Construction Plan Review Checklist: 5 Things GCs Must Check Before Bidding

A solid construction plan review checklist is the difference between a profitable bid and a project you'll regret winning. Most GCs have a gut sense of what to look for — but gut sense doesn't scale when you're reviewing 400-sheet plan sets on a two-day bid turnaround. Here are the five things that cost GCs the most when missed.

1. MEP Coordination Conflicts

Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings are typically produced by different engineers who may never have spoken to each other. Conflicts between ductwork routing, electrical conduit, and plumbing rough-ins are the most common source of field RFIs. Check ceiling plenum heights, pipe chase clearances, and electrical panel locations against structural drawings before you bid.

2. Missing or Incomplete Specifications

Drawings often reference spec sections that don't exist, or spec sections that call out products not shown on any drawing. Run through your Division 1–33 spec index against the drawing sheet list. Missing specs mean either scope exclusions or unknowns — both are bid risk.

3. Structural-to-Architectural Dimensional Conflicts

Architectural floor plans and structural plans are supposed to match. They often don't. Column locations, slab edges, and wall thicknesses that conflict between disciplines cause expensive field changes. Verify gridlines and critical dimensions match across disciplines before your bid goes out.

4. Civil/Site Work Scope Definition

Civil drawings are the most commonly under-reviewed in a pre-bid review. Utility connections, grading limits, paving extents, and site drainage all need to be scoped clearly — and the lines between what's in civil and what's in architectural sitework are frequently blurry. Verify your excavation, utility, and paving scope matches what's actually drawn.

5. Bid Alternates and Allowances

Alternates and allowances are often buried in spec sections and easy to miss. A $50,000 allowance for owner-furnished equipment that your bid doesn't account for, or an alternate you didn't price, can change your competitiveness significantly. Scan Division 1 and the bid form carefully.

How AI Helps With This Checklist

SheetIntel automates the first pass on all five of these areas. It reads every sheet, cross-references disciplines, and flags potential gaps — so your estimator can focus their limited review time on the items that actually need human judgment.