Accelerate Your Construction Projects: 9 Best Practices for Efficient Shop Drawing Reviews (Free Template Included)

Shop drawings are the backbone of any construction project. When handled efficiently, they can accelerate your project timeline. But when bogged down by delays and errors, they can be a major headache.

Find below 9 best practices to streamline your shop drawing review process.

1. Prioritize Shop Drawings and Understand Their Importance

Recognizing the significance of shop drawings ensures everyone involved gives them the attention they deserve.

Our office recognizes the importance and tends to not procrastinate whenever submittals come in. Many contractors tell us we prioritize them quicker than other offices. — David Duman , AIA, Architect, Project Manager and Principal @ Quorum Architects

2. Effective Communication

Establish where document reviews, internal communications, and client communications will occur.

Where will document reviews and markups take place? Where will you communicate internally? How will you communicate with clients?

Having answers to these will ensure you address questions and issues promptly to prevent delays.

3. Timely Reviews

Conduct reviews promptly within agreed-upon timelines to avoid costly delays. This improves efficiency during the pre-construction phase.

4. Quality Assurance

Implement rigorous quality assurance measures to catch errors early. This includes checking for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with project requirements.

5. Continuous Monitoring

Monitor the progress of shop drawing reviews to identify potential issues early. Doing this will allow you to address problems promptly to maintain momentum.

A good rule of thumb is to use document review tools that have task management and automated reporting capabilities. E.g. zipBoard

6. Set Realistic Timelines

Communicate reasonable timeframes with contractors. This manages expectations and ensures adequate time for thorough reviews without unnecessary rush or delays.

Quorum Architects typically allows two weeks for processing and reviewing submittals. And they communicate this timeline to contractors to ensure both parties are on the same page.

7. Understand Legal and Contractual Dimensions

Understand the responsibilities of project stakeholders, dispute resolution mechanisms, and the role of shop drawings in contract documents. This helps prevent legal complications.

8. Adhere to Shop Drawing Standards

Prioritize adherence to industry standards like AIA and CSI guidelines. This ensures consistency, quality, and compatibility.

9. Embrace Digital Tools

Use digital tools to will help reduce the reliance on physical paperwork and enable you to streamline your shop drawing review process. These include:

• Cloud-Based Collaboration Platforms: BIM 360, Autodesk Docs, Bluebeam Studio, Aconex, zipBoard

• Construction Management Software: Procore, PlanGrid, Fieldwire
• Document Management Systems: SharePoint, Documentum, Dropbox Business, zipBoard
• Quality Control Software: Bluebeam Revu, Adobe Acrobat, zipBoard
• Mobile Apps: Bluebeam Revu for iPad, PlanGrid for mobile devices
• Document Markup Tools: zipBoard, Adobe Acrobat, Autodesk Docs, Bluebeam Revu

• Architecture Project Management Software: Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, Newforma

Transform your shop drawing review process today; start by downloading our free submittal schedule template and explore our comprehensive blog post for more insights.

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