How Do You Ensure That Subcontractors Are Building According To The Drawings And Specs?

How to Ensure Subcontractors Are Building According to Plans and Specs

One of the most important responsibilities in construction management is ensuring that subcontractors are building according to the plans and specifications. I received a question about this from one of our listeners—thank you for that! and I’m going to break it down for you in this blog.

We’ll cover multiple ways to check that your trade partners are following the drawings and specs correctly. And if you don’t have a fully developed meeting system or structure in place, I’ll give you practical tips for still getting it done.

Why This Matters:

If you’re a project manager, superintendent, or assistant in either role, you know how overwhelming it can be to track everything in a thick set of construction documents. Reviewing every detail in the drawings and specs is no small task—so where do you begin? Let’s walk through it.

1. The Pull Plan: Your First Opportunity to Check the Specs

The first step in ensuring quality work is a well-run pull plan session with your trade partners. You might be wondering, “What does that have to do with verifying work against the drawings?” Well, here’s the deal:

In a proper pull plan, you’re breaking work into zones, planning forward and backward, solving problems collaboratively, and yes—digging into the drawings.

This is the first real opportunity where teams start referencing the drawings in detail. You’re tagging work with stickies based on components from the plans, and ensuring all those pieces show up in the pull plan.

2. Pre-Construction Meetings: Make the Invisible Visible

Next comes one of my favorite tools—the pre-construction meeting (also known as a pre-install or preparatory meeting). Held 2-3 weeks before the first install, this is where things get real.

You gather everyone—GC PMs, trade supers, foremen, owners, even inspectors—and walk through all the relevant info from the drawings, specs, shop drawings, and submittals.

Then comes the secret sauce: the visual checklist. We don’t want long text documents no one reads. We want mostly pictures, a bit of text, and a tool that acts as both the agenda and the meeting minutes.

We call this your FOW (Feature of Work), quick card, or visual quality guide. Once developed, it becomes your quality control reference in the field. It’s how you help the crew build right the first time.

3. First In Place Mockups: Walk the Work

Once the crew begins installation—typically in their first zone—you’ll go out to the field and walk the work. This is the first in place or mockup inspection.

You take your visual checklist from the pre-construction meeting and review the work alongside the crew. This is your moment to verify installation quality against the original intent of the plans and specs—right there in real time.

Don’t Have All That? Start With the Three Habits of a Builder

If your project doesn’t yet have a mature meeting structure, don’t worry. It’s not your fault. Maybe it’s a different company culture, a different job, or you’re still early in your Lean journey.

Here’s what you can do right now:

The Three Key Daily Habits:

1. Be in the schedule for 30 minutes:  Know what’s coming next.
2. Be in the plans for 30 minutes:  Study the drawings and specs for upcoming work.
3. Do a field walk every day:  See with your own eyes if the work is being done right.

This might feel a bit reactive, but it’s powerful when no other system is in place. Start with the schedule to see what’s coming. Then review the drawings for that work. Then walk the field and inspect it.

Zone Control Walks: Proactive Handoffs

Ideally, you’re planning work in a way that includes clear handoffs between zones. Before a contractor moves from Zone 1 to Zone 2, do a zone control walk. Confirm everything is done and ready for the next activity.

This kind of proactive planning and quality checking ensures continuity and reduces rework.

Final Thoughts: Be Fanatical About Quality

At the end of the day, the best business model in construction is quality. The best service is quality. And the best leadership in the field starts with becoming obsessed with doing things right.

So, to recap:

• Use the pull plan to connect with the drawings.
• Create visual quality guides in your pre-construction meetings.
• Do first-in-place mockups to verify installation.
• If needed, fall back on the three builder habits.
• And always walk the field with intention.