Drawing Revisions 2

[BigH]

Having not had to deal much with official type drawings with revisions, I was wondering if anyone had some procedure on how to note on drawings each revision, etc. I remember seeing older structural drawings and, if say, a change was made on Revision 3, then there would be a little triangle with "3" in it adjacent to the change. Then the revision text would indicate such the same. The reason I am asking is that I have a contractor who is issuing revisions on his construction drawings like crazy and doesn't note any of the revisions (he is responsible, not the consultant on these particular drawings). Ergo, need for a proven procedure. Thanks and

 

[HgTX]

Little triangle with number
AND
note in the title block describing revision (there should be a few blank lines for this)
AND
often there is a "cloud" drawn around the revision so it's easy to see

Hg

 

[SlideRuleEra]

Be sure to keep a pristine set (electronic or paper) of the BID revision of each and every drawing. These will be needed when it is time to calculate the value of change orders (both "adds" and "deducts"). On occasion I have seen contractors try to "muddy the waters" with numerous drawing revisions so that his claims for added cost are difficult to verify independently and deducts are "lost in the shuffle".

 

[jheidt2543]

BigH:

I agree with the comments of both HgTX and SlideRuleEra, they both have noted practical comments. It is particularly important to note the changes both in the legend and on the print in the "cloud" as HgTX said, so each and every change can be tracked.

Years ago, the Contractor I was working for did an addition to a power plant. The contract was a "Unit Price" contract and there were 102 changes made, each with a new drawing and sometimes a spec. too. The only way we kept our sanity and were able to figure out the cost differeces was to keep the original drawings and add the new drawing to the top of the old, along with a log of the revision number, date, issue date and recieved date. We also computed the dollar change each time so we had an up to date running total. There were times when recieved a change just after having poured the prior change! Out came the "concrete eraser" and on we went.

I would also recommend that at each payrequest date a Change Order Summary be submitted to all parties. The tabulation should show the original contract, approved change orders to date, change orders authorized and started but not formally approved (this can be dangerous), change orders submitted but not reviewed or started yet, change orders submitted and rejected and finally changes requested but not priced yet. Only then are all the cards on the table.

Just some food for thought.

 

[HgTX]

It's also important (though you may have no control over this) to very clearly establish at the beginning of the project what the chain of command/communication is for changes. Who may initiate them? Who approves them? The last thing you need is different parties issuing conflicting changes.

Hg

 

[BigH]

Thanks one and all. My sanity has been stretched on some of the changes - major changes on the 5th revision! that should have been no later than the 2nd (e.g., end detail of retaining wall). aaaaarrrgggggghhh! HgTX confirms my suspicions on what is correct - but I've seen nobody following such over here!

 

[JAE]

I guess I don't understand how a "contractor" is revising design drawings....isn't this a little weird?

Engineers design, contractors build.

If the contractor is revising drawings - isn't this practicing engineering without a license?

 

[BigH]

JAE - we are not located in US, Canada or Europe. Drawings are for RE Wall which is a supplier drawing - as it is his system he is responsible for the design and modifications - as he is subcontractor to contractor, contractor issues. In this "new technology" (for here) supplier has not been grounded in proven procedures for drawings, revisions, etc. which is why I wanted to ask the question (in my geotech practice, we didn't do many actual design drawings for constrution). Both Supplier and Contractor have "engineers" although there is no licensing as such over here. I am hoping that this will change with time - I think that it is imperative that it does. Consultant was responsible only for GAD and, perhaps, external stability.

 

[tincan]

Do you mean that you want the revisions to the original revised revisions changed again? Sorry, reverted back to the ink on linen days where a change was worth killing for.

 

[BigH]

Tincan I remember it well, too, even for geotechnical sections. Before word processors (the original Wang for instance), what a chore for changes of engineering text too - cut and paste/tape was an artform; how to tear the paper so not to leave a "line" when photocopying! (we are getting revisions to revisions to revisions.)
By the way - came out in paper that things are afoot to license engineers over here. But no details about EIT, etc. - or just that anyone graduating from University engineering programme is an engineer.??.

 

[pmkPE]

BigH,

We have always clouded the items to be changed for the specific revision and identified them with a revision triangle attached to the cloud. As mentioned above the reason for the revision is noted in the title block's revision block. On the next revision the old cloud and former revision number in the respective triangle(s) are erased and only the current changes are clouded and include their corresponding revision number next to them. For developing a system you may want to try searching the US Army Corps of Engineers Drafting Standards. They have a concise set of examples of when and where to revise drawings as well as many other drafting procedures. Most of their criteria is acceptable throughout the US corporate world and are helpful in commiunicating by drawing in a clear and concise manner.

If you need more info just let me know

 

[HgTX]

Ooh. I'd remove the old cloud, but NEVER the revision reference number!!

Hg