Plan Reviews

Plans should provide contractors with a guide for how to construct the property.

What happens when the plans do not provide proper or complete guidance?

It’s typically up to the contractor to identify errors or omissions on the plans; when mistakes are not identified on the plans, problems result both during construction and afterwards.

Before Construction

SBSA can review construction documents to ensure:

• there is a sufficient level of detail
• compliance with codes and standards
• disciplines are integrated
• risk is communicated
• continuity of air, retarders, thermal and water barriers

These reviews determine:

• areas that require more rigorous detailing,
• areas that are lacking enough information to convey the owner’s intent
• key detailing

Poor construction can sometimes be a result of:

• a bad plan design
• poor or unclear detailing
• a lack of information

Comprehensive reviews of plans and specifications are intended to identify areas that may not meet code, may not perform well, or where the contractor may have trouble constructing because not enough information is provided. When analyzing defective construction, we refer to the plans as part of understanding the construction process for that particular project.

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