Architectural Drawings & Design · Question

What should a drawing set include for a contractor to price accurately?

Short answer

For firm pricing, a contractor needs coordinated working drawings: site plan, floor plans, elevations and sections, structural drawings, services drawings, door and window and finish schedules, key details, a written specification and a priced item format. If these are incomplete or inconsistent, bidders add allowances or assume, and the gap reappears as extra charges later.

In more detail

A contractor prices what can be seen and measured. The clearer the documents, the narrower the spread between bids and the lower the chance of dispute after work begins.

The architectural set shows the shape and layout: site plan, plans for each floor, roof plan, elevations and sections, plus enlarged details for stairs, toilets, junctions and special areas. Schedules list every door, window and finish by type, so quantities can be counted without guesswork.

Beside this come structural drawings for foundations, frames and slabs, and drawings for electrical, plumbing, drainage, ventilation and any fire arrangements applicable to the building. These should be coordinated, since a beam that cuts across a duct is a clash to catch on paper.

Documents and what they settle
Document	What it settles for the bidder
Architectural drawings and details	Geometry, layout, junctions and visible finishes
Structural drawings	Foundations, frame and slab quantities
Services drawings	Electrical, water, drainage and air systems
Schedules	Counts and types of doors, windows and finishes
Specification	Material grades, workmanship and testing expectations
Item list or BOQ format	A common structure for every bid

Hold a pre-bid clarification round

Let bidders raise questions in writing, and issue the answers to everyone as a short addendum so all prices rest on the same facts.

Add site information too: soil report, survey, existing services, access limits and working hours. Mention approvals already in hand and those still pending.

Key points

Coordinated architectural, structural and services drawings are the core of a pricing set.
Schedules and a written specification remove guesswork on quantities and quality.
A common item list lets bids be compared line by line.
Share soil, survey and site constraint information with every bidder.
Issue written answers to bidder questions to all participants.

Who this applies to

Owners about to invite quotations for a building or fit-out.
Architects and project managers assembling a tender package.
Finance teams who want contractor bids that can be compared fairly.

Last reviewed 3 October 2026

This answer is general information, not advice on your particular case. Terms, eligibility, and requirements change, so check the current position with the relevant institution or authority.