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Page B-5, April, 1987
Shop Drawings and Coordination

The following recommendations are made regarding the relative responsibilities of Architects, Engineers and Prime Contractors with respect to shop drawings and field coordination.

Design Document Stage:

  1. The Architect or Engineer should provide sufficient information on his drawings to allow complete and detailed shop drawings to be made.
  2. Areas of interference should be reviewed by the Architect or Engineer during design and provisions made for sufficient space in all directions.
  3. The Architect or Engineer should include with the bidding documents, reflected ceiling plans showing desired location of lighting, grilles, diffusers, speakers, etc.

Construction Stage:

  1. Contractor's Responsibility

    A. The Prime Contractor should be responsible for checking all shop drawings as they relate to coordination and compliance with the contract documents.

    B. Subcontractors should be responsible for checking all shop drawings relating to the portions of the work assigned to them.

    C. The Prime Contractor, after checking the shop drawings thoroughly, should signify in writing that he approves them for compliance with the contract documents.

    D. The Prime Contractor should submit shop drawings to the Architect or Engineer for checking as soon as possible. Critical items, whose delivery may be delayed due to long fabrication and/or delivery time, should be so noted. Shop drawings should be properly identified as to the project.
  2. Architect's/Engineer's Responsibility:

    A. Shop drawings submitted to the Architect or Engineer should be checked by them for design and compliance with drawings and specifications, but not for detailed dimensions.

    B. The Architect or Engineer should check and return shop drawings to the Contractor without delay. Approval or desired changes should be clearly indicated on at least three sets of shop drawings.

    C. The Architect or Engineer should maintain a log indicating the date shop drawings are received, the action taken, date approved or returned for correction, and other pertinent data. This log should be available to all interested parties.

These procedures should be discussed at the initial job conference and any problems arising should be resolved at subsequent job conferences.

Reviewed April 1987
Revised November 1980
Revised January 1975
Revised November 1971


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