What a Constructability Review Examines
- Conflicts between structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings that were not caught in design coordination
- Sequencing issues, such as a wall detail that cannot physically be built in the order the drawings imply
- Site access and staging constraints that affect how materials and equipment reach the work area
- Code compliance gaps that could trigger a plan review comment or a stop-work order later
- Specifications that call for materials or methods that are difficult to source or execute as written
Who Performs the Review
On a design-build or construction manager at risk project, the general contractor's preconstruction team typically runs the constructability review as part of ongoing design coordination. On a design-bid-build project, a review may not happen until after a contractor is selected, which limits how much can be changed without a formal change order. Some owners hire an independent third-party reviewer, separate from both the architect and the contractor, specifically to catch issues neither party has an incentive to flag on their own.
When in the Process It Should Happen
A constructability review is most useful at the end of design development and again before construction documents are finalized, since changes are cheaper to make on paper than in the field. Waiting until construction documents are complete to run the first review limits the changes that can be made without cost and schedule impact. Owners on a compressed timeline sometimes skip this step entirely, which is one of the more common sources of change orders once work begins.
What the Output Looks Like
- A markup of drawings showing specific conflict locations, often cross-referenced by sheet number
- A written list of issues categorized by severity and discipline
- Recommended resolutions, sometimes with a rough cost or schedule impact estimate attached
- A tracking log so the design team can confirm each item was addressed before documents are finalized
What It Costs to Skip This Step
Problems that a constructability review would catch on paper tend to surface during construction as change orders, which cost more to resolve because labor and materials are already committed. A conflict between a structural beam and a mechanical duct run, for example, is inexpensive to redesign before construction but can require field rework, rescheduling of trades, and additional inspection once discovered mid-project.
How a Second Review Pass Adds Value
A single constructability review at one point in design catches a meaningful set of issues, but a second pass closer to the completion of construction documents often finds a different set of problems, since later design refinements can introduce new conflicts even after earlier issues were resolved. Owners on more complex projects, such as those with significant mechanical or structural coordination, tend to see more value from budgeting for two review passes rather than treating a single review as sufficient coverage for the entire design process.
What to Ask Before a Review Begins
- Who will conduct the review, and is that party independent from the design team?
- At what stage of design will the review happen, and will there be a second pass before documents are finalized?
- How will identified issues be tracked and confirmed as resolved?
- What is the estimated cost and timeline for the review itself?
- Does the project's complexity justify budgeting for more than one review pass?
Questions
Is a constructability review the same as a code review?
No. A code review checks compliance with building codes specifically, while a constructability review looks more broadly at whether the design can be built as drawn, though the two often overlap.
Who typically pays for a constructability review?
This depends on delivery method. On design-build projects it is often part of the contractor's preconstruction scope, while an independent review is usually a separate fee paid by the owner.
Can a constructability review happen after construction has already started?
It can, but its value is much lower at that point, since most identified issues would already require a change order to fix rather than a design revision.
How long does a typical constructability review take?
This varies with project size and complexity, ranging from a few days on a small tenant improvement to several weeks on a larger ground-up project.
Is a second constructability review pass necessary on every project?
Not necessarily. Simpler projects with less system complexity may only need a single review, while larger or more technically complex projects benefit more from a second pass.
What happens to issues found during a review that are not resolved before construction documents are finalized?
Unresolved items typically carry forward as known risks into construction, where they are more likely to surface as change orders than if they had been corrected on paper.
Can a constructability review be done informally without a written report?
It can, but a written record with tracked resolutions gives the design team and owner a clearer basis for confirming issues were actually addressed before documents are finalized.
Does a constructability review look at cost, or only buildability?
Its primary focus is buildability, though many reviews note where a conflict or sequencing issue is also likely to carry a cost or schedule impact if left unresolved.