Many steps are essential to construction projects in order to avoid setbacks and misuse of funds. An example is construction submittals, which help kick-start the fieldwork in a much more streamlined way, guaranteeing that all people involved are on the same page.
Along with that, construction management software is transforming the industry landscape and changing the way everyday tasks are handled. It does so by automating complex processes and creating a more efficient approach to project management. Learn more about how that can be done below.
What are construction submittals?
Construction submittals are critical documents that contractors and suppliers provide to the project owner or architect/engineer for approval before starting construction. These documents include details about materials, products, equipment, and methods that will be used in the project.
Submittals ensure that the proposed items meet the project’s specifications, standards, and requirements. They help the project team review and approve the proposed components before actual construction work begins, making sure everything aligns with the project’s design and quality standards.
This helps mitigate any unnecessary setbacks to the timeline or budget. The quality of submittals is important, as the level of detail and accuracy will directly impact the overall success of the project. That’s why learning how to properly create these construction documents is essential to every worker in the field.
How does the submittals process work?
The submittals process begins early, guiding the project’s execution, cost, quality, and success. It’s one of the first steps taken by a project manager or contractor after the execution of a construction contract and issuance of the “Notice to Proceed”.
Once the technical specifications are received, the architects and engineers use the information provided to verify the quantity of materials and products needed to complete the project. Then, they can approve, disapprove, or make comments on the documentation.
The construction submittals process also allows design architects to select colors, patterns, and types of material that were not decided before the completion of construction drawings.
However, it’s important to note that this is not an opportunity for the architect to select different materials than what was agreed upon. Rather, this serves to clarify the selection within the quality level indicated in the spec sheets and the quantities shown on plans.
After submittals are reviewed and approved by the product and design teams, they’re returned to the project manager. That signifies they’re approved for construction or fabrication.
How to optimize the submittals process
Construction submittals are important because they drive the accuracy of project completion, the timeline, and line items on the budget. Therefore, managing the submittals process is one of the essential duties of the project manager or contractor.
However, the process has traditionally been considered long and arduous, given the amount of detailed data and specifications required for every facet of a project. That is because, in the past, it required tedious and time-intensive manual data entry into construction submittals samples or programs, such as Excel.
That not only consumes time but also creates room for human error and inaccuracies. Happily, nowadays, it’s possible to count on construction software like Premier to automate this process.
Our system automates this complex process by dramatically improving data accuracy, document management and sharing, team communication, and collaboration. It saves valuable time and money, contributing to project overall success.
Premier Construction Software
If you’re looking for software to help you and your team to create detailed and accurate construction submittals, Premier might just be the right fit for you. With our platform, you can:
- Create and email submittal links to multiple parties;
- Have live collaboration with any third party — no extra fee;
- Add stamps, boxes, comments, and more to a construction-specific annotation toolbar;
- Merge multiple files, sort and regroup them;
- Track responses, due dates, version control, and full history;
- View all submittals’ histories;
- Customize workflow configuration;
- Revise and resubmit documentation;
- View and share historical responses;
- Automate new requests for revisions;
- Set due dates and track overdue items.
Enhance your submittal management with Premier Construction Software!
Efficiently handle construction submittals and streamline your project’s success with Premier’s advanced Financial Construction Software solution. Say goodbye to paperwork hassles and hello to a next-gen platform that empowers you to manage submittals seamlessly. Discover all that Premier has to offer by requesting a demo with our team.
