In construction, every day, every manpower and every square meter counts. Projects are complex, margins are fragile and competition is fierce. If you want to build efficiently, you must be able to measure efficiently. KPIs help construction companies proactively monitor projects, control costs and avoid risks. In this article, you get concrete KPIs for each project phase: from preparation to completion — including dashboard tips for modern construction companies.
KPIs per project phase in construction
A construction project consists of several phases: preparation, execution, finishing and delivery. Each phase requires its own KPIs that help to control progress and results.
1. Planning rate
What? Share of tasks that were carried out within the foreseeable time
Use: Measure whether the preparation was realistic and complete
Action: Review phasing or working methods in case of a low score
2. Implementation rate per phase
What? Percentage completion of each project phase (structural work, techniques, finishing...)
Visualization: Gantt or progress bar per item
Use: Clear communication with customers and stakeholders
3. Site delay in business days
What? Difference between planned and actual working hours per phase
Action: Analyze causes (delivery time, weather conditions, capacity)
4. Unforeseen changes (change orders)
What? Number and impact of technical or commercial adjustments
Use: Critical for actual costing and customer satisfaction
Budget and post-calculation KPIs
In construction, a good calculation is half the work. KPIs not only help in advance, but especially in monitoring and evaluating the project result.
5. Cost per square meter
What? Total cost divided by built area
Use: Compare with estimation or similar projects
Action: Identify cost overruns early
6. Deviation from the original offer
What? Percentage difference between original estimate and final billing
Formula: (final cost — quote) ÷ quote × 100
Use: Essential for post-project analysis
7. Profitability per project
What? Revenue — cost, in euro or margin percentage
Use: Analyze where margin is gained or lost (purchasing, planning, execution)
8. Actual costing by cost type
What? Actual costs by heading (labour, materials, subcontracting)
Hint: Use color codes (green/yellow/red) for deviations from budget
Resource planning KPIs
Staff, materials and machines are scarce and expensive. These KPIs help you plan them correctly and use them profitably.
9. Staff occupancy rate
What? Percentage of productive hours compared to available hours
Use: By team, week or project
Action: Avoid under-staffing or overstaffing
10. Deployment rate of machines
What? Number of machine hours used compared to rental or ownership hours
Use: Link with fleet management and maintenance planning
11. Losing hours
What? Time during which staff or equipment was available but not deployed
Causes: waiting time for delivery, site preparation, weather conditions
Use: Visualize and discuss in site meetings
12. Education rate
What? Number of courses taken per employee per year
Why? Important for safety, productivity and retention
KPIs around safety incidents
Safety is a top priority in construction. KPIs not only help to measure accidents, but especially to follow preventive policies.
13. Incident frequency
What? Number of incidents per 100,000 hours worked
Use: Compare with sector benchmark or internal standard
Hint: Combine with severity score (light — heavy — fatal)
1.4 Near missions
What? Number of near accidents without damage
Use: Essential for prevention policy
Action: Encourage reporting, even of minor risks
15. Safety Audit Score
What? Score achieved on periodic inspection or audit
Use: Objective indicator of safety awareness and compliance
16. Number of VCA-certified employees
What? % of employees with a valid VCA certificate
Use: Follow-up of legal compliance and customer requirements
Dashboarding for project follow-up
Without a visual overview, KPIs remain numbers in silos. With dashboards, you can make performance negotiable, comparable and usable in real-time.
What a good construction dashboard shows
- Project progress by phase, visually as Gantt or percentage
- Deviation in budget and schedule per project
- Site delays or profitability per team
- Occupancy rate of staff and equipment
- Safety incidents or audit score per site
Frequently used tools
- InsightData — insights into your project status and margins.
- Excel dashboards — for smaller contractors or starting analyses
Dashboard usage tips
- Automate with live data from ERP or planning software
- Use colors (green/yellow/red) for deviations
- Share dashboards in site meetings and executive meetings
- Limit to 10 KPIs per role (project manager vs. site manager vs. management)
Common mistakes in construction KPIs
- Only measure at the end of the project
- KPIs without action or ownership
- No comparison between projects
- KPIs that aren't visually shared with teams
- Work with interim KPI measurements per phase
Link KPIs to decisions: replanning, adjustment, escalation
Make KPIs visible and negotiable on site
Automate where possible (instead of manual excels)
Summary: what do you need to measure in construction?
Construction companies that work with KPIs see where projects are derailing more quickly, can make substantiated adjustments and thus increase their margin and customer satisfaction.
Essential KPIs by domain:
- By phase: planning rate, execution rate, change orders
- Financial: profitability, actual calculation by heading, deviation from offer
- Resources: occupancy rate, loss hours, education rate
- Safety: incident frequency, VCA, near misses
- Dashboard: combination of real-time site data and financial follow-up
Explore the InsightData Project App to manage your project's profitability.