Coordination
Coordination services that keep every discipline on one set of drawings.
Architectural, structural, MEP, and consultant drawings rarely start in agreement. CADTRI reviews every discipline against the others, resolves conflicts directly with the responsible engineer, and delivers one coordinated package instead of a stack of documents that disagree.
What Coordination Services Cover
One coordinated set, not a stack of separate drawings.
Most permit-ready projects involve more than one design discipline: an architect, a structural engineer, and often an MEP consultant. Coordination is the work of checking those drawings against each other, resolving what does not agree, and producing a single package that reads as one document instead of several that were never compared.
Disciplines Coordinated
Architectural, Structural, MEP
Consultant Communication
Direct, Every Project
BIM Model Formats
Revit / IFC Available
How It Works
Multi-discipline coordination, step by step.
Whether the coordination is a two-sheet structural check or a federated BIM model with multiple trades, the underlying process follows the same five stages.
Collecting Every Discipline's Drawings
Coordination starts with the current architectural, structural, MEP, and any additional consultant drawings or models for the project. We confirm which files are the approved-for-coordination version before anything is compared.
Cross-Discipline Conflict Review
Each discipline is checked against the others for dimensional conflicts, reference inconsistencies, and spatial clashes: structural framing against architectural sections, MEP routing against ceiling heights and structural members, and site work against civil drawings.
Direct Engineer and Consultant Communication
Identified conflicts are logged and routed directly to the responsible engineer or consultant. Every open item is tracked to a confirmed resolution rather than left for the plan checker or the field to discover.
Assembling One Coordinated Set
Once conflicts are resolved, the architectural sheets are updated to reflect the confirmed structural and MEP references, producing a single package that reads as one coordinated document rather than a stack of independently produced drawings.
Carrying Coordination Into the Field
Coordination does not end at permit issuance. RFIs, field conditions, and consultant revisions during construction are tracked and resolved the same way, so the as-built condition matches what was coordinated on paper.
Coordination Services We Provide
A coordination point for every discipline.
From a single structural check to full BIM clash detection across trades, these are the coordination-specific services CADTRI delivers most often.
Common Pitfalls
Where coordination breaks down.
Most conflicts discovered at plan check or in the field trace back to one of these recurring gaps. Catching them during coordination is far cheaper than catching them after construction starts.
Late Engineer Engagement
Structural or MEP consultants brought in after the architectural drawings are substantially complete, forcing conflicts to surface as late corrections instead of early coordination.
No Single Coordination Point
Each consultant reviewing only their own discipline, with no one responsible for checking how the drawings align against each other.
Drawing Version Mismatches
Coordination performed against an outdated architectural or structural file, producing a combined package that does not reflect the actual current design.
Missed Ceiling and Structural Clearances
MEP routing that was never checked against structural members and finished ceiling heights, a frequent source of field conflicts on tenant improvement and multi-family projects.
Unresolved RFIs During Construction
Field questions that sit open because no one is tracking them to a documented resolution, leaving the contractor to guess or wait.
Siloed Consultant Communication
Comments passed indirectly between disciplines through the owner or contractor instead of direct, documented coordination between the design team.
Missing Clash Detection Before Permit
Multi-trade projects submitted for permit without running clash detection between architectural, structural, and MEP models, deferring conflicts to the field where they cost the most.
No Coordination Record
Conflicts identified and resolved verbally, with no log documenting what was found, who owned it, and how it was closed.
Where It Matters Most
Project types that need coordination first.
Every multi-discipline project benefits from coordination, but these project types carry the highest risk of conflict if it is skipped.
Ground-Up and Structural Renovation
Any project involving a licensed structural engineer needs the architectural and structural sets to function as one coordinated document before submission.
Structural CoordinationCommercial TI, Restaurants, and Hospitality
Complex kitchen exhaust, plumbing, and electrical requirements demand tight coordination between MEP and architectural drawings before permit submission.
MEP CoordinationMulti-Family, Institutional, and Complex Commercial
Projects with multiple overlapping trades benefit from a federated BIM model and clash detection before the first conduit is installed.
BIM CoordinationHistoric Rehabilitation
Preservation board review adds a coordination layer beyond standard building code, tying existing conditions documentation to the proposed scope.
Historic District SubmissionsFrequently Asked
Coordination services, explained.
- What is coordination in architectural drafting?
- Coordination is the process of checking architectural, structural, MEP, and other consultant drawings against each other to confirm they agree on dimensions, references, and assemblies before a package reaches plan check or the job site.
- Why does drawing coordination matter for permit approval?
- Uncoordinated drawings are one of the most common causes of plan check corrections. When sheets from different disciplines disagree, the plan checker cannot verify the project is code compliant, and the application gets returned.
- What is the difference between coordination and BIM coordination?
- General coordination reviews 2D drawings from each discipline for conflicts. BIM coordination integrates 3D models from each discipline into a single federated model and runs automated clash detection, typically used on more complex, multi-trade commercial and institutional projects.
- Do you coordinate directly with our structural engineer or MEP consultant?
- Yes. Coordination is only effective when conflicts are resolved directly with the responsible engineer or consultant rather than passed along secondhand. We communicate directly with your project's consultants to close out open items.
- Does coordination continue after the permit is issued?
- Yes, through construction administration support. Field conditions, RFIs, and consultant revisions during construction are coordinated the same way drawings are coordinated before submission.
- What if we already have separate architectural and structural or MEP sets?
- We review both sets side by side, identify conflicts, and produce a combined, coordinated package. Existing drawings do not need to be redrawn from scratch to bring them into coordination.
From the Blog
Go deeper on coordination.
What Is a Permit Set? A Contractor's Guide
Why structural, MEP, and architectural sheets have to agree before submission.
Read ArticleWhat Is a Pre-Application Meeting in Construction?
Getting jurisdiction and consultant questions answered before design work begins.
Read ArticleHow to Respond to Plan Check Corrections
Closing out multi-discipline correction comments in a single resubmittal.
Read ArticleReady to coordinate your project?
Send us the current architectural, structural, and MEP drawings and we will confirm scope, timeline, and fee before work begins.