Introduction:

The construction/contract drawings and specifications prepared by the consultant

show the general design concept of the project and each of the major components and
their relationships to each other.

Some of the subcontractors and suppliers must prepare additional drawings, diagrams,
schedules, and other data to illustrate the specific way in which their particular
company or shop will undertake to furnish, fabricate, assemble, or install their scope
of works/products.

These additional drawings are what we called “shop drawings”.

fig (1) Shop Drawing for installation of Diesel Generator

fig (2) installation of Diesel Generator based on fig (1)

Shop Drawings Definition: see fig (1) & (2)

The Means Illustrated Construction Dictionary Third Edition Unabridged defined it as

follows:

"Shop Drawings are Drawings created by a contractor, subcontractor, vendor,

manufacturer, or other entity that illustrate construction, materials, dimensions,
installation, and other pertinent information for the incorporation of an element or
item into the construction."

My brief definition for shop drawings is as follows:

Shop drawings are fully detailed and fully dimensioned drawings (disregard for which
works they are done).

Shop Drawings importance:

 Shop drawings are submitted for the purpose of illustrating how the contractor
proposes to conform to the requirements and design concepts expressed in the
construction drawings and specifications.
 Shop drawings are needed by the fabrication shops for their own use in
instructing their own personnel how to carry out the requirements of the contract
documents. Fabricators will produce the shop drawings even if they are not asked to
submit them for consultant’s approval.
 Shop drawings are needed to give the consultant the opportunity to review the
fabricator’s version of the product, prior to fabrication. Shop drawings facilitate the
architect’s and engineer’s approval of the product.
 Shop drawings are needed to ascertain that the contractor understands the
architectural and engineering design concepts and to correct any misapprehensions
before they are carried out in the shop or field.

Shop Drawing Procedures:

1. The contractor is obligated by the contract documents to submit shop

drawings, product data, and samples for certain parts of the work to the
consultant.
2. The consultant is obligated by the owner- consultant agreement to
“review and approve or take other appropriate action upon Contractor’s Shop
Drawings submitals.
3. After reviewing shop drawings by the consultant, they are then sent back
to the general contractor, approved, conditionally approved, or disapproved.
4. The contractor will revise and submit all drawings that are conditionally
approved, or disapproved to get final approval from the consultant.
 fig (3): Shop Drawing Stamp

Shop Drawing Stamps: see fig (3)

The consultant usually express their opinion of the shop drawings by use of the rubber
stamp which usually has some exculpatory language in fine print plus some options
which can be exercised by use of check marks. Often the stamp says something like
"Review is for general compliance with Contract Documents. No responsibility is
assumed for correctness of dimensions or details."

The various options to be selected include:

 Reviewed.
 Approved.
 Rejected.
 Revise and Resubmit.
 Furnish as Corrected.
 No Exception Taken.
 Make Corrections Noted.
 Submit Specified Item.

Space is also usually provided for the date of review and action and the shop drawing
number.
 fig (4): letter of transmittal

Important Notes for Shop Drawings approval:

 The accompanying letter of transmittal (see fig.4) should have additional

comments that are needed to explain the reviewer’s action or conditions of approval.
 In the practical world of construction, all words that do not reject the shop
drawings will be interpreted as approving them.
 The consultant's review is not to be taken as an approval of any safety
precautions as these are the contractor's responsibility. The consultant's review is
limited to determining if the requirements of the contract documents are being met
and that the completed work will be in compliance with the contract documents.
 The consultant's approval of a shop drawing does not relieve the contractor of
responsibility for meeting requirements of the contract documents.
 It is the contractor's responsibility to assure that all work on the job is in
conformance with approved shop drawings