Memo 40: What is your job as a detailer? Is it to simply do what the engineers said without question?

Typically you receive

• engineering drawings
• architectural drawings

And using them, you must make shop drawings.

You must consider:

1. Buildability
2. Any applicable standards (Australian Standards).
3. Transportability
4. Erectability
5. Risks / Complexity
6. How to minimise work/labour,
7. and minimise costs to your fabricators
8. …. and remember: concrete is NEVER where it should be. It is NEVER poured correctly. When concrete is involved, you will typically need site measurements.

Key Issues:

1. Engineers and architects often make mistakes,
2. and/or present unworkable designs
3. or expensive / complicated details.
4. ……..they are not an authority figure.

You must question everything they suggest.

Everything you see must pass the “smell test”.

Do not put something ridiculous on the drawings simply because the engineer wrote it on HIS drawing.

Your job is to apply your judgment to the engineering and architectural drawings and produce something which can be built quickly and efficiently by your clients.

If you see an engineering design that is questionable, you must question it:

DO NOT ever say to your client: “but it was on the engineering drawings”

That is not an acceptable answer.