Construction Documentation (CD) is the final design phase in a building project where the architectural, structural, MEP, and envelope systems are fully detailed and documented in preparation for construction. This phase results in the production of Construction Documents—the technical drawings and specifications used for bidding, permitting, and building.
The CD phase builds on the decisions made during Design Development (DD) and requires high levels of coordination, precision, and discipline-wide alignment. It typically includes:
The quality of the CD phase directly affects construction accuracy, cost control, and schedule performance. Well-coordinated construction documentation:
CDs are not just a contractual deliverable.They’re the blueprint of intent that guides every stakeholder through the physical build. Any errors or omissions during this phase can directly lead to construction delays, field confusion, or cost overruns.
In a commercial mixed-use development, the design team used the CD phase to standardize detailing for exterior wall assemblies across dozens of repeating conditions. By carefully organizing slab-edge, parapet, and window head transitions, they reduced detailing inconsistencies and improved consultant alignment.
Through this effort, the final CD set provided greater clarity for bidding subcontractors, helped building officials expedite permit reviews, and minimized construction-phase delays due to documentation ambiguity.
This is where your ideas become buildable instructions. Every detail gets pinned down, every layer gets labeled, and the model becomes a reliable guide for construction.
Want to dive deeper into how architectural teams organize this phase? Check out our blog post on Architectural Design and Documentation Best Practices
The D.TO platform strengthens the Construction Documentation phase by building on its ongoing support during Design Development. By structuring detailing logic and assemblies earlier, the platform ensures that by the time the CD phase begins, much of the groundwork is already in place.
This means architects can focus on refining and validating documentation, not starting from scratch. D.TO automatically detects missing or inconsistent transitions, checks modular alignment, and reinforces detailing continuity across views, accelerating delivery without sacrificing accuracy.
Discover how D.TO enhances your daily design workflows on D.TO’s key features page, or schedule a demo to explore them in more detail!!
