Construction documentation are the complete set of drawings in a construction lifecycle. The precise documentation is critical. It encompasses specifications, schedules, and written instructions from planning, design to execution, and maintenance. Whether you are building commercial, government, mixed-use, high-rise, or residential buildings, you need two important drawings. These technical drawings are shop drawings and as-built drawings. They both may sound similar. But they do differ in the role, adopted at the different stages of construction and involve different teams.
Let’s understand what is shop drawing and as-built drawing . Also their roles for smoother project execution and to avoid costly mistakes.
What are Shop Drawings?
Shop drawings are detailed, contractor-generated drawings. They illustrate how specific building components will be fabricated, assembled, and installed. Different type of drawings are adopted at different stages in construction lifecycle. Fabrication drawings for manufacturers explain how steel, HVAC, and plumbing trade components are manufactured. Whereas, installation drawings illustrate the components to be placed on-site. Interestingly, the integration of BIM with shop drawings result to coordination drawings.
Believe it or not but together they reduce construction cost, control risk management and resolve conflicts. If you are loosing few bucks you can save them
With no doubt they are essential to personify the true image of a construction project. Contractors, subcontractors, or fabricators are the key creators for it. Approved by architects and engineers, they are created before construction starts or in the early stages of the project. After the coordination approval installation takes place.
Detailed drawings often interchangebly referred to shop drawings in architectural or structural trades. But incase of detailed drawings intricate design and assembly details are included.
As soon as the design drawings are approved, shop drawing refer to how the construction of the project is underway. If you are looking for experienced shop drawing service provider in USA . Call to enjoy smooth construction exceution.
What are As-Built Drawings?
The deviations do happen during construction lifecycle. So, the final record drawings including the deviation from original construction drawings are referred as – ‘ As-Built Drawing.
The rerouted pipes or conduits, changes in where equipment is placed, and wall adjustments all cause deviations. Contractors or field engineers, take account of this during or after the construction phase—especially during project closeout.
As built drawings are precise existing condition of architectural, structural, and MEP in a building. The actual built condition act as reference for future upgrades or renovation for facility managers.
✅Difference between Shop Drawings vs As-Built Drawings
Let’s weigh up the difference in construction technology. The fact of the matter is both design drawings are created by the contractors so when do they differ.
| Shop Drawings | As-Built Drawings |
|---|---|
| Which stage in the construction process? | |
| They are created before the installation. They are a part of pre-construction and fabrication stage. | They are created after the project closeout or during the changes in construction for facility management. |
| What is the drawing scope of these drawings? | |
| This includes structural elements, mep systems, architectural details, precast/prefabricated, coordination, annotations, compliance. | Layout changes, mep revisions, material substitutions, field modifications,exact dimensions. Routes of underground utilities, valve location,access panel, notes on discrepancies and reason of change. |
| Source of Information | |
| Based on design documents, manufacturer specifications, contractor input. | Based on field changes, redlines, actual installation. |
| Level of Accuracy and Field Output | |
| These drawings focus to anticipate and coordinate installations. | As-builts capture actual existing condition including last-minute adjustments. |
Common Drawing Mistakes Increasing Construction Cost
Misusing the Terms
Many teams mistakenly use shop drawings and as-builts interchangeably, leading to poor documentation practices and project confusion.
Submitting Shop Drawings as As-Builts
A big mistake is submitting unmodified shop drawings as “as-builts” at project closeout. This leaves out important field changes. This calls into trouble if going ahead with renovation, facility management.
Poor documentation of modifications
If as-built drawings have incomplete measurements and dimensions modifications, future maintenance and upgrades become difficult.
Submitting generic drawings
Incase of missing details in drawings project specifications will go for miss. Ambiguity in execution will takeover.
How BIM Supports Construction Design Drawings?
BIM coordination drawings help with clash detection and multi-discipline coordination. They assure MEP, structural, and architectural systems do not interfere with each other before finalizing. BIM based shop drawings in Revit Naviswork, AutoCAD MEP brings faster revision and higher accuracy.
On the other hand, Building Information Modeling as-builts are 3D visualization of the finished building. They show exactly where systems are located, even behind walls or above ceilings. Incase of missing as built data integrating 3D laser scanning generate precise records.
Conclusion: Different Yet Integral
Both technical drawings are not interchangable. One kicks the initiation and the other records the final outcome. Both they both inject efficient construction, accurate recordkeeping, smooth project handover, long-term building performance. The excitement of deliverable elevates with inclusion of BIM. Traditionally, marked-up paper plans—but Building Information modeling techniques modernized this crucial step.
To Have Deep Insights:
MEP Plans In Construction Of Building And Industrial Projects
