Review mass timber shop drawings only after the delegated design is complete and the other structural trades and the MEP model are settled. Divide the review by discipline, close every question in writing, and confirm that the approved drawings match the current design revision before fabrication starts.
Settle these before the review starts
WoodWorks explains in its guide to delegated design and design assist that shop drawings and fabrication of mass timber elements cannot proceed until the delegated design is complete and approved by the structural engineer of record. The engineer of record stays responsible for code compliance and overall structural integrity.
A Swinerton Mass Timber scheduling presentation hosted by WoodWorks adds two more conditions: other structural trades should have their shop drawings and 3D model approved and locked before timber detailing starts, or the project risks rework, and the MEPF model sign-off should finish together with the mass timber shop drawing review. Sources verified October 22, 2026. Factory and field inspection are covered in mass timber special inspections and QA. Who prepares the shop drawings depends on when to bring in the mass timber supplier and installer. For the handoff to the factory, see where information gets lost between design and CNC fabrication.
Who checks what on the shop drawings
| Reviewer | What to check |
|---|---|
| Structural engineer of record | Member sizes, grades, and layout against the design; delegated connection and lateral design against the stated criteria; openings near edges and supports. |
| Architect | Exposed surfaces and appearance grade, panel joints visible in finished spaces, openings in walls, and agreement with the reflected ceiling plans. |
| MEP engineers | Every penetration’s size and location against the coordinated MEP model and drawings. |
| Fire protection and code reviewer | Protection at connections and concealed spaces, and that firestop details exist for each penetration through a rated assembly. |
| Contractor | Interfaces with concrete and steel, hardware scope, installation sequence, crane openings, and lifting points. |
A seven-step review workflow
- Confirm the basis. Record which design drawings, specifications, and revisions the shop drawings were prepared from. Reject a package built on a superseded revision.
- Confirm upstream approvals. Check that the delegated design is approved and that steel and concrete shop drawings at the interfaces are locked.
- Overlay the penetrations. Compare every opening on the panel shop drawings with the MEP drawings. A PCL presentation hosted by WoodWorks describes overlaying penetrations with the CLT shop drawings.
- Divide comments by discipline. Send each reviewer only the checks they own, and collect comments in one log with sheet and panel references.
- Resolve conflicts between reviewers. Where two reviewers ask for different changes, settle the answer before the package goes back.
- Close every question in writing. The Swinerton presentation warns that lingering questions from shop drawing review can drag on for weeks or months. Record each answer and the sheet it changes.
- Check the resubmittal. Confirm each comment was addressed and that no other panel changed without being clouded.
Published example: the governing revision was unclear
This finding comes from a concrete project, not a mass timber one. In the published governing-revision finding, two structural schedules carried different requirements, and the set did not clearly establish which version governed. On a mass timber project, shop drawings prepared from the wrong revision would be cut to the wrong design. Step one of the workflow, confirming the basis, is the check that catches it.
Plan the time
The Swinerton presentation advises that the design team plan for a big push to get through shop drawing review, and that the time from shop drawings to production start varies by supplier. A PCL presentation recommends early transfer of the design model and prioritizing MEP penetration coordination. Build the review dates into the schedule before the supplier sets its production slot.
For the general submittal process, see the submittal review checklist. For the items to settle at the design stage, see the mass timber drawing coordination checklist.
Where Groundbook fits
Upload the mass timber shop drawings with the architectural, structural, and MEP design drawings and the relevant specification sections. Groundbook reviews the shop drawings as documents: it compares them with the design set and the specifications and returns differences, such as an opening on the MEP plans that is missing from a panel drawing, with both sheets linked. The reviewers decide what each difference means. Groundbook does not check structural capacity, fire ratings, or the fabricator’s model.