Shop drawings and submittals are a critical part of Construction Administration. They help the design team verify that products, materials, equipment, fabrication details, and other components being supplied for the project are consistent with the Contract Documents.
In this episode of What the RFI?, Matt Brennan walks through the complete shop drawing review process — from receiving and logging a submittal to coordinating consultant reviews, marking up the shop drawing, returning it to the contractor, and tracking it through construction.
We also get into one of the most important distinctions in Construction Administration:
**Are architects actually “approving” shop drawings?**
This episode covers:
• What shop drawings and construction submittals are
• Why shop drawings are required
• How the shop drawing review process works
• Coordinating architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical reviews
• How to mark up shop drawings
• Reviewed vs. Reviewed as Noted vs. Revise and Resubmit
• Why architects should be careful with the word “approved”
• Product samples and architectural mockups
• Reviewing substitutions and proposed alternates
• Common shop drawing review mistakes
• Shop drawing logs and tracking
• How late reviews can affect the construction schedule
• Practical examples from real construction projects
Shop drawing review isn't simply paperwork. What gets reviewed and returned can directly affect what gets ordered, fabricated, delivered, and ultimately installed on site.
Taking the time to properly review and track submittals is one of the most important responsibilities during Construction Administration.
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Practical Construction Administration education for architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, owners, and project managers.
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## Chapters
00:00 - What Are Shop Drawings?
03:00 - The Shop Drawing Review Process
05:58 - How to Mark Up Shop Drawings
09:11 - Samples and Mockups
11:49 - Alternates and Substitutions
15:01 - Real-World Shop Drawing Examples
18:13 - Finalizing and Returning a Submittal
20:58 - Shop Drawing Review Times and Project Delays
23:49 - Mentorship and Shop Drawing Reviews
26:57 - Shop Drawing Logs and Key Takeaways
#ShopDrawings #ConstructionAdministration #ConstructionSubmittals
What the RFI? — The Construction Administration Podcast
Practical guidance for architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, owners, and project managers navigating construction administration.