What Are Construction Submittals?

Submittals are documents, samples, or drawings that contractors submit to the design team (architect/engineer) for review and approval before materials are fabricated, purchased, or installed. The submittal process verifies that what the contractor plans to install matches what the designer specified.

Submittals are a contractual requirement on virtually all commercial, institutional, and government construction projects. The specification sections (Division 01 and individual specification sections) list exactly which submittals are required for each part of the work.

Types of Submittals

Shop Drawings are detailed fabrication drawings prepared by a subcontractor, manufacturer, or fabricator showing exactly how a product will be made or installed. Examples: structural steel connection drawings, precast concrete panel layouts, custom millwork drawings, ductwork fabrication drawings. Shop drawings translate the design intent into fabrication instructions.

Product Data (Cut Sheets) are manufacturer's published specifications, data sheets, and catalog pages for standard products. Examples: light fixture spec sheets, pump curves, HVAC equipment data, switchgear specifications. Product data submittals verify that the selected product meets all specified requirements.

Samples are physical examples of materials or finishes for review. Examples: carpet samples, tile samples, paint chips, mortar samples. Samples allow the architect to verify color, texture, and quality before full installation.

Certificates and Test Reports include mill certifications for structural steel, concrete mix design reports, air and water testing results, and equipment factory test reports. These verify material quality and performance before or after installation.

Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Manuals are submitted at project closeout and document how to operate and maintain installed equipment. Required for all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.

The Submittal Review Process

The contractor (or subcontractor) prepares and organizes the submittal, stamps it with their review stamp confirming they have checked it for conformance with the contract, and submits it to the general contractor. The GC logs it, reviews it for completeness, stamps it, and transmits it to the architect or engineer.

The design team reviews the submittal and returns it with one of these stamps:

  • Approved — proceed with fabrication and installation as submitted
  • Approved as Noted — approved with minor corrections; no resubmission required but corrections must be incorporated
  • Revise and Resubmit — significant changes required; revised submittal must be reviewed before proceeding
  • Rejected — submittal is not acceptable; completely new submittal required

The Submittal Log

The GC maintains a submittal log tracking every required submittal, its specification section, the contractor responsible, the submitted date, the review deadline, and the return date. Unapproved submittals that delay procurement or fabrication are a major source of project schedule slippage.

A well-managed submittal log includes float for each item: when does the approved submittal need to be in hand before the long-lead procurement or fabrication deadline? Working backward from the installation date gives the required approval date, which drives the required submission date.

Long-Lead Items

Some equipment has lead times of 20–52 weeks or more: switchgear, transformers, elevators, large HVAC chillers, specialty glazing, and structural steel. Submittals for these items must be prepared and submitted — and approved — very early in the project. Missing a submittal milestone on a long-lead item can push the project completion date by months.

Common Submittal Mistakes

  • Submitting without reviewing for specification compliance — wasting the design team's time on obviously non-conforming products
  • Missing the contractor's review stamp (a contractual requirement)
  • Submitting incomplete packages — missing cut sheets, missing schedule sheets, missing dimensional data
  • Not tracking the submittal log — submittals get lost in the process and no one notices until the installation date arrives