Architects and engineering consultants utilize various types of drawings in a building project. Project drawings dissect the designs of complex constructions into executable parts, aligning with specific needs and applications. These drawings are categorized as project drawings, shop drawings, construction drawings, and as-built drawings. This article helps to understand what details are included in shop drawings, construction drawings, and as-built drawings, at what stage they are used, and their advantages.

1. Understanding shop drawings,
construction drawings and as-built drawings
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2. Annotated images help computers understand what’s really important in a picture or
video. If we want computers to recognize actionable things in a picture, we need to
teach them what to look for. This is done through image annotation, by labeling,
tagging, and adding metadata to images, so AI systems can analyze new pictures or
videos and take decisions on their own.
The performance of computer vision technologies, like facial recognition or self-driving
cars, depends on the quality of image annotation in their training data. But the
annotation of images can be complex and time consuming if not planned carefully. This
is why we created this guide - to make sure everyone on a project understands the key
terms, concepts and techniques before starting off to annotate images.
From project approval to onsite work, every
stage of construction is guided by different
types of drawings. A comprehensive
understanding of shop drawings, construction
drawings and as-built drawings will help you
execute projects better and increase
construction efficiency.

3. • Construction Drawings (LOD 350) 01
• What are construction drawings? 01
• When are construction drawings used? 02
• Details that need to be included in construction drawings 02
• What are the benefits of construction drawings? 05
• Shop Drawings (LOD 400) 06
• What are shop drawings? 06
• When are shop drawings used? 06
• Details that need to be included in shop drawings 06
• What are the benefits of shop drawings? 07
• As-built Drawings (LOD 500) 08
• What are As-built drawings? 08
• When are as-built drawings used? 08
• Details that need to be included within As-built drawings 08
• What are the benefits of As-built drawings? 09
• Advantages of outsourcing coordinated drawing services 10
• Conclusion 11
Table of
Content

4. 1
Construction Drawings
(LOD 350)
What are construction drawings?
A construction drawing, also called a building plan, is a part of the preconstruction
stage and serves as a crucial deliverable to begin a construction project. They are
prepared by architects to represent architectural elements and specifications before
onsite work begins. Some construction drawings are also called “Issued for
Construction (IFC)” drawings. These are approved drawings and used for actual
construction purposes. Construction documents are prepared by architects or
designers before the bidding process and serve as official contract deliverables.

5. When are construction drawings used?
Construction drawings are used for tender, for a contract between contractors and owners,
or actual construction. Construction drawings need to be easy and clear for reading
purposes, as any misunderstanding can lead to delays or errors. Construction documents
are enriched by specification documents that include standards, techniques, and
materials that need to have adhered to for site construction.
Details that need to be included in construction drawings
Construction drawings also include data from other trades including structural engineers, HVAC
specialists, electrical and plumbing engineers, and fire safety professionals. The level of
information and external inputs would depend on the project scale. A set of construction
drawings includes:
• Floor / Roof plans - general arrangement drawings to project an overview of the building
• Elevation drawings - for detailed information on sections, plans, and external finishes
• Sections - to provide detailed information on floors and walls including levels and heights
• Part details - including junctions and connections or details on material changes for building
elements
• Door or Window schedules - listing windows and doors with the required information sets
• Drainage and external works
• Landscaping and Furniture plans
• Reflected ceiling plans
2

6. 3
Some common types of construction drawings are:
Floor Plan Construction Drawing
• Room names
• Dimensions and scale
• Wall size – external and internal
• References to detailed drawings and section lines
• Details on materials and specifications including notes
• HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and fire-safety information
• Various building levels
Elevation Construction Drawing
• Drawing scale
• Dimensions
• Floor levels and ground level
• Finishes and Cladding
• Slope, Roof shape, and materials

7. 4
Sectional Construction Drawing
• Dimensions and Scale
• Size of partitions and exterior and interior walls
• Location of elements like beams, columns, etc.
• Information on stairs
• Detail drawing references
• Material details, notes, or specifications
• HVAC, electrical, and fire safety information
• Building level
• Information on foundations
Detail Drawings
Detail drawings are created on a 1:20 or 1:10 scale based on the project size
and information contained within the drawings. Detail drawings demonstrate:
• Complex build parts
• Junctions
• Typical details

8. 5
What are the benefits of construction drawings?
Construction drawings help architects and architectural firms during the approval process,
bidding process and handover to contractors. They help to:
• Preserve work speed and productivity
• Reduce unnecessary costs and material waste
• Improve phase-by-phase project monitoring
• Promote prefabrication
• Encourage future planning and decision-making through data accuracy and completeness
• Collaborate better, and to stay connected and informed
• Streamline project execution to complete projects on time and within budget
• Save significant amounts of money and time through quick and effective fault correction

9. 6
Shop Drawings (LOD 400)
What are shop drawings?
Shop drawings are important for manufacturers or fabricators to
represent design intent with detailed plans. They help in the fabrication
process by providing important information including that on
manufacturing, assembly, and installation of building components.
Shop drawings are produced by the contractors subcontractors,
fabricators, or manufacturers.
When are shop drawings used?
Shop or fabrication drawings are used for prefabrication or onsite
installation of components. With shop drawings, fabricators or
manufacturers can figure out material types for components and
installation dimensions.
Details that need to be included in shop
drawings
Details that need to be included in shop drawings include:
• Dimensions, connection details, and other special instructions for
fabrication
• Tags and dimensions of components
• Clearance and assembly details
• Section views and notes on deviations, changes, and
dimensions
• Title block with project number, name, legends, and
abbreviations
• Information regarding erection and installation
• Construction document comparisons for quick
approvals from engineers or architects
• Data of initial drawings and revisions
• CAD drawings of the fabricated component with
various angles
• Step-by-step assembly or installation with diagrams,
connections, and materials
• References that point to prefabrication with
specifications and requirements from the original
design
• Notes on dimensions at the job site for review and
verification before fabrication and installation

10. 7
What are the benefits of shop drawings?
Shop drawings help onsite personnel in accurate and precise installation of building
components as well as fabrication. They help in:
• Getting an accurate design model, optimized schedules, efficient cost estimates, and
quantity takeoffs
• Improving production quality and efficient handover
• Effective communication and collaboration across multiple activities
• Defining the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders
• Improving coordination to reduce risks and liabilities
• Enhancing engineering analysis and accuracy
• Augmenting the construction document submittal process for construction and
renovation

11. 8
As-built Drawings
(LOD 500)
What are as-built drawings?
An as-built drawing can be a document of a record or a drawing created and delivered
by architects, designers, or contractors after project completion. As-built drawings can
represent and support thousands of building processes. These drawings can be used to
manage the lifecycle of the project after construction is over. As-built drawings are
deliverables that simplify comparisons and contrasts between the design and final
specifications. They include all the modifications done during the construction project.
When are as-built drawings used?
As-builts are used for the following purposes:
• Get the right set of information for sub-contractors
• With a complete record of change, teams can solve issues quicker and owners can
save costs and speed up operations
• As-builts are requested by government agencies to issue permits
• With a complete record of project changes, owners can visualize what is built to
improve the renovation process
Details that need to be included within as-built drawings
As-built drawings need to include the following details:
• Record scale changes or utilize original scale drawings
• Use clear descriptions and labels
• Include modifications in dimensions, sizes, materials, locations, fabrication, and
installation data
• Modification dates
• Record changes as per the final inspection
• Attach appendices and shop drawings
• Additional work done that is deemed extra to the original plan

12. 9
What are the benefits of as-built drawings?
As-built drawings deliver the following benefits for key stakeholders:
• Faster, efficient, and on-time renovations and demolition
• Improvements in process hazard analysis and process safety management
• Better building management by location, repairs, specific materials, and layout
• Assist project managers assign tasks, improve operations, and resolve unanticipated
problems
• Track project progress, troubleshoot construction issues, set realistic deadlines, and
provide estimates
• Faster subcontractor onboarding for review design, issue identification, comparing
final and initial design, and completing tasks efficiently

13. 10
• Complete access to expertise for construction drawings, shop drawings,
and as-built drawings
• Scalable engagement models tailored for specific projects and client
needs
• Improved productivity through specialized drafting expertise and
advanced tools
• Code and standards compliance to achieve drawing precision, higher
accuracy, and data validity
• Cost efficiency through higher productivity, greater dependability, and
quick turnaround
• Access to a full range of services like 3D BIM modeling, life-like 3D models,
graphical 2D drawings
• Zero overhead costs for infrastructure, software, and talent hiring
Outsourcing drawing services can transform design and construction through cost savings, faster
turnaround, and high-quality drawing deliverables. The principal focus of outsourcing your
drawing needs is to go asset light while tapping into bigger talent pools, while committing in-house
teams to core business activities. Top seven advantages of outsourcing drafting services include:
Advantages of outsourcing
coordinated drawing services

14. 11
Conclusion
Construction drawings, shop drawings, and as-built drawings are completely
different in their functions but are needed across the design and construction
phases. For efficient construction project execution, accurate, complete, and
updated drawings are a must. Without these, field personnel cannot carry out
error-free installation of construction components within planned timelines.
Architectural engineering consultants today, outsource their drawing needs to
experienced BIM service providers for better project outcomes.
Get seamless onsite installation with customized shop drawings.
Connect with our BIM experts TODAY →

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