute performance, contractor's completion notice and acceptance of the rectification. Defects are closed, never deleted — the unbroken sequence of numbers is itself a piece of evidence.
Legal framework: Germany (Civil Code BGB, construction contract rules VOB/B, fee schedule HOAI). Other countries have different rules, and contractual agreements take precedence over the standard periods named here.
Download the defect list as Excel
Workbook with three sheets: the blank list with drop-down lists for status and item type and a deadline traffic light, the completed example with twelve defects, and the legend. The PDF shows the example and the legend in print format.
Non-binding sample, not legal advice. The list documents — the notice of defects itself is a separate letter that must reach the contractor; deadlines and legal consequences depend on the contract. Legal basis: Germany.
How to keep the list
- One row per defect, one number foreverThe number is assigned when the defect is recorded and is never changed or reassigned — not even if the defect turns out not to be one. Gaps in the numbering are the first thing an expert questions.
- Symptom instead of cause"Crack in the ceiling joint, 1.20 m, joint visible" — not "filling carried out incorrectly". The client has to designate the defect, not explain it. Whoever asserts a cause hands the contractor a counter-argument.
- A responsible party is mandatoryA defect without an addressee gets no notice and no deadline. If responsibility is disputed, the probable contractor is entered with the note "provisional" — and the status "to be clarified".
- Deadlines run from receiptThe column "notice received" carries the date of receipt and the proof (registered letter with return receipt, read receipt, countersignature on site). A dispatch date without proof of receipt is worth nothing in a dispute.
- Red means actThe deadline traffic light colours rows whose level 1 deadline has passed without a grace period being set or completion being notified — and more strongly when the grace period has also expired without substitute performance being announced. Every red row is a letter that is missing.
- Close instead of deleteWhat was not a defect is set to "rejected" or "irrelevant" — with the reason in the remark. What can no longer be found, likewise. Nothing is deleted.
The traffic light calculates against the reference date in the header row of the sheet: in the blank list that is today, in the example it is 2026-06-15.
The columns of the list
Nineteen columns — exactly the data model of Construction Defects, so that a list kept this way can later be taken over without re-mapping. Every column has a reason; anyone who deletes one should know it.
| Column | What goes in | Why the column exists |
|---|---|---|
| No. | Consecutive number the contractor sees; never changed or reassigned | Unbroken numbers prove that nothing has disappeared |
| Internal no. | Site supervision's own number, e.g. year and running number | Separates internal processes from external communication |
| Location | Building, storey, room, grid line — named as in the project structure | Without a location the defect can be neither found nor checked |
| Trade | Trade by award unit | Assignment to the contractual work and the bill of quantities |
| Item type | technical defect, delay, damage report, occupational safety, status report | Each type has a different letter and a different deadline logic |
| Description | Symptom, spot, extent — no cause, no blame | The client has to designate the defect, not explain it (symptom doctrine) |
| Photo / drawing | Photo numbers and drawing reference with revision | Links the as-built (photo) and the target (drawing) to the entry |
| Responsible | Contractor (mandatory field); if responsibility is disputed, with the note "provisional" | Without an addressee there is no notice and no deadline |
| Found on | Date of the finding on site, not of the entry at the desk | Start of the chain and evidential value of the finding |
| Status | One value from the status model (drop-down list) | One state per defect; the open/closed group drives evaluation and traffic light |
| Costs client / contractor | Who bears the costs as things stand (contractor, client, open) | Basis for cost estimate, variations and price reduction |
| Visible externally | yes or no — does the defect appear in the version for contractor and client? | Internal clarifications and assessments stay internal |
| Remark | Agreements, evidence, reasons — each with a date | The column that is read in a dispute |
| Deadline level 1 | Date from the notice of defects | Traffic light red if passed without grace period and without completion notice |
| Notice received (receipt) | Date of receipt with the proof in brackets | Deadlines run from receipt, not from dispatch (§ 130 BGB) |
| Grace period level 2 | Date from the grace period letter | Prerequisite for level 3; traffic light strong red if passed without announcement |
| Announcement level 3 | Date of the announcement of substitute performance | From here the cost risk lies with the contractor |
| Completion notice | Date on which the contractor reports the rectification as complete | Triggers the check — it is not a status |
| Rectification accepted | Date of the check by site supervision with result | Only now does the status become "rectified" |
The status model
Seven states in two groups. A defect has exactly one — and changes it only with a date and a reason in the remark.
| Status | Meaning | Group | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|---|
| rectify | Defect found or notified, rectification outstanding | open | Site supervision at the finding |
| to be clarified | Cause or responsibility disputed; a deadline that has been set still runs | open | Site supervision |
| under observation | Warranty defect without acute need for action, development is documented | open | Site supervision or client |
| rectified | Rectification carried out, checked and accepted | closed | Site supervision after its own check — never the contractor |
| price reduction | Defect remains, remuneration is reduced (§ 13 (6) VOB/B) | closed | Client |
| irrelevant | Finding without consequence, e.g. trivial or no longer present — number remains | closed | Site supervision with reason |
| rejected | No defect — the contractor has proven conformity with the contract | closed | Site supervision with evidence in the remark |
The contractor's completion notice is deliberately not a status but a date: it triggers the check but does not replace it.
The three escalation levels
Each level is a separate letter with its own legal basis and its own date in the list. The sample letters are in the working aid Notice of defects samples.
| Level | Letter | Legal basis | Deadline | If the deadline passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notice of defects with deadline for rectification | before acceptance § 4 (7) VOB/B, after acceptance § 13 (5) no. 1 VOB/B; BGB § 634, § 637 | reasonable and stated as a date; starts on receipt | Level 2 |
| 2 | Grace period with threat of consequences | before acceptance § 4 (7) sentence 3 with § 8 (3) VOB/B, after acceptance § 13 (5) no. 2 VOB/B | short but feasible; prove receipt again | Level 3 |
| 3 | Announcement and execution of substitute performance (before acceptance, withdrawal of the contract for this work) | § 13 (5) no. 2 VOB/B; § 637 BGB, advance payment under subsection 3 | state start and cost estimate | Substitute performance at the contractor's expense |
The item types
Not every finding is a technical defect. The type determines which letter follows and whether a deadline runs at all.
| Item type | When | What is different |
|---|---|---|
| technical defect | Work deviates from the contract, the drawings or the recognised rules of technology | Notice with deadline; three escalation levels |
| delay | Work not started or completed by the agreed date | Notice of delay referring to the construction schedule instead of a defect description; check contractual penalty |
| damage report | Damage to finished work or to third-party property, party responsible unknown | Preserve evidence first (photos, date, witnesses), responsible party provisional, deadline only after clarification |
| occupational safety | Danger to persons | Immediate action, deadline "immediately", report to the safety coordinator; documentation remains even after remedy |
| status report | Not a defect — a finding on the state of progress for the client | No deadline, no responsible party in the sense of the list; only in the external version |
Responsibility and visibility
- Who may set which statusThe contractor notifies completion — nothing more. "Rectified" is set only by whoever has checked. "Price reduction" is set by the client. That keeps it traceable who took which decision and when.
- Costs separate from responsibilityResponsible is whoever owes the work. Who bears the costs may differ — for instance after an instruction by the client or a preceding work the party responsible could not know about. Hence two columns.
- Internal and externalThe column "visible externally" decides what goes into the version for contractor and client. Clarifications, cost estimates and your own doubts stay on "no" until they are decided.
- One list, not threeThe list has one place and one person who keeps it. Extracts for contractors are produced by filter (responsible, visible externally) — never as a copy that lives on independently.
Example 1/3 — Recording
Twelve invented defects from the fit-out phase of the sample project new nursery school on Musterweg, reference date 2026-06-15. All statuses and all three levels occur — the three tables show the same twelve rows; in the Excel file they sit side by side.
| No. | Internal no. | Location | Trade | Item type | Description | Photo / drawing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-001 | 2026-041 | Ground floor, group room 1 (0.12) | Drywall | technical defect | Crack in the plasterboard ceiling along the board joint, approx. 1.20 m, joint visible | F-201, F-202 / A-EG-05 rev. b |
| M-002 | 2026-042 | Ground floor, corridor (0.01), grid line 3 | Screed | technical defect | Hollow spot in the cement screed approx. 0.4 m², tap test hollow, area marked | F-203 / A-EG-05 rev. b |
| M-003 | 2026-043 | 1st floor, sleeping room 2 (1.08) | Windows | technical defect | Window sash does not close, gasket crushed on the hinge side, draught noticeable | F-210 / window schedule item 14 |
| M-004 | 2026-044 | Ground floor, children's washroom (0.15) | Plumbing | technical defect | Washbasin 2 not level (6 mm over 60 cm), drain fitting drips | F-215, F-216 / S-EG-02 |
| M-005 | 2026-045 | 1st floor, corridor (1.01), north wall | Painting | technical defect | Paint patchy, substrate shows through, approx. 8 m² | F-220 / — |
| M-006 | 2026-046 | Basement, plant room (U.03) | Electrical | occupational safety | Sub-distribution board UV-2 without cover, live parts touchable, room unlocked | F-225 / E-UG-01 |
| M-007 | 2026-047 | Ground floor, kitchen (0.20), grid lines 4–5 | Tiling | technical defect | Floor tiles with lippage up to 2 mm, three tiles hollow | F-230, F-231 / A-EG-05 rev. b |
| M-008 | 2026-048 | External works, north entrance, ramp | Metalwork | delay | Railing to be installed by 2026-05-15 according to the construction schedule, installation not started; ramp closed | F-235 / construction schedule as of 2026-05-04 |
| M-009 | 2026-049 | 1st floor, group room 3 (1.12), ceiling | Roof waterproofing | damage report | Water stain on the ceiling approx. 30 × 40 cm below the roof terrace, cause open (waterproofing or condensation) | F-240 / D-01 |
| M-010 | 2026-050 | Ground floor, group room 2 (0.13) | Electrical | technical defect | Socket next to the door not working; test report for circuit 12 missing | F-245 / E-EG-03 |
| M-011 | 2026-051 | South facade, parapet, grid line 6 | Shell | technical defect | Hairline crack in the fair-faced concrete, width below 0.2 mm, no moisture, course marked | F-250, F-251 / R-03 |
| M-012 | 2026-052 | 1st floor, staff WC (1.15) | Painting | technical defect | Paint splash on the wall tile behind the door, approx. 3 mm | F-255 / — |
Example 2/3 — Responsibility and status
The same stock: who is responsible, who bears the costs, what state the defect is in — and why. The remark always carries a date.
| No. | Responsible | Found on | Status | Costs client / contractor | Visible externally | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-001 | Drywall A | 2026-05-04 | rectified | contractor | yes | Rectification checked 2026-05-22: crack-free, photo F-260 |
| M-002 | Screed B | 2026-05-04 | rectify | contractor | yes | Grace period expired; tiler waiting for completion notice — prepare announcement of substitute performance (2026-06-15) |
| M-003 | Windows C | 2026-05-06 | rectify | contractor | yes | Replacement gasket ordered according to contractor (2026-05-20); substitute performance announced from 2026-06-25, quotation from Windows K on file |
| M-004 | Plumbing F | 2026-05-11 | rectified | contractor | yes | Re-installed, leak test 2026-05-20 without findings |
| M-005 | Painting D | 2026-05-11 | price reduction | contractor | yes | Second coat no longer possible after furniture delivery; reduction of €380 agreed 2026-05-29 |
| M-006 | Electrical E | 2026-05-13 | rectified | contractor | yes | Room locked immediately; cover fitted 2026-05-13 14:30 (F-226), safety coordinator informed 11:10 |
| M-007 | Tiling G | 2026-05-19 | to be clarified | open | no | Contractor refers to screed tolerance (M-002); survey with expert agreed for 2026-06-18 — deadline still runs |
| M-008 | Metalwork H | 2026-05-18 | rectify | contractor | yes | Delay notified; installation according to contractor in week 25 — check contractual penalty under § 11 of the contract |
| M-009 | Roof waterproofing K (provisional) | 2026-05-26 | to be clarified | open | yes | Ceiling opened 2026-06-17 with Roof waterproofing K and Drywall A; responsible party final afterwards |
| M-010 | Electrical E | 2026-06-02 | rejected | — | yes | Contractor proves: circuit 12 energised only after furniture installation as planned (report 2026-06-03); no defect, number remains |
| M-011 | Shell J | 2026-06-05 | under observation | open | no | Crack width documented; quarterly check until the end of the warranty period (shell accepted 2025-12-12) |
| M-012 | Painting D | 2026-06-05 | irrelevant | — | no | No longer present at the inspection on 2026-06-08; closed instead of deleted — numbering stays unbroken |
Example 3/3 — Deadlines and escalation
The chain per defect. On the reference date 2026-06-15 two rows are red (M-002, M-008: grace period expired, no announcement) and one is light red (M-007: deadline passed, no grace period) — exactly the three letters that are missing.
| No. | Deadline level 1 | Notice received (receipt) | Grace period level 2 | Announcement level 3 | Completion notice | Rectification accepted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-001 | 2026-05-18 | 2026-05-05 (e-mail with read receipt) | — | — | 2026-05-20 | 2026-05-22 |
| M-002 | 2026-05-18 | 2026-05-06 (registered letter, return receipt) | 2026-06-01 | — | — | — |
| M-003 | 2026-05-20 | 2026-05-07 (e-mail, contractor's reply the same day) | 2026-06-03 | 2026-06-10 | — | — |
| M-004 | 2026-05-25 | 2026-05-11 (handed over on site, countersigned) | — | — | 2026-05-19 | 2026-05-20 |
| M-005 | 2026-05-25 | 2026-05-12 (e-mail, contractor's reply 2026-05-12) | — | — | — | — |
| M-006 | 2026-05-13 | 2026-05-13 (by phone 10:15, in writing 11:00 by e-mail) | — | — | 2026-05-13 | 2026-05-14 |
| M-007 | 2026-06-02 | 2026-05-20 (e-mail with read receipt) | — | — | — | — |
| M-008 | 2026-05-29 | 2026-05-20 (registered letter, return receipt) | 2026-06-12 | — | — | — |
| M-009 | — | 2026-05-26 (damage report to both contractors by e-mail, without deadline) | — | — | — | — |
| M-010 | 2026-06-16 | 2026-06-02 (e-mail) | — | — | — | — |
| M-011 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| M-012 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
M-009 and M-011 deliberately have no deadline: for the damage report it runs only after clarification, for the warranty defect under observation not at all. Both are nevertheless found with a date — that is the difference between "no action needed" and "forgotten".
What makes the list reliable
Unbroken
Every number exactly once, no deleted row. The sequence M-001 to M-012 proves that the list is complete.
Symptom
What can be seen, where and how much. No cause, no blame — those belong in the expert report, not in the notice.
Receipt
Every deadline has a date of receipt with proof next to it. No receipt, no deadline; no deadline, no substitute performance.
State instead of deletion
Rejected, irrelevant, price reduction — three ways to close a defect without making it disappear.
Photo and drawing
Photo number and drawing revision per row. In five years the defect can only be found again through these two columns.
The limit of Excel
Three copies, three truths. As soon as several companies work on the same list, it needs one place with permissions and a log — the Excel version is the way in, not the destination.
The list that keeps itself up to date
In Construction Defects every column of this template is a field: the number is unchangeable once assigned, the responsible party is mandatory, the status model is exactly this one. The grace period generates the next escalation level automatically, photos and drawing excerpt are attached to the defect, and the export delivers PDF or ZIP with Excel and all images — filtered for the contractor, complete internally.
Frequently asked questions
Is a defect list in Excel legally sufficient?
As documentation, yes — if every row carries date, location, symptom, photo and responsible party. But the list does not replace a letter: the notice of defects must reach the contractor, and that receipt must be provable. The list records that and when this happened.
Why may I not simply delete a defect?
Because the unbroken sequence of numbers is itself evidence. A missing number raises the question of what was there and why it disappeared. An entry that was not a defect is closed as "rejected" or "irrelevant" — with reason and date.
Who may set the status "rectified"?
Only whoever has checked the rectification — as a rule, site supervision. The contractor notifies completion; that completion notice is a date in the list, not a status. The separation prevents defects being treated as closed that nobody has checked.
From when does the deadline in the notice of defects run?
From receipt by the contractor (§ 130 BGB), not from dispatch. That is why the list holds the date of receipt with the proof: return receipt, read receipt, countersignature. A letter whose receipt you cannot prove has no reliable deadline.
What distinguishes "to be clarified" from "rejected"?
"To be clarified" is open: cause or responsibility are disputed, the defect exists, a deadline that has been set continues to run. "Rejected" is closed: the contractor has proven that the work conforms to the contract, and the evidence is in the remark.
Can I take a list kept this way over into Construction Defects?
The nineteen columns correspond to the data model of Construction Defects; that is exactly why they are cut this way. For taking existing lists over into a project, talk to us — the route depends on the project structure and the list of trades.
Sources and legal basis
The legal statements in this article are based on the primary sources listed below. The article is not a substitute for legal advice in an individual case.
- VOB/B (2016 edition), official text of the BMWSB — § 4 (7) (defects before acceptance), § 13 (5) (rectification after acceptance), § 13 (6) (reduction)
- § 634 BGB — Rights of the customer in the case of defects
- § 637 BGB — Self-help and advance payment
- § 130 BGB — Effectiveness of a declaration of intent to absent parties (receipt)
A defect list that does not break.
In 45 minutes we show the defect in a real workflow — from the finding with photo through the notice with deadline to the accepted rectification, filtered for the contractor and complete internally.