Trace the metal building system from the architectural elevation into its specified frame type, eave height and bay spacing, foundation coordination, and door and window openings, then confirm the thermal and wind-design basis before treating the drawings as settled.
Assemble the review package
Gather the pre-engineered building elevations and sections, the structural foundation and anchor-bolt plan, the erection plan submittal, the door and window schedule for building openings, the structural design criteria (wind, seismic), and the issued specification. Start with one building or wing rather than an entire installation.
WBDG publishes UFGS 13 34 19: Metal Building Systems as a public guide-specification reference (accessed September 28, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Primary frame type | Primary Frame Type clause (clear span, modular, truss-frame, long bay, lean-to) + structural framing plan | Does the frame type shown on the structural drawings, such as clear span with no interior columns, match the frame type selected in the specification? |
| Eave height and bay spacing | Eave Height and Bay Spacing clauses + building elevation and framing plan dimensions | Do the drawn eave height and bay spacing match one of the specified options, or does the drawing note direct the manufacturer to a nominal height "as indicated"? |
| Roof slope | Roof Slope clause + roof plan or building section | Does the roof slope shown in the building section match the slope the specification lists, rather than a different pitch drawn for that building? |
| Foundation and anchor-bolt coordination | Established Dimensions for Foundations and Coordination clauses + structural foundation plan | Are the anchor-bolt locations and foundation dimensions on the structural drawings consistent with the building manufacturer’s anchor-bolt plan the specification requires be coordinated before casting? |
| Door and window openings | Frames and Materials for Openings clause (referencing Division 08) + door/window schedule | Do the door and window openings shown in the metal building elevations reference the same Division 08 schedule the specification points to, rather than an opening size shown only on the building elevation? |
| Thermal performance basis | Thermal Performance U-factor/R-value clause + energy-code or wall/roof assembly documentation | Does the insulation value carried in the specification match what the energy-code compliance documentation or the wall and roof assembly detail assumes for that building? |
| Wind-uplift and structural design criteria | Structural Performance and Wind-Uplift Resistance clauses + structural general notes | Does the specification’s referenced design-load criteria match the wind speed, exposure category, and risk category stated in the structural general notes for the same building? |
| Antiterrorism/standoff requirements | Anti-terrorism Requirements clause + site plan standoff distances or hardening notes | Where the project requires antiterrorism standards, is that requirement carried consistently between the specification and the site or structural drawings, rather than appearing in only one document? |
Worked example: an eave height that does not match the building section
Illustrative example: the specification lists a listed eave-height option for the building, while the architectural building section shows a different finished-floor-to-eave dimension, without a drawing note directing the manufacturer to a nominal height "as indicated."
Compare the eave height, bay spacing, and roof slope stated in the specification against the dimensions in the building section and elevations, and have the designer confirm which governs before the manufacturer’s submittal is approved. Recheck the foundation and anchor-bolt plan against the same dimensions before closing the item.
Avoid a false conflict
A pre-engineered building elevation drawn to scale does not by itself confirm the frame type, foundation, and openings were coordinated with the manufacturer’s submittal; those values are finalized only after the approved detail and erection drawings are issued.
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.