Construction documents are produced by the architect and engineer of record and describe the design intent of the project. Shop drawings are produced by the fabricator and describe how the piece will actually be built and installed. Shop drawings translate the design intent into fabrication-ready instructions, including specific material dimensions, connection details, weld locations, and hardware specifications. They are submitted to the architect and engineer for review to confirm that the fabrication approach matches the design intent before any steel is cut.

Approved means the drawings are accepted as submitted and fabrication may proceed. Approved as noted means the drawings are accepted subject to specific corrections noted on the review. Fabrication may proceed after incorporating the noted corrections, depending on the project's submittal requirements. Revise and resubmit means the drawings require significant changes and must be resubmitted for another review cycle before fabrication may proceed. We do not begin fabrication on a revise and resubmit review.

The shop drawing process typically takes 2 to 4 weeks from the start of drawing production to approved drawings. This includes the time to produce the drawings, the time for the architect and engineer to review, and any revision cycles required. For projects on a tight schedule, we discuss the shop drawing timeline upfront and coordinate with the design team to expedite review when necessary. The review period is controlled by the design team, not by us.

Yes, always. We take field measurements before finalizing shop drawings for all projects. We do not scale dimensions from architectural drawings because architectural drawings are not produced to fabrication tolerances. Field measurements are the most reliable way to ensure that fabricated components will fit correctly on site. For projects still under construction, we coordinate with the GC on when field conditions are ready for measurement.

We produce shop drawings in AutoCAD and SolidWorks. For complex assemblies, we produce 3D models in SolidWorks to verify fit and identify conflicts before fabrication begins. 3D models are particularly valuable for curved staircases, complex railing systems, and structural assemblies with multiple connection points. We can share 3D models with the design team for review and can export to common formats including DWG, PDF, and STEP.

The fabricator is responsible for the accuracy of the shop drawings as a fabrication document. The architect and engineer are responsible for confirming that the shop drawings match the design intent. If an error in the shop drawings results from incorrect information in the construction documents, we document the discrepancy and submit an RFI before proceeding. If an error is ours, we correct it at our cost. This is why the review process exists.

Minor clarifications and corrections are part of the normal review process. Significant design changes during the shop drawing phase can affect the project schedule and cost. If a design change is requested after shop drawings are underway, we assess the impact and communicate it to the project team before proceeding. Changes that require a new site visit, new engineering, or significant redrawing are handled as a change order.