A shop drawing is the factory instruction, not a design sketch. Check twelve things before signing: reference points, dimensions, appliance openings, fillers, services, door swing, hardware, finish, packing, revision, date and sign-off. If the reference point is missing, none of the numbers can be trusted.
Reference points first; without them, dimensions are meaningless.
Appliance openings and fillers must be shown and dimensioned.
Services should be marked on the drawing, not assumed.
One signed revision only; later changes are variations.
Two approval rounds is normal; more means the brief was unclear.
1. What a shop drawing is
A shop drawing tells the factory what to build. It shows each cabinet, its dimensions, its material, its hardware, its door swing and the reference points the dimensions are measured from. It is not a mood board and not a 3D render. If it cannot be built from the drawing alone, it is not finished.
2. The 12-point check
| # | Comprobar | que bien se ve |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Puntos de referencia | Each dimension measured from a named face |
| 2 | dimensiones máximas | Run length, height, depth |
| 3 | Aberturas para electrodomésticos | Model and clear opening shown |
| 4 | Relleno | Shown and dimensioned at walls |
| 5 | Servicios | Sockets, water, waste marked |
| 6 | Oscilación de la puerta | Handing shown for every door |
| 7 | Componentes metálicos | Model numbers on the schedule |
| 8 | Termine | Colour and sheen named |
| 9 | Empaque | Carton and label standard |
| 10 | Revisión | Number and date on every sheet |
| 11 | SCALE | 1:20 or 1:10 stated |
| 12 | Cerrar sesión | Named approver and date |
Any missing item is a question, not an assumption. The guía de medición shows where the reference points come from.
3. Reference points
Every dimension should start from a named face: the finished wall, the cabinet carcass, the door face or the counter edge. A drawing that says 600 without saying from where is not a drawing; it is a guess. Mark the reference on the first sheet and use it on every sheet.
4. Appliance openings
An appliance opening is not the same as a cabinet width. An oven needs a clear opening, a fridge needs ventilation, a dishwasher needs a service gap. Show the model and the clear opening, not just the nominal width. The especificación de hardware covers the hinges and runners that go with each opening.
5. Fillers and scribes
Walls are rarely square, so fillers close the gap between the cabinet run and the wall. They should be shown and dimensioned, not left to the installer. A 150 mm filler is normal; a 300 mm filler usually means the layout needs revisiting.
6. Servicios
Sockets, water, waste, gas and extract should be marked on the drawing with height and offset. A cabinet cannot cover a service that is in the wrong place, and moving a service after the cabinets are made is expensive. Mark them on the same drawing as the cabinets, so the clash is visible.
7. Sign-off and revision control
Sign one revision only. Every sheet should carry the revision number and date, and the signed set should be the one the factory builds from. Changes after sign-off are variations; they cost money and time, and they are the main reason projects slip.
8. A review workflow
Review in two rounds: the first for design intent, the second for detail. Allow five working days for each, and send comments as a marked-up PDF, not a phone call. The carcass materials guide covers the board and finish clauses that should appear on the drawing.
9. Una lista de verificación antes de comprometerse.
Antes de firmar, confirme seis cosas: el grado de la placa, el modelo de hardware, el sistema de acabado, el estándar de embalaje, el alcance de la inspección y el calendario de pagos. Cada una debe estar por escrito, no en una llamada. lista de verificación de presupuesto convierte los seis en una comparación de una página.
10. Errores comunes
El error más común es comparar un precio de fábrica con un costo de entrega. El segundo es dejar la inspección fuera del presupuesto. El tercero es pagar el saldo antes de que se apruebe la inspección. Cada uno se puede evitar con un alcance escrito y un inspección de pre-envío.
11. How to measure the room
Mida cada pared en tres puntos: superior, medio e inferior, y utilice la medida más pequeña. Las paredes rara vez son perfectamente cuadradas, y una curvatura de 10 mm en tres metros modifica el relleno. Mida el techo en cada esquina y anote la ubicación de enchufes, radiadores y tuberías de desagüe antes de dibujar. Un levantamiento a escala ahorra más tiempo que un dibujo rápido, y la guía de medición incluye una hoja imprimible.
Preguntas frecuentes
What is a shop drawing?
A shop drawing is the factory instruction for each cabinet: dimensions, materials, hardware, door swing and reference points. It is not a design sketch; it is what the factory builds from.
What scale should it be?
1:20 for room layouts, 1:10 for details. A drawing without a scale is a sketch and should not be signed.
How many approval rounds are normal?
Two. The first corrects the design, the second confirms the detail. More than two usually means the brief was unclear.
¿Qué debo comprobar primero?
The reference points. If the drawing does not say where the dimensions are measured from, none of the other numbers can be trusted.
Who signs the drawing?
The person who carries the cost of a mistake. Usually the project manager or the buyer, not the installer.
What happens if production starts before sign-off?
The factory builds to the last signed revision, which may be wrong. Any change after that is a variation, not a correction.
