What Are Shop Drawings and Why Are They Important In A Project?

In basic terms, shop drawings are a drawn version of the same information that is shown in the construction documents. Shop drawings are created by the contractor or fabricator, and often show much more detail than the construction documents. These drawings also show the process of manufacture and installation.

How Are They Made?

Shop drawings are created by your contractor, sub-contractor, or fabricator. They are based on the design drawings that have been prepared by the project design teams and are then developed to show more details with regards to installation and manufacture. The shop drawings are often returned once or twice to the project design team before fabrication starts to make sure that they comply with the design drawings and specifications. Suppliers or contractors often conduct site visits during the preparation of shop drawings to ensure they have the correct dimension of the projects.

Why Are They Important?

Shop drawings are required for manufacture and installation, particularly in prefabricated components such as structural steel, pre-cast concrete, trusses, and elevators, as well as electrical layouts and fire protections. They can also be used as guidelines when checking site installations. Show drawings will also often contain samples for approval and are important when the project design teams are trying to coordinate different areas of work and components. 

Shop Drawing Vs As-Built Drawing

Two of the most common terms in the construction or fabrication industry are shop drawings and as-built drawings. But what is the difference between the two? In simple terms, shop drawings can be considered a step by step guide to the assembly or fabrication of a project, whereas as-built drawings are just a drawing of the final finished project.

Steelmor is one of the leading companies in the steel and metal manufacturing industry. If you require further information on shop drawings contact them on 011 747 5700 for friendly and professional services.