What Is a Shop Drawing?
By Wyatt Cooper · Published · 4 min read
Key takeaways
- A shop drawing is the trade's own detailed drawing of how it will fabricate and install a piece of the work, prepared after award and submitted for review.
- It is one type of submittal, next to product data and samples, and it never replaces or overrides the contract drawings.
- Fabricating before the shop drawing is approved is at the contractor's risk under the federal clause; check your own contract's submittal section for its rule.
A shop drawing is a detailed drawing prepared by a subcontractor, fabricator or supplier showing exactly how a part of the work will be fabricated and installed: dimensions, connections, materials and fit with adjacent work. It is submitted for the design team's review before fabrication, as one type of submittal, and does not replace the contract drawings.
What the contract says a shop drawing is
The federal construction clause defines shop drawings as drawings submitted by the contractor or any tier of subcontractor "showing in detail (1) the proposed fabrication and assembly of structural elements, and (2) the installation (i.e., fit, and attachment details) of materials or equipment" (FAR 52.236-21(d)). The contractor must review and approve them before sending them on, and "Any work done before such approval shall be at the Contractor's risk" (paragraph (e)).
The federal guide specification for submittals lists shop drawings as type SD-02: "Drawings, diagrams and schedules specifically prepared to illustrate some portion of the work", including drawings "to show how multiple systems and interdisciplinary work will be coordinated" (UFGS 01 33 00). Some owners use the term more widely: the City of Los Angeles calls every product proposal a shop drawing submittal (LA Bureau of Engineering, 16.1). Your specifications' submittal section says which meaning applies.
Example
Shop drawing: Stair 2, steel pan stair
- Spec section
- 05 51 00 Metal Stairs
- Prepared by
- Steel fabricator, through the GC
- Shows
- Stringer sizes, 18 risers at 7 in., landing framing, embed plates and weld details
- Field dimensions
- Floor-to-floor 10 ft 6 in., verified on site
- Review result
- Approved as noted: add a handrail extension at the top landing
The check: 18 risers × 7 in. = 126 in., which is 10 ft 6 in., the floor-to-floor height. The fabricator starts cutting steel only after the approved-as-noted drawing comes back.
Shop drawing vs. contract drawing vs. product data
| Document | Prepared by | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Contract drawings | Architect and engineers | Define what to build; part of the contract |
| Shop drawings | Subcontractor, fabricator or supplier | Show how it will be made and installed |
| Product data | Manufacturer, sent by the trade | Show that a catalog product meets the spec |
| As-built drawings | Contractor and trades | Record what was actually built |
All the review steps are in what a submittal is. To put one together, see how a subcontractor prepares a submittal; to review one, how architects and engineers review a submittal. The record of what was built is the as-built set.
How it works in Conflo
In Conflo's submittals, shop drawings are one submittal type next to product data, samples and the rest. Reviews run in steps (GC, then design, then consultant, with the GC and consultant steps optional), each reviewer answers approved, approved as noted, revise and resubmit, or rejected, and a resubmittal keeps the same number as its next revision.
The bottom line
A shop drawing is the trade's drawing of how it will build its piece, checked by the design team before anything is fabricated.
Verify field dimensions, coordinate with adjacent trades, and wait for the approval before you cut.
Sources
- FAR 52.236-21, Specifications and Drawings for Construction — Acquisition.gov, U.S. General Services Administration. Read October 22, 2026.
- UFGS 01 33 00, Submittal Procedures (August 2026) — Whole Building Design Guide (USACE / NAVFAC / AFCEC). Read October 22, 2026.
- 16.1 Shop Drawings — City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering, Project Delivery Manual. Read October 22, 2026.
Questions
Who prepares shop drawings?
The subcontractor, fabricator or supplier doing that part of the work. The general contractor reviews them for coordination and sends them to the architect or engineer.
Is a shop drawing part of the contract documents?
Usually not. Shop drawings show how the contractor will meet the contract documents; approving one does not change the contract unless the contract says so.
What is the difference between a shop drawing and a submittal?
A submittal is anything sent for review: shop drawings, product data, samples, test reports. A shop drawing is one kind of submittal.
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