In the construction industry, particularly for trades like plumbing, tiling, and electrical work, there’s a fundamental difference between bidding for a project and actually building it. A contractor can submit a bid without having every last detail in place, but when it comes to executing the work, precise specifications are critical. The gap between general bid assumptions and the need for exact information during construction often leads to inefficiencies, RFIs (Requests for Information), delays, and increased costs.
To prevent these issues, Design.efficiently ensures that every selection, every placement, and every detail is structured and stored in a way that eliminates uncertainty, leading to faster builds and fewer costly mistakes.
The Importance of Specifications in Bidding vs. Building
When a contractor submits a bid, they often work with general assumptions. Take the example of a plumber bidding on a project where a showerhead has yet to be selected, and its exact location has not been specified. Since the cost of installing a showerhead is relatively predictable, the plumber can estimate labor and material costs fairly accurately.
However, once the project moves to the construction phase, those missing details become critical:
- What is the exact model of the showerhead?
- At what height should it be mounted? 6 feet 6 inches from the finished floor? Higher? Lower?
- Should it be centered on a specific wall? Or aligned with a window, tile grout lines, or niche?
Without this information, installation can’t proceed efficiently or accurately. The contractor is forced to stop work, submit an RFI, or make an assumption—which could result in costly rework later.
The Cost of Missing Information
If these details are not available when the contractor arrives on-site, they must issue a Request for Information (RFI) or ask the designer or general contractor for clarification. This results in:
- Delays: Work halts while waiting for a response.
- Scheduling Conflicts: Other trades may be affected, leading to inefficiencies.
- Potential Errors: If assumptions are made, the work may not meet the designer’s intent, requiring costly rework.
A well-structured construction process ensures that all required product selections and placement specifications are determined before work begins. This eliminates unnecessary back-and-forth communication and reduces project delays.
Tile Installation: A Case Study in Precision
Consider another example: the installation of floor tiles in a shower. Suppose the designer has specified a 6” x 3” tile for the shower floor. At first glance, this seems straightforward, but several key questions arise:
- What is the actual nominal size of the tile? Manufacturing tolerances may result in slight variations.
- What is the layout pattern? Brick pattern, herringbone, or stacked?
- Where will the first tile be placed? This is crucial because improper positioning can lead to awkward cuts in highly visible areas.
- What grout product should be used, and what should the grout line thickness be?
If these details are not specified before the contractor arrives on-site, the installer must stop work to seek clarification, leading to delays and inefficiencies.
Design.efficiently: A Solution for Precision and Execution
To bridge this information gap and ensure a streamlined process, Design.efficiently provides a structured and systematic way to store critical location information. Every detail is accounted for and accessible in real-time, reducing errors and improving efficiency.
How Design.efficiently Enhances Construction Documentation:
At the Item ID or Item Location level, Design.efficiently allows users to store:
- Specification Images – Architectural details, product diagrams, and manufacturer specs.
- Uploaded Documents & Files – Instant access to shop drawings, product data sheets, and installation manuals.
- Installation Notes – Specific instructions for installers.
- Location Notes – Additional contextual information to clarify placement.
- Item ID Notes – A structured way to differentiate products when needed.
By storing all these components within Design.efficiently, construction teams can instantly retrieve the precise information they need, eliminating guesswork and improving on-site execution.
A Centralized, Searchable Knowledge Hub
One of the key advantages of Design.efficiently is its ability to function as a centralized knowledge hub for design and construction teams. Instead of relying on scattered emails, spreadsheets, and PDFs, every piece of project-critical information is:
- Structured and categorized for easy retrieval.
- Linked directly to Item IDs and locations to ensure precise execution.
- Accessible on mobile and iPad, making it easy for on-site teams to find what they need instantly.
This means that instead of a plumber asking, “Where should I mount this showerhead?”—they can open Design.efficiently at the job site on their computer or iPad and see a precisely documented answer with images, notes, and diagrams, or print a comprehensive installation document that is mobile-ready.
The Key to Building Efficiently
Bidding is not building. While bids can be made based on general assumptions, actual construction requires precise, detailed information. Without it, contractors face delays, RFIs, and inefficiencies that disrupt the workflow and increase costs.
The key to building efficiently is ensuring that all item selections, specifications, and installation details are finalized and accessible before work begins.
By adopting a structured, information-driven approach and leveraging tools like Design.efficiently, construction projects can achieve:
- Higher efficiency
- Reduced RFIs
- Lower costs
- Faster project execution
