CAD Drawings

[Cajun654]

Is appropriate to ask for CAD Drawings from either the general contractor or the architect/engineer? I was told from an electrical engineer that it is illegal to distribute CAD files to electrical contractors for the purpose of construction and/or the counting of fixtures, gear, devices, etc..
If by chance estimators were to have access to the CAD files I think it would make the bidding process a little less time consuming.

Opinions welcomed.

 

[petersonra]

I doubt it is illegal.

The engineer is probably concerned someone will modify the cad files and will result in an uncontrolled version floating around.

 

[StephenSDH]

Ask for PDF version. It isn't illegal. He doesn't want to give it away.

 

[walkerj]

I think the OP wants to be able to have the CAD drawing count all the symbols for him.

Cheater.:roll:

 

[hardworkingstiff]

I think the OP wants to be able to have the CAD drawing count all the symbols for him.

Cheater.:roll:

I would think so, but I do understand the EE not wanting to send out his CAD drawing. I wouldn't if I was the EE.

 

[cadpoint]

I think the OP wants to be able to have the CAD drawing count all the symbols for him.
:roll:

Your software doesn't do that? :grin:

I've been from PDF's through to 150.00 per Sheet/data.

This gets trickie in State Job's, Sometimes the Owner doesn't own it till they Get a CO... and anywhere in-between...

Put it this way, theres Ego's and CAD Time, someone got to pay!

The Lack of information hurts the owner! JMHO...

 

[Cajun654]

I guess some could call it cheating a bit, but I think it would definitely decrease the time it takes to count everything. I also think it would take the guess work out of determining the scale of a drawing based on how big a light fixture, ceiling tile, or parking space is.

There is also a way to lock a file to where its password protected.

Some of the PDF?s I have to work with are illegible and riddled with potential errors that may impact quantities as well as name and nomenclature of a particular fixture or device.

Anyway, I?m just starting to do estimating so I couldn?t possibly think of all the pros and cons

 

[cschmid]

Is appropriate to ask for CAD Drawings from either the general contractor or the architect/engineer? I was told from an electrical engineer that it is illegal to distribute CAD files to electrical contractors for the purpose of construction and/or the counting of fixtures, gear, devices, etc..
If by chance estimators were to have access to the CAD files I think it would make the bidding process a little less time consuming.

Opinions welcomed.

It would only make the process easier for some. I doubt you will get CAD files from any engineer for bidding unless you get out your wallet. they are actually the property of the owner of the project. They are who payed for them and when the job is accepted as complete a copy of the CAD file goes to the owner. I believe if it was to be distributed it would have to be with permission from the owner.

 

[Karl H]

The only person/company that will get my CAD Dwg's are the one's that paid
for them. After I recieve payment, they may give them to anyone
they choose.

 

[ohmhead]

Auto cad 2010

Auto cad 2010

Well when we bid a job we get specs & drawns once we get our letter of intent the next process is cad files which we get thur the construction manager via engineer all we do is request this in writing and this is every job in the past 15 years .

We use auto cad on every project its now part of every project most jobs are paper less all trades must have Bim or coordination files in 3D of there work with other trades and show electrical rooms in 3 D including conduit racks buss duct meaning all work installed by location ect ect in addition all over head work conduit racks above ceiling lighting above ceiling conduit & underground included and this is all on cad with mechanical & plumbing & fire protection in 3 D.

We dont pay for files all we do is request a form and we get our discs for the art ,elec ,mec ect ect .

Every day our cad people coordinate with the other trades they also sit down once a week and move and change locate correct issues & problems .


We use the Trimble system to layout our decks and underground with out auto cad files this would not happen .

On site on all our projects in trailer we have printers which with auto cad we can print out any full size sheet of any drawning electrical or mechanical or art ,structual or we can just print out a pdf on copyier if we need a 8 x11 to look at .

This cost money for us just the trimble system is $ 40,000 and thats just one unit thats used out in the field by our electricians who do layout .

We have on our payroll 6 cad people do the math its expensive but in todays construction to compete with others you have to have it .

Most of our projects are paperless and if one does not have cad your not going to get the project .

MERRY XMASS

 

[ptonsparky]

My projects are "SMALL" but I can usually get a .dwg file with just a phone call.

I don't think a computer has saved any trees at my office, especially now that printers can store and print a whole project before I can think "oops".

 

[gardiner]

I have found over the past three years it is getting harder to get "Cad" drawings from the EE preferring to send out PDF instead. One reason I was given is they do not want a copy floating around where someone modified it in any way. I was told by someone else confidentially on another project the Architect wanted all the drawings and was selling them from his FTP site and didn?t want anyone getting free copies, lately I have seen a number of FTP sites charging for the auto cad drawings. Another reason I have been given (again confidentially) when bidding out the work there is more chance of human error when items are counted by hand and better chance of getting something for free.

 

[GeorgeB]

My employer distributes only pdf until the job is complete, accepted, and paid. At that time, if the customer wants the drawing file we will give it to them. A few really maintain their drawings with revisions as they do them. Most think they want it and never even open it.

 

[charlie b]

I just had that request late last week. It wasn't at the bid stage, but rather was a request from the successful bidder. My boss (i.e., the one whose PE stamp was on the drawings) had no problem complying with the request. Our CAD group removed his PE seal from the electronic file before sending out the drawings.

Would I agree to send out drawings, if it were my PE seal, and if we were at the bid stage? I think not. I would certainly not send them to any specific prospective bidder. That would give that bidder an unfair advantage over the others. But if the owner (or whoever was in control of the bidding process) asked that CAD files be made available to any and all bidders, I would not have a problem complying. Again, my PE seal would not appear on and CAD file that was published in this manner.

 

[Bigrig]

As an PME engineering company our specifications have a section dealing with CAD files and how to request them. It includes a release and waiver form for the use of the files, and states any fees required. Often the fees are set by the architect and can range from $15/sheet to $125/sheet (usually costs are at the low end of the spectrum). Files are only available to the contractor after the project has been awarded, not during bidding.

 

[Besoeker]

As a company, we usually try to avoid transmitting any editable documents. As do many of our customers.
It can be a bit of a pain for both parties when you get pdf documents from a customer that have to be completed, corrected, or modified and returned in electronic format. Documentation for petrochem projects is usually like this and takes up a huge amount of time, very often quite disproportionate the value of the project.

But there are exceptions. Sometimes customers request drawings and other documents in a specific format. Decline to do so and they will decline to give you the business. So you don't.

Then there are others where personal relationships and history give you no qualms about releasing drawings and documents in editable format.

 

[ohmhead]

Well it interesting how others daily operations & practices unfold each day and how one operates there business were here to make a profit and most construction projects of size we need to all work as one team .

We must write hundreds of RFI S and pass hundreds of hundreds of emails pdfs and letters back and forth each job has its issues by example this will not work so see attached drawning please advise us its just better with cad .



Most companys that our company does contract work for gives us every advantage to be at our best on any project all information is free we just ask they kinda know its safe in our hands and this has been for many many years with the same contractor or any other its all about reputation and getting the job done .

Actually there is no secrete to hide or conceal its on the bid package prints to who ever bids the job whereas its plain as its public information to start with only its now on cad .

We only do large projects which without cad slows down the process from design to engineering and also now field work .

Its the only way to coordinate with other trades and engineers today .