Trace the elevator from the building section’s served levels into the specified car capacity, hoistway and pit dimensions, machine space, and door type, then confirm fire-service recall floors and finish selections match the same design.
Assemble the review package
Gather the building section showing every served level, the hoistway and pit plan and section, the elevator machine space or machine-room-less equipment location, the elevator door schedule, life-safety recall notes, and the issued elevator specification. Confirm the number of stops against the current building section rather than an earlier design iteration.
WBDG publishes UFGS 14 21 23: Electric Traction Passenger Elevators as a public guide-specification reference (accessed September 22, 2026). Use your project’s issued specification and amendments for the actual comparison; the guide specification does not automatically govern your project. The checklist below is an original suggested review workflow, not a reproduction of the UFGS requirements.
Eight checks to run against the issued set
Use one record per location or system. The CSV contains the same eight prompts plus fields for source revisions, observed evidence, the review owner, the decision, and closure references.
| Check | Sources to compare | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Car capacity and dimensions | Architectural car outline + specified capacity and car size | Does the drawn car interior dimension correspond to the specified capacity, and is the same car size carried through every plan level? |
| Hoistway clear dimensions | Hoistway plan + specified hoistway clearance requirements | Does the drawn hoistway width and depth match the clearance the specified elevator type and guide-rail arrangement requires? |
| Pit and overhead | Section showing pit depth and overhead + specified minimums | Do the drawn pit depth and overhead dimensions meet the specified minimums for the selected elevator type and speed? |
| Machine space condition | Mechanical/architectural plan + specified equipment location | Does the drawing show the machine space, or the absence of one for a machine-room-less unit, consistent with what the specification designates, including required ventilation and access? |
| Door type and clear opening | Elevator door schedule + specified door type and clear width | Does the specified door type and clear opening match the accessible clearance shown on the plan? |
| Fire service and recall | Life-safety notes + specified fire-service operation | Are the designated recall floor, alternate recall floor, and fire-service key switch locations consistent between the life-safety plan and the specified fire-service operation? |
| Finish and signal selections | Interior finish schedule + specified cab finish and signal fixture options | Does the specified finish package and signal fixture selection match what is shown in the cab finish schedule? |
| Stops against served levels | Building section/level list + specified number of stops and travel | Does the specified number of openings and total travel match the actual number of levels served, shown in the current building section? |
Worked example: a mezzanine level missing from the stop count
Illustrative example: a building section shows the elevator serving a mezzanine level with its own landing, but the specification’s stated number of openings does not include that level, leaving the door and hoistway opening requirement for the mezzanine unaddressed in the specified scope.
Compare the current building section’s served levels against the specified number of stops and openings, and ask the design team to confirm which is correct. Recheck the hoistway opening and door schedule for the added or removed level before closing the item.
Avoid a false conflict
A specification’s stated stop count and car size can reflect an earlier design iteration. Confirm both against the current building section rather than assuming the specification was updated when the drawings changed.
When requirements disagree, follow the project’s document-control and clarification process. Do not assume that drawings always override specifications, or the reverse. Identify the exact sources and request an authorized decision.
Close the issue across the affected documents
Record the location or tag, drawing and specification references, issue dates, observed difference, and the decision needed. Assign an owner and keep the item open until the response identifies the governing requirement. Check the revised drawings and specification references together; a response email alone may leave the issued package inconsistent.
For the overall process, use the guide to drawing and specification conflicts. Mark an inapplicable checklist row with a reason, and distinguish a verified correction from a question that still needs design information.
Where Groundbook fits
Groundbook’s drawing and specification review helps investigate potential disagreements in the documents you supply. Include the relevant specification sections and drawing references, then verify the cited evidence with the responsible reviewers before acting on a finding.