How can delays in shop drawings approval delay the whole project

In the complicated world of construction, where every minute counts, there’s a small yet powerful factor that can make or break a project: the approval of shop drawings. These drawings are like detailed blueprints that show how every piece of a building puzzle fits together. They’re created by contractors or subcontractors to make sure everything gets built right. But what happens when the approval of these drawings gets delayed? Well, that can set off a chain reaction of problems that affect the whole construction project.

What are Shop Drawings?

Shop drawings provide specific details about how different parts of a building will be put together, what materials will be used, and how everything will meet the design and safety standards. The Engineer (consultant/client representative) reviews these drawings to make sure they match the project’s plans.

Why are Shop Drawings crucial?

Now, why are these shop drawings so crucial? First, they act as a quality check. They help everyone involved ensure that the building will be safe and meets the design goals. Second, they help with coordination. Think about all the different elements of a building—the electrical, plumbing, heating, and cooling systems. Shop drawings help make sure all these parts work together smoothly.

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Causes of Delays in Approving Shop Drawings

So, what happens when there’s a delay in approving these drawings? Well, a few things can go wrong. Sometimes, there are design changes requested during the review, which means more back-and-forth discussions and more time. If there’s a big accumulation of drawings to review or if the project is very complicated, that can slow things down too.

Consequences of Delayed Shop Drawing Approvals

Now, let’s talk about the consequences of these delays. The most obvious one is that the project gets delayed. If the construction crew doesn’t have the approved drawings, they can’t do their work as planned. That means more time spent on the project, and more time usually means more money. Plus, it can lead to delays in getting the materials needed, which can mess up the whole supply chain.

Contracts in construction often have penalties for delays. If the project doesn’t finish on time, contractors might have to pay extra, and that’s not good for anyone’s wallet. Delayed projects also mean workers and subcontractors might sit around with nothing to do, which isn’t great for productivity or morale. Moreover, contracts usually include clauses that specify the maximum duration for approval of shop drawings by the client/consultant. To learn how to create an efficient schedule for your project, you can check out our intermediate planning course.

Example

Let’s take an example of how it works. As shown below, the process of installing doors in a project starts with the submittal of the shop drawings of the door works by the contractor. Then, the door works shop drawing is to be approved by the consultant/client in the required duration.

After the approval of the shop drawing, the contractor can now submit the material for approval, then, the material is to be approved by the consultant/client prior to the phase of issuing the purchase order.

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Once the material is approved by the consultant/client, the contractor is in charge of issuing the purchase order, so the material is delivered to the site. Furthermore, when the purchase order is issued and the material is delivered to the site, the contractor can install the doors.

As we can see, the process is all linked together, so any delay in any stage of the process will definitely lead to delays in the project.

As shown below, the approval of the shop drawing was delayed and took more time than planned, it is supposed to be finished by the 12^th of October, but the actual progress is 50% by the 13^th of October (Data Date) leading to a total float of -4 which means that the project is delayed by 4 days.

This provides an example of how a delay in the approval of the shop drawing can directly delay the end of a project.

Lastly, delays can hurt reputations. People remember projects that got delayed, and that can make it harder to find work in the future.

Preventing Shop Drawing Delays

To avoid these issues, it’s essential to get shop drawings approved as quickly as possible. That means involving all the right people early on, using digital tools to collaborate efficiently, communicating openly, and making sure the review process is a priority. By doing this, construction projects can stay on track and budget.

Conclusion

Delays in shop drawing approvals can have huge impacts on construction projects, from increased costs to reputational damage. By streamlining the review process and fostering effective communication, stakeholders can keep projects on track and within budget.

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