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Post-Project Review Process

Document Type: Procedure
Version: 1.0
Last Updated: February 2026
Distribute To: Project Managers, Executives

Purpose​

Establish a structured process for reviewing completed projects to capture lessons learned and improve future performance.

Post-Project Review vs. Lessons Learned​

Lessons Learned: Quick capture of what worked/didn't (already covered)

Post-Project Review: Comprehensive analysis including:

  • Financial performance
  • Schedule performance
  • Client satisfaction
  • Team performance
  • Process effectiveness
  • Estimating accuracy

When to Conduct​

Timing:​

  • After final completion
  • Before team disperses
  • Ideally within 60 days of closeout

Which Projects:​

  • All projects over $X (company threshold)
  • Problem projects (regardless of size)
  • Strategic projects
  • New client/market projects

Review Components​

1. Financial Analysis​

Compare Budget to Actual:

CategoryBudgetActualVariance%
Labor
Material
Subcontract
Equipment
GCs
Other
TOTAL

Profitability:

  • Original estimate margin
  • Final actual margin
  • Variance explained

Change Orders:

  • Number of COs
  • Total CO value
  • % of original contract
  • Approval time analysis

Cash Flow:

  • DSO during project
  • Collection issues
  • Retention timing

2. Schedule Analysis​

Performance:

  • Original duration
  • Actual duration
  • Variance explained

Key Milestones:

MilestonePlannedActualVariance

Delay Analysis:

  • Owner-caused delays
  • Contractor delays
  • Excusable delays
  • Recovery efforts

3. Quality Analysis​

Metrics:

  • First-time pass rate
  • Punch list items/1000 SF
  • Rework cost %
  • Warranty callbacks

Issues:

  • Major quality issues
  • Root causes
  • Prevention for future

4. Safety Analysis​

Metrics:

  • Hours worked
  • Recordable incidents
  • Near misses reported
  • TRIR

Issues:

  • Incidents that occurred
  • Root causes
  • Prevention measures

5. Client Satisfaction​

Feedback:

  • Formal survey results
  • Informal feedback
  • Relationship status
  • Repeat business likelihood

Issues:

  • Complaints received
  • Resolution effectiveness
  • Areas for improvement

6. Estimating Accuracy​

By Category:

CategoryEstimatedActualAccuracy %
Labor hours
Material costs
Sub costs
Equipment
GCs

Update Estimating Data:

  • Productivity rates
  • Material pricing
  • Subcontractor costs
  • GC percentages

Post-Project Review Meeting​

Attendees:​

  • Project Manager
  • Superintendent
  • Estimator (original)
  • Operations/Executive
  • Key team members

Agenda:​

  1. Project Summary (10 min)

    • Scope overview
    • Key challenges
    • Overall assessment

  2. Financial Review (20 min)

    • Budget vs. actual
    • Variance analysis
    • Change order review

  3. Schedule Review (15 min)

    • Performance analysis
    • Delay causes
    • Recovery efforts

  4. Quality/Safety (10 min)

    • Metrics review
    • Issues and causes

  5. Client Feedback (10 min)

    • Survey results
    • Relationship status

  6. Lessons Learned (20 min)

    • What worked well
    • What didn't work
    • Recommendations

  7. Action Items (15 min)

    • Process improvements
    • Training needs
    • System updates
    • Knowledge sharing

Post-Project Review Report​

================================================================
         POST-PROJECT REVIEW REPORT
================================================================

Project: ___________________________________________________

Date: _____________________________________________________

Reviewed By: _______________________________________________

================================================================

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Overall Project Assessment: ☐ Excellent  ☐ Good  ☐ Fair  ☐ Poor

Key Achievements:
___________________________________________________________

Key Challenges:
___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

FINANCIAL SUMMARY:

Original Contract:          $____________________
Final Contract:            $____________________
Change Order %:            ________%

Estimated Margin:          ________%
Actual Margin:             ________%
Variance:                  ________%

________________________________________________________________

SCHEDULE SUMMARY:

Original Duration:         ________ days/months
Actual Duration:           ________ days/months
Variance:                  ________ days
Reason(s):
___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

QUALITY/SAFETY:

Punch Items per 1000 SF:   ________
Rework Cost %:             ________%
TRIR:                      ________
Incidents:                 ________

________________________________________________________________

CLIENT SATISFACTION:

Overall Rating:            ____ / 5
Would Recommend:           ☐ Yes  ☐ No
Repeat Business Expected:  ☐ Yes  ☐ No  ☐ Maybe

________________________________________________________________

KEY LESSONS:

What Worked Well:
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________

What Didn't Work:
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

RECOMMENDATIONS:

For Future Projects:
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________

For Estimating:
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________

For Operations:
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

ACTION ITEMS:

| Action | Owner | Due Date |
|--------|-------|----------|
|        |       |          |
|        |       |          |
|        |       |          |

================================================================

Reviewed By: _______________________  Date: _________________

Approved By: ______________________  Date: _________________

================================================================

Knowledge Transfer​

Share Learnings:​

  • Company-wide lessons learned database
  • Monthly PM meetings
  • Training sessions
  • Estimating updates

What to Share:​

  • Productivity data
  • Successful methods
  • Issues to avoid
  • Client preferences
  • Subcontractor performance

Client Satisfaction Survey​

Survey Questions:​

  1. Overall satisfaction (1-5)
  2. Communication quality (1-5)
  3. Responsiveness (1-5)
  4. Quality of work (1-5)
  5. Schedule performance (1-5)
  6. Problem resolution (1-5)
  7. Would you hire us again?
  8. Would you recommend us?
  9. What did we do well?
  10. What could we improve?
  • Lessons Learned
  • Financial Closeout
  • Warranty Administration
  • Estimating Standards

Template provided by support.construction. Learn from every project.