Page 222 - Urban Construction Project Management

Drawings and Specifications

8 (The 100% documents. Not!)

DRAWINGS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Drawings and specifications represent the scope of the project and the details required
for its construction. These documents will include plans, elevations, sections, reflected
ceiling plans, blow-ups, definitive information (such as the type of pipe to use), and
testing and quality control (QC) that will be used for the project. See Exhibit 8-1 for a
drawings and specifications flowchart.
The architects and associated consultants (design team) prepare the construction docu-
ments. The construction documents are supposed to be coordinated by the design team
that is involved with their preparation. The coordination process entails the review of
the architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, sprinkler, and other plans
to make sure conflicts do not occur between the various design team discipline draw-
ings. Unfortunately, the reality of the consultant’s world is that the consultants usually
do not have the proper time to coordinate and check the construction documents.
Sometimes the owner who wants to begin construction immediately dictates this. Thus,
the reality of the preparation of construction documents is that it is very rare that the
construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC) will receive 100% completed
documents.
The CM/GC must review the documents for constructability. This is not to say that all
discrepancies will be picked up. However, the CM/GC is trying to minimize potential
problems.
One of the first things the CM/GC wants to do is to make sure the latest construction
documents have been submitted. This is achieved by requesting from the design team
a list of all the construction documents indicating the latest revision dates. The design
team’s list should also include all addendums, sketches, bulletins, specifications, and all
other documents relevant to the construction of the project. Exhibit 8-2 is a design
document log that should be kept by the project manager (PM).

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