Read Structural Framing Plans

A. Finished-Package Specification

Deliverable set: one member register covering every tagged beam, girder, header, post, column, bearing wall, and shear wall in the received structural package; one load-path map tracing bearing from roof through foundation; one connector register covering every tagged hold-down, strap, anchor bolt, and post base; one framing-scope checklist organized by layout, material verification, bearing, openings, blocking, connectors, bracing, penetrations, inspection, and concealment; and one RFI-style question list for missing sizes, conflicts, unclear bearing, connector ambiguity, or trade penetrations.

B. Deliverable Schedule (Component Schedule)

Component	Quantity	Source	Required Fields	Preparation / Purpose
Structural document identity record	1	Structural general notes, design criteria, engineer information	Sheet set issue, engineer of record, design criteria, coordinated architectural revision	Establishes the design basis every other component is built against
Member register	1	Every tagged structural member	Tag, type, location, material/size as documented, schedule reference, status	Confirms every member is matched to its governing schedule or detail
Load-path map	1	Bearing walls, beams, posts, foundations, footings	Bearing point, member above, member below, foundation reference	Traces gravity load continuously from roof to footing
Connector register	1	Every tagged connector	Tag, location, connected members, schedule reference, manufacturer reference	Confirms every connector is matched to its governing schedule or manufacturer data
Framing-scope checklist	1	All prior components plus architectural, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC coordination	Category, item, reference, verification status, conflict flag	Converts document information into a build-readiness checklist
RFI-style question list	1	Discrepancies found while building the above	Item, description, affected sheet, requested action, required-by date	Records unresolved items for the document-control process

C. Source Material Takeoff

• Primary source: the current structural framing package, including foundation, floor, wall, ceiling, roof, lateral, and detail sheets, design criteria, general notes, schedules, and engineer information available at the time this chapter begins.
• Supporting source: the coordinated architectural plan set produced in Chapters 1 through 6, including the room-by-room floor plan summary, elevation checklist, and assembly interpretation sheet.
• Reference tools: one engineer's or architect's scale, one straightedge, and a consistent set of markup colors.
• Recording medium: one document-control log or spreadsheet capable of holding all six deliverable components listed in Section B.

D. Acceptance Standards

Check	Standard
Member register completeness	Every member tag appearing on a structural plan is entered in the register and matched to a schedule, note, or detail, or logged as unmatched
Load-path continuity	Every bearing point traced in the load-path map connects to a member above, a member or foundation below, and does not terminate without a documented support
Connector matching	Every connector tag is matched to its schedule, detail, or manufacturer reference, or logged as unmatched
Architectural coordination	Structural grids, dimensions, and openings are compared against the architectural set and every mismatch is logged
No unauthorized design	No member has been resized, relocated, notched, drilled, reinforced, or substituted to resolve a conflict found during the chapter
RFI completeness	Every missing size, unmatched tag, unclear bearing condition, or connector ambiguity is recorded as a neutral RFI-style question

E. Preparation — Confirm Structural Identity and Design Basis

1. Confirm structural sheet numbers, revisions, design criteria, general notes, symbols, abbreviations, schedules, and engineer information. Enter these directly on the Structural Document Identity Record.
2. Identify foundation, floor, wall, ceiling, roof, lateral, and detail sheets included in the structural package. List every included sheet in the document-control log before tagging begins.
3. Compare structural grids, dimensions, levels, and orientation with architectural plans. Confirm the structural set uses the same grid and level references as the Chapter 3 through 6 deliverables; log any mismatch.

F. Member Register Construction

1. Locate beams, girders, headers, lintels, posts, columns, bearing walls, shear walls, braced walls, collectors, and drag elements. Enter each as a row in the member register with its tag and location.
2. Match every member tag to the applicable schedule, note, or detail. Record the schedule or detail reference in the member register, or mark the tag unmatched.
3. Record member material, size, quantity, grade, species, product designation, or delegated-design reference only as documented. Do not enter a value the documents do not state.
4. Locate floor joists, trusses, I-joists, rafters, roof trusses, purlins, sleepers, and outlookers. Add each framing-member type to the register with its documented framing direction and spacing.
5. Identify framing direction, spacing, span limits shown, cantilevers, overhangs, and changes in framing orientation. Record these directly against the affected member rows.

G. Load-Path and Bearing Trace

1. Trace bearing from roof and upper floors down through walls, beams, posts, foundations, and footings. Build the load-path map one bearing line at a time, starting at the roof.
2. Identify bearing lines, point loads, concentrated reactions, beam pockets, post bases, and required blocking. Record each bearing condition and its supporting member in the load-path map.
3. Locate roof ridges, hips, valleys, rafters, trusses, girder trusses, bearing points, and uplift connections. Extend the load-path map to include roof-level bearing and uplift.
4. Do not infer truss-web layout, reactions, or modifications from architectural roof lines. Use only the structural truss layout and schedule for this information; log missing truss information as an RFI item.
5. Identify wall-framing notes for studs, plates, headers, blocking, sheathing, tall walls, and balloon-framed conditions. Record these notes against the affected wall lines in the load-path map.

H. Openings, Connectors, and Bracing

1. Locate openings for stairs, chimneys, plumbing, ducts, skylights, attic access, and equipment. Add each opening to the member register with its framing requirements.
2. Identify headers, trimmers, doubled members, rim members, blocking, bridging, squash blocks, and web stiffeners shown. Record each against its associated opening or bearing condition.
3. Identify lateral-force-resisting elements, hold-downs, straps, anchor bolts, sheathing nailing, collectors, and boundary conditions shown. Begin the connector register with these entries.
4. Match connector tags to schedules, details, and manufacturer references. Complete the connector register with schedule and manufacturer references for every tag located.
5. Record required connector fasteners only from the approved detail or manufacturer information. Do not enter a fastener type, size, or quantity the documents do not state.
6. Identify field-weld, bolt, screw, nail, adhesive, bearing, notch, drill, and reinforcement restrictions. Record these restrictions directly in the connector register.
7. Locate temporary and permanent bracing notes, truss-bracing references, and erection requirements. Add a bracing section to the framing-scope checklist with these references.

I. Delegated Design and Cross-Trade Coordination

1. Identify delegated-design items such as trusses, engineered lumber, stairs, rail systems, or specialty connections. List each delegated-design item and its stated performance criteria in the framing-scope checklist.
2. Record required shop drawings, submittals, engineering seals, and approvals before fabrication. Add each requirement to the checklist under the applicable delegated-design item.
3. Compare framing with architectural openings, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, ducts, electrical equipment, and ceiling features. Cross-check the member register against the Chapter 4, 5, and 6 deliverables.
4. Identify conflicts where routes or openings cross beams, posts, joists, trusses, shear walls, or required blocking. Log each conflict with its exact location and source references.
5. Identify missing member tags, unmatched schedules, incomplete details, or inconsistent grids. Add each to the RFI-style question list.
6. Do not resize, relocate, notch, drill, reinforce, or substitute a structural member to resolve a conflict. Route every conflict through the RFI-style question list instead.

J. Checklist Assembly and Closeout

1. Create a framing checklist organized by layout, material verification, bearing, openings, blocking, connectors, bracing, penetrations, inspection, and concealment. Compile the member register, load-path map, and connector register into this single organized checklist.
2. Attach sheet, detail, schedule, specification, submittal, and manufacturer references to each checklist item. Confirm no checklist row is missing its source reference.
3. Prepare RFI-style questions for missing sizes, conflicts, unclear bearing, connector ambiguity, or trade penetrations. Finalize the RFI-style question list using the neutral format from Chapter 17's process.
4. Review the framing checklist with the architectural and MEP coordination findings before issue. Confirm every cross-trade conflict identified in Section I is reflected in the final checklist before closing the chapter.