FREE Construction Schedule Template

Master construction schedule timelines with our intuitive construction schedule Gantt chart template.

Why use our Construction Schedule Template instead of Excel or Google Sheets?

Get started with our Construction Schedule Template in seconds while skipping the hassle involved with Excel or Google Sheets.

Build Gantt charts in minutes, not hours.

No project management experience? No problem. Tom's Planner offers a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface that's intuitive and easy to learn. Creating Gantt charts is a breeze, saving you time and effort. Compare that to the time-consuming, frustrating, manual formatting-intensive process of building a Gantt chart in Excel or Google Sheets.

Move at the pace of modern business with no learning curve or Googling formulas.

Good luck figuring out how to make a Gantt chart work in Excel or Google Sheets. Excel’s user manual weighs in at a hefty 500+ pages. It takes just five minutes with Tom’s Planner to start planning your first real project plan.

Headache-free collaboration and sharing.

Tom's Planner offers powerful options for sharing and collaborating on Gantt charts, including public links, PDF exports, and team access with customizable permission levels. It’s never been easier to communicate or ensure everyone’s on the same page. Compare that to Excel, where sharing and collaboration mean jumping through hoop after hoop and dealing with confusion and chaos.

How to use Tom's Planner's construction schedule template to build and share your construction project.

Getting your project off the ground is as easy as 1-2-3.

Click the 'start with template’ button to open the Construction Schedule Template.

Register for a free account and watch a short video on using Tom’s Planner. The account is free forever, with no strings attached.

You’re all set to use the Gantt chart template. Need additional help? Our AI assistant can create a custom Gantt chart Construction Schedule Template based on your project description.

What is a construction schedule template?

A construction schedule template allows you to create a construction schedule without the hassle of starting from scratch. Many construction project aspects are interchangeable from project to project, and a template simplifies the process of creating and then customizing a schedule.

Think of it this way: a construction schedule tells you what happens and when making it easy to track what’s happening and when it’s scheduled. It also lets you deal with the inevitable changes once a project goes live. Construction schedule templates come in many shapes and forms, but Gantt charts are ubiquitous.

Beyond scheduling: Using a Gantt chart to plan your project accurately

A construction schedule Gantt chart template takes all the information within a text-based construction schedule and transforms it into a visual format. That makes it simple to plan your project, track progress, and communicate with other stakeholders across the project’s timeline.

A Gantt chart like Tom’s Planner allows you to break the larger project into smaller, more manageable pieces. Also, it provides a timeline that shows task-dependent start/stop dates, interrelationships between various tasks, and other critical data at a glance. In short, a Gantt chart makes planning simpler and more intuitive.

Some of the most common fields found within a construction schedule include:

• Tasks and subtasks
• Task completion percentage
• Hours planned per task and for the project as a whole
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) codes
• Start and finish dates (actual and planned)
• Project milestones
• Payment schedules

However, a Gantt chart like Tom’s Planner allows you to create custom fields, such as:

• Task and subtask dependencies
• Subcontractors assigned to specific tasks and their contact information
• Material and supply inventory counts and allocation
• Expense tracking (projected versus actual)

With a Gantt chart, a construction schedule becomes a living document that evolves with the project, providing at-a-glance information and keeping the project on track.

When to use a construction schedule template

All tools have specific use cases. You use a hammer when you need to drive a nail. You use a screwdriver when you need to turn a screw and a saw when you need to cut material. But what about software-based tools? When do you need to use a construction schedule Gantt chart template?

The answer is that it depends. Each project is unique. You’ll undoubtedly need a construction plan template during the initial stages, but use across the rest of the project can vary.

Here are a few of the more common times you might need one:

A construction Gantt chart template makes outlining the project more straightforward, allowing you to create clear roadmaps from groundbreaking to final walkthrough.

Want to make a great impression on a protection client while boosting the chances that your bid will be selected? A construction schedule can help.

Monitor materials and supplies throughout the project to reduce overspending and track usage/waste.

Construction schedules are living documents. Update your template as milestones change and the project evolves.

Throughout the project, you must communicate clearly and accurately with various stakeholders. Tom’s Planner construction scheduling template can help you do that.

Who should use a construction schedule?

Construction schedules are used throughout the industry, and they’re valued by many professionals, including:

PMs can use a construction schedule to manage each phase of the project. A Gantt chart makes it easy to track task completion, manage timelines, allocate resources, and ensure things are completed on time.

General contractors also benefit from a construction schedule Gantt chart. It’s a flexible tool for managing teams and subcontractors, as well as fostering better communication with stakeholders.

Subcontractors can use a Gantt chart to ensure they’re synching their services with other professionals, to understand task dependencies, and to plan their requirements in terms of materials and labor.

Using a construction schedule Gantt chart helps ensure that projects are planned accurately and stand the best chance of success.

The top three pitfalls to avoid when planning a construction project

Construction projects fail for any number of reasons. However, using a construction schedule template can avoid three of the most common.

1. Inadequate planning Construction projects have deep dependencies between different tasks. A construction schedule template that doesn’t provide ample information about these dependencies risks leading to confusion and mismanagement. Solution: Make sure that your schedule has a detailed work breakdown structure. Each WBS should include detailed information about the task in question, including dependencies, subcontractors involved, and timelines.
2. Failure to account for buffer time Construction project schedules are fluid. Weather, subcontractor schedules, inspection timelines, and other factors can change it quickly. Failing to account for these with buffer times can lead to problems. Solution: Use a construction work plan template to integrate buffers between tasks and create a realistic timeline for the entire project.
3. Neglecting stakeholder engagement A schedule only works if your stakeholders have access to and can follow it. Neglecting to engage all stakeholders, including subcontractors and suppliers, means your schedule won’t be followed. Solution: Leverage the simplicity of a planning tool like Tom’s Planner to communicate with and engage stakeholders throughout the project.

While these challenges are common to most construction projects, it’s far easier to avoid them using resources like Tom’s Planner, rather than spreadsheet software like Excel.

What does a construction schedule template include?

A construction schedule Gantt chart template can include a wide range of fields. They’re highly project-dependent. Some of the most common fields include the following:

• Specific tasks
• Task dependencies
• WBS codes
• Deliverables
• Task duration
• Planned and actual start/finish dates
• Project/task completion percentage
• Task priority levels/rankings
• Planned hours for the project
• Project milestones
• Payment schedules

However, the actual value of these templates is how easily you can customize them for each project. You can do so in several different ways, including:

1. Materials: Keep an accurate inventory of materials and their allocation across the project.
2. Subcontractors: Contact information and assigned tasks, including dependencies between tasks/subcontractors.
3. Budget: Tracking expenses against a schedule of values to help make financial data more visible throughout the project and reduce the chance of budget overruns.
4. Milestones: Key project achievements, including those that trigger other actions, such as inspections or payments.
5. Dependencies: Easily see the links between sequential and related activities, including associated data such as materials, subcontractors, inspections, and more.

This level of customization and tracking is virtually impossible with Excel, but Tom’s Planner makes it simple. A construction schedule Gantt chart template offers value, utility, and usability across all construction projects, including residential, commercial, and industrial.

Isn’t it time you had the visibility, clarity, and collaborative capabilities you deserve?

Four tips on how to make sure you reach your deadlines

One of the most common reasons for missing deadlines is not using a schedule to break more significant segments of the project into smaller, more manageable tasks.

Construction schedules are living documents. You must regularly review changes and adjust your schedule to meet new information.

From assigning tasks to materials management to schedule adjustments, communication with all stakeholders is vital to ensuring you hit your deadlines.

No project is successful without a solid plan. A construction schedule Gantt chart makes it easier to plan your project and than manage all the details.

Gantt charts in Tom's Planner vs in Excel

Excel	Tom's Planner
Cost	License required	Free version available
Learning curve	Hours	Minutes
Create your first Gantt chart	Hours	Minutes
Making an update in your chart	Several minutes	Seconds (drag & drop)
Sharing charts with others	At some point you will save and email a file titled: version_4_def_usethisversion_reallyfinal.xlsx	Online, one source of truth, always up to date, with no confusion
Look & Feel	Messy	Clean, polished and professional
Dependencies
Filtering
Zoom in/out
Automatic Legend
AI-assist		Let our AI assist do the work for you
Export to image or pdf	Requires workarounds to export	One mouse click

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