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Anyone performing electronic plan review?

B

buckshot

Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2009
Messages
2
Is anyone currently performing electronic plan review?

I need advice on purchasing software and hardware (including cost info.) for a mid-west City of 105,000 that wants to make the transition from paper based plan submission and review to electronic. Currently 6 different departments (not all in the same building) are reviewing and sending separate plan review letters to the design professional. We want to integrate and streamline the process. I haven't done any research yet--just getting started-- so any advice would be helpful. We currently use HTE Sungard for permit tracking & issuing.

p.s. Do you need a 42 inch monitor?
 
Re: Anyone performing electronic plan review?

Yes, I receive the prints in PDF format and review them on a large monitor. With my Adobe Acrobat I am able to attach notes to specific areas of the prints and email them back. When we are complete with the plan review they print a set, have them stamped by a DP then send them to me for final code stamp. This saves lots of paper and time.

The only problem with PDF is that I no longer have a way to use an architects ruler to check dimensions in areas where none are given.

I am not sure that all of the DPs would be willing to send cad drawings unless they were able to protect them and make them read only. At that point, I would not be able to attach my sticky notes like I do in PDF.

I have been doing this for a few months and it takes some patience. I still like to look at the drawings on print but being able to zoom right in on a PDF is great.
 
Re: Anyone performing electronic plan review?

I accept a maximum of 12 sheets on cd, 1-3 sheets by email. Anything larger (and with spec books) takes up all my computer space and screens. Applicant is contacted by email to deliver paper copies if phased, conditional, or final approval. No marking up of "prints", DP blindly following markups may cause department to be accused of design w/o a license.

jar546 said:
The only problem with PDF is that I no longer have a way to use an architects ruler to check dimensions in areas where none are given.
Click to expand...
There is a ruler tool that you can buy from a third party, I used to have it for Acrobat 5, but don't know where it is now.

PDFX-change has a free viewer with scale type measuring tools. If you want mark up the drawings as you have been doing you will need to purchase their PDF-XChange 4 PRO version. But, at 74 bucks it's a lot cheaper than Acrobat. I like it better than Acrobat, but, you can't open the ICC codes collection on it.

Here's a little screen shot w/ a dimension I threw in.

pdfx.jpg
 
Re: Anyone performing electronic plan review?

I am careful not to make any "design" comments with my sticky notes. These are simply notes attached to the pdf that Acrobat can print as a separate list with automatic numbering. Some of my comments are: "Does not comply with ANSI 117.1 2003 610.2" or "Declared occupant load in area A-3 does not appear to comply with IBC.........". One thing I will not do is tell them what to put on the drawings, only what is missing or what I interpret to be incorrect.

This is wording directly from the PA-UCC (we did not adopt Chapter 1 of the IBC)

The building code official shall clearly mark any required nondesign changes on the construction documents. The building code official shall return a set of the construction documents with this notation and any required changes to the applicant.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Anyone performing electronic plan review?

Nevermind, your post just reminded me that there is a measuring tool under "Tools" and I can adjust the ratio to whatever I want. This is great! I found other stuff on Acrobat Standard that I did not know I had. And I was going to buy Autocad Light. Not now.
 
Re: Anyone performing electronic plan review?

Unless both the Architectural board and the Engineering Board in your state have approved electronic signatures of documents, it may be a moot point. In our state, plans must be signed/stamped (wet), or have a valid electronic signature. The Engineering board has NOT approved electronic signatures, therefore, the electronic plan submittals are not valid or approvable (other than for reference-only, or pre hard copy submittal).
 
Re: Anyone performing electronic plan review?

Don't forget to check with your adopted by ordinance municipal code: required plans to be submitted, you may need to adjust your ordinance to allow PDF's. Other departments like Public Works, Fire Department, Planning, Zoning, Districts, etc. may need to do building plan review and may not have the CAD capability to do so.

Should I order file cabinets or not?
 
Re: Anyone performing electronic plan review?

RJJ, This did not come out of our budget. City admin really wanted DOX. It has taken us 2 years to get this far. We are going live with it July 1st.
 
Re: Anyone performing electronic plan review?

I'm on the architecture side, not the review side. However, I've submitted projects for 100% electronic review to a large desert community northest of Los Angeles. The actual review itself was fine, but the city's process for establishing the review was pure hell. Specifically, if you added a new sheet of plans, you first had to fill out the forms at the front counter, then an administrative assistant had to create a fle or folder for it, then you could drop the e-file into the folder, then the plan checker was notified and it could be reviewed. I know it sounds simple, but I had field changes where previously a fax or email to the building official would have been acceptable, but now the field change was a 2-week process just to get the plan loaded for review. Ugh!

On another note, we internally use a program called Bluebeam, which is a pdf editor like Acrobat, except with special features that work well for plan review and for Architects & Engineers coordination.

For example, if you have a known dimension on a plan that is not at a standard scale - say for example, you know a door is 3' wide - you click on the two edges of the door, enter 3'0" into the scaling window, and voila, it is ready to measure anything else on the drawing.
 
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