Construction submittals examples by type, with register rows

How to read each example

Every example below follows the same pattern. First, the requirement as it typically appears in Part 1, article 1.4 Submittals (some specs number it 1.3 or 1.5, the content is the same). Second, what a complete package contains, so the reviewer can act on it in one pass. Third, a register row in the columns most general contractors use, so you can see how one sentence of spec turns into a trackable line item.

The register columns used throughout are Spec section, Paragraph, Type, Description, Responsible, Reviewer and Required by. "Responsible" is the company that prepares the package. "Reviewer" is the party that returns the stamp. "Required by" is the date the approved package must be back so procurement and lead time still fit the schedule. If you want the full column set with numbering, ball in court and revision fields, the submittal log template page explains each one.

Numbering in the rows follows the common pattern of section number plus a sequence, for example 087100-002, with an R1 or R2 suffix for resubmittals. Dates are illustrative and assume a project where steel and envelope work start in spring and interiors in late summer.

Division 03 examples for cast-in-place concrete

Section 03 30 00 Cast-in-Place Concrete usually asks for mix designs for each class of concrete, product data for admixtures, curing compounds and vapor retarders, and reinforcing steel shop drawings when rebar is not split out into section 03 20 00. A complete mix design package carries the proposed proportions, the strength test history or trial batch results the spec allows, the aggregate gradations and the admixture data sheets in the same file, because a reviewer will not approve a mix with missing backup.

In this scenario the concrete subcontractor prepares both the mix designs and the reinforcing drawings. The structural engineer of record reviews them, usually through the architect. Rebar drawings are on the critical path because fabrication cannot start without them, so the required by date sits well ahead of the first footing pour.

Division 04 examples for unit masonry

Section 04 20 00 Unit Masonry commonly lists product data for each masonry unit, mortar and grout mixes, samples of face brick in the full color range, and a sample panel or mockup built on site. The samples and the mockup are two separate items in the log. The samples get a stamp from the architect, the mockup gets a site review and then stands as the quality standard for the whole elevation.

Division 05 examples for structural steel

Section 05 12 00 Structural Steel Framing asks for shop drawings, erection drawings, welding procedure specifications, welder certificates and mill test reports. When connections are delegated to the fabricator, the spec also asks for connection design calculations sealed by an engineer licensed in the project state. That is a delegated design submittal and it belongs in its own row, because the engineer of record reviews it for conformance with the design intent, not for engineering correctness.

Division 07 examples for TPO roofing

Section 07 54 23 Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) Roofing asks for product data for membrane, insulation, cover board and adhesives, shop drawings showing the layout of tapered insulation and the details at curbs, edges and penetrations, a manufacturer letter confirming the assembly qualifies for the specified warranty, and an installer certificate. At closeout the same section produces the manufacturer warranty and the roofing installer warranty, which belong in the log from day one so nobody forgets them at the end.

Division 08 examples for door hardware

Section 08 71 00 Door Hardware is one of the most rejected packages on any building, mostly because the hardware schedule has to agree with the door schedule, the frame shop drawings, the access control drawings and the fire ratings at the same time. The spec usually asks for product data for every item, a hardware schedule organized by hardware set and opening number, keying schedule after a keying meeting with the owner, and templates sent to the door and frame suppliers.

The keying schedule is a good example of a submittal that cannot be prepared until something else happens first. Put the dependency in the description so the reason for a later date is visible to everyone who reads the log.

Division 09 examples for interior painting

Section 09 91 23 Interior Painting asks for product data for each paint system, a schedule that ties each system to a substrate, samples of each color and sheen on the specified substrate, and often a field sample of each system on a wall in the building. Paint looks simple, which is why it gets left until the last minute and then holds up the finish schedule while the architect waits for drawdowns.

Division 23 examples for testing, adjusting and balancing

Section 23 05 93 Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing for HVAC asks for the qualifications of the balancing agency, a strategy and procedures plan, a list of instruments with calibration dates, and at the end the final balancing report. The qualification data and the plan are action or informational items early in the job. The final report is a closeout submittal that the commissioning authority and the mechanical engineer both read before substantial completion.

Division 26 and 28 examples for electrical and fire alarm

Section 26 24 16 Panelboards asks for product data and shop drawings with ratings, dimensions, and the circuit schedule for each panel. Long lead times on switchgear and panelboards make the electrical gear package one of the first that the project engineer chases. Section 28 46 21.11 Addressable Fire Alarm Systems asks for shop drawings prepared by a qualified designer, battery and voltage drop calculations, and the qualifications of the installer. Fire alarm drawings often go to the authority having jurisdiction as well, so the log should show both reviewers.

Closeout examples from Division 01

Closeout items are where most logs are thinnest, because they are written at the end of each section and the end of each section is easy to skip. Section 01 78 23 Operation and Maintenance Data, section 01 78 36 Warranties and section 01 78 39 Project Record Documents set the format, while the technical sections say which items each trade owes. A good register carries every closeout item from the first day, so the binder fills up during the job instead of in a scramble in the final month.

For a full breakdown of these categories and who acts on each, read our guide to types of submittals in construction.

What the examples have in common

Look across the rows and a few habits stand out. Each row points to one paragraph, so a reviewer can open the spec and see the requirement in seconds. Descriptions name the scope, not just the type, so "Shop drawings" never appears alone. Each row has exactly one responsible company, even when the work is shared. Required by dates are driven by lead time and site need, not by the order in which the spec book is printed.

• One requirement per row, traced to section and paragraph
• A description that says what is in the package and for which area
• One responsible party and a named reviewer, including the AHJ when it applies
• A required by date worked back from the site date, review time and lead time
• Closeout items logged at the start, not at the end

These habits are what turns a list into a working submittal register. If you want a refresher on the full path a package takes from preparation to stamp, the construction submittal process page walks through every step.

Common mistakes in example logs

• Copying the spec table of contents into the log and calling it done, which misses every requirement that hides in Part 2 or Part 3
• Combining product data and shop drawings in one row, so a partial approval cannot be recorded
• Leaving the reviewer blank, so nobody knows which consultant holds the ball
• Logging closeout items only after substantial completion
• Using a different numbering pattern on every project, which makes cross-job reports impossible

Turning your own spec book into rows like these

Typing these rows by hand for a full spec book takes days, and the risk is not the typing, it is the requirement you never saw on page 1,400. Submittal reads the specification, finds every submittals article and every requirement in Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, and proposes one row per item with section, paragraph, type and description already filled. You confirm, assign responsible companies and reviewers, and set required by dates once. The spec to submittal log page shows how that run works on a real section.

Once the log exists, every package moves through review, stamps and resubmittals with full version history, and closeout items roll into one binder on Business and Enterprise. Starter covers one active project at 24 USD per month billed yearly, and Team covers five active projects at 74 USD per month billed yearly. External reviewers and subcontractors join at no cost on every plan.

Frequently asked questions