Shop Drawing Submittals: Why They’re Vital for Construction Projects and How To Keep Track of Them

September 4, 2022 by Michael Gober & Denis Gritsiyenko

As a construction project manager, you know document management is a critical and sometimes Herculean task. Contracts, RFIs, change orders — each one is a vital piece of the build.

When it comes to the details of a project, perhaps no document is a more important part of the process than a shop drawing.

So what is a shop drawing submittal and what makes them so special?

We will answer this question and more, including:

Why shop drawings are required
What they should include
How the process can protect you as a contractor; and
How to easily store and access shop drawing submittals

Keep reading for more information.

CM Fusion: The Perfect Tool To Help Construction Managers Track Documents and Submittals
What Is a Shop Drawing Submittal?
1. 4 Details That Should Be Included in Shop Drawing Submittals
Why Are Shop Drawings Required?
1. 4 Reasons the Shop Drawing Approval Process Is Critical
How Failing To Keep Up With Shop Drawing Submittals Can Complicate Your Workflow
How Having a Designated, Easily Accessible Place for Shop Drawing Submittals Can Simplify Your Life
CM Fusion Allows You to Efficiently Keep Up With Shop Drawing Submittals and Other Important Documents

CM Fusion: The Perfect Tool To Help Construction Managers Track Documents and Submittals

In the past, it was a real headache for construction managers to keep up with document management, submittals, and all the other endless paperwork required to run a project.

These days, it couldn’t be easier with the help of CM Fusion.

CM Fusion is construction management software made easy. Our simple and flexible software is:

Cloud-based — You won’t have to download, install, or learn anything. Just log in and you can immediately begin managing your projects.
Easy to use — We designed this software with simplicity in mind so you can be up and running within minutes.
Mobile-ready — Since CM Fusion works on phones, tablets, and computers, you can access your projects whenever and wherever you want.

Our software helps keep your project documents and submittals — including shop drawing submittals — all in one place and perfectly organized. Gone are the days of searching through a filing cabinet or a pile of papers on your desk. CM Fusion gives you access to everything you need right at your fingertips.

Check out these and CM Fusion’s many other features with a free 30-day trial. You’ll wonder how you ever did your job without it!

30-Day Free Trial

What Is a Shop Drawing Submittal?

The American Institute of Architects defines shop drawings as collections of:

Drawings
Diagrams
Schedules
Samples
Material data; and
Product data

These are prepared by …

Contractors
Subcontractors
Manufacturers
Suppliers; and
Distributors

… to show specific parts of the work being done.

Submittals may include shop drawings and any other administrative documents. So in other words, not all submittals are shop drawings, but all shop drawings are submittals.

Shop drawing submittals are not contract documents, but they are the way a contractor communicates what will be constructed or what the subcontractors designed.

When shop drawings are submitted, they go through a review and approval process that allows the contractor to demonstrate how the tasks at hand will be accomplished. This also allows any design professionals involved to review ideas and be sure to comply with their intent.

Construction managers and contractors must understand the importance of shop drawing submittals to any project. These submittals help prevent complications and misunderstandings that may hinder a project.

Having a deep understanding of responsibilities in the submittal process can also help construction professionals reduce the risk of lawsuits.

It’s clear that having a way to manage your submittals all in one place is critical. CM Fusion sorts them by divisions and specifications and even gives you a PDF log download to help you keep track of everything.

4 Details That Should Be Included in Shop Drawing Submittals

#1: Comparative Information

The information compiled in shop drawing submittals is there to help architects and others involved in the project compare drawings and specifications. This will help them have a better understanding of the construction project.

Shop drawings give descriptions of the information related to the …

Appearance
Functionality; and
Expected direction

… of the project.

Shop drawings should be much more detailed than construction documents. But the two do go hand-in-hand. When reviewing shop drawing submittals, architects and other construction professionals must refer to construction documents, drawings, and specifications to ensure they completely understand the project’s scope.

Shop drawing submittals should always be thoroughly detailed and accurate in their descriptions of the …

Dimensional specs
Material components; and
Any other relevant information

… required to create the final product.

#2: Annotations

Any changes made to shop drawings should be annotated for the …

Reference
Reviewal; and
Approval

… of the project’s engineers and architects.

This helps everyone involved with the project be perfectly clear about even the smallest detail. Changes in plans must be communicated between any architects, designers, contractors, and drafters involved in the project.

#3: Fabrications

There is a great deal of information critical to the manufacturing process that should be included in shop drawing submittals, such as:

Fabrication instructions
Manufacturing standards
Dimensions
And more

Other construction documents don’t provide this level of detail, so fabricators rely heavily on shop drawing submittals for clear instructions on their part of the process.

#4: Dimension Verification

A site’s dimensions will be included in initial construction documents and drawings, but sometimes these change over time due to various conditions.

That’s why it’s so important to verify the actual dimensions of any site from surface to surface within the shop drawing submittal.

In addition, any products being manufactured for inclusion in the project should have accurate dimensions before they are installed. Failure to get this right may mean the site will then have to be modified, which means wasted time and money.

Why Are Shop Drawings Required?

Shop drawing submittals are required because they prevent project participants from interpreting contractual requirements for construction work differently.

Before …

Products are purchased
Materials are fabricated; and
Work is performed at the site

… it is critical that design professionals and contractors mutually understand how they will fulfill their obligations.

Contractors usually have primary responsibility for shop drawings and design professionals have secondary responsibility.

Contractors are required to review and approve shop drawings and any other submittals for compliance with contract documents. Then they send the drawings to the design professionals for review. This communicates they have determined and verified:

Materials
Field measurements; and
Field construction criteria

Being thorough with shop drawing submittals up front can help all parties avoid expensive misunderstandings, claims, and disputes related to the construction project.

4 Reasons the Shop Drawing Approval Process Is Critical

#1: Shop Drawing Submittals Allow Construction Managers to Identify Deviations From the Contract Documents

If shop drawings are different from contract documents, the contractor is required to get written approval from the architect for the deviation.

If the architect approves the shop drawing but doesn’t back it up with the required documentation, the contractor is at risk for the submittal deviation.

#2: Shop Drawing Submittals Prevent Unapproved Work

Contractors aren’t allowed to perform any work covered by the shop drawing submittal until it is approved by the architect or engineer.

Again, performing such work without written approval puts the contractor at risk.

#3: Shop Drawing Submittals Provide Clarification on Changes to the Scope of Work

When shop drawing submittals are reviewed, any changes made may affect the scope of work for the contractor.

If there are disputes about the scope of work later, the use of shop drawings in the process is usually the strongest piece of evidence for how courts will rule in the proceedings.

#4: Shop Drawing Submittals Allow Construction Managers to Act in Good Faith

When construction managers act in good faith, it means they are doing everything they can to follow industry practices and comply with the contract during the submittal process.

Not completing submittals in a timely manner can lead to delays that cause a host of issues.

How Failing To Keep Up With Shop Drawing Submittals Can Complicate Your Workflow

If you aren’t managing your shop drawings by using submittal software such as CM Fusion, you are likely dealing with the pain of:

Struggling to keep track of submittals
Wading through an inbox crowded with submittals for multiple projects
Spending hours each week trying to track submittals
Having trouble keeping your contractors informed and up-to-date on changes
Not being able to match submittals with RFIs from different job sites
Work slowing down because submittals have been overlooked

This isn’t an efficient way to run your business.

How Having a Designated, Easily Accessible Place for Shop Drawing Submittals Can Simplify Your Life

On the other hand, if you decide to use our construction submittal software, CM Fusion can simplify your life by:

Giving you a streamlined and easy submittal process
Automatically matching submittals with RFIs for tracking made easy
Increasing profitability through precise submissions
Supplying you with an easily viewed construction submittal log
Making it easy to stay organized and track multiple project statuses and due dates
Providing an organized, reliable construction submittal schedule

When you discover everything CM Fusion can do, you may ask yourself why you haven’t tried it sooner.

CM Fusion Allows You to Efficiently Keep Up With Shop Drawing Submittals and Other Important Documents

We designed our software specifically for construction teams. Our customers include:

Construction managers
Architects
General contractors
Subcontractors
Engineers
And more

If you’re tired of the hassle of disorganized shop drawing submittals and you’re losing money because you don’t have a streamlined process, we can help.

Contact CM Fusion today to request a demo and sign up for your free 30-day trial.