Dear Dakota: Should Interior Designers Create Construction Documents?
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Recently, we offered a brand new training on how to create and format construction documents and spec books. If you missed it, be sure to add your name to the waitlist here to know when we’re hosting it live again..
In the live training, we covered:
Industry standards for formatting CD sheets, and numbering and sequencing sheets within a construction document set
Utilizing recognized drafting symbology appropriately, and ways to format construction and fabrication notes on construction drawings
Standard formatting for plans, elevations, sections, and detail drawings, and how to cross-reference related drawings between sheets in a CD set
How to distribute appropriate materials and finish information between schedules on a CD sheet, and within a Spec book
The most thorough and efficient ways to format information and links within a spec book
How to document your process and standards for CD and spec production so you can more easily outsource that work
One designer who attended the training provided this feedback:
“The level of detail discussed in this training was 🔥. I had no idea an interior designer should be producing documents at the same level as an architect. I earned a certificate in interior design, so none of this was ever taught. I am thankful that my eyes have been opened to what I should really be doing.”
We thought this was a great opportunity to discuss the differentiation between an architect’s role and an interior designer’s role, and the competencies an interior designer should have regarding construction documentation.
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What Are Construction Documents (CDs) and Specifications (specs)?
CDs and specs are the drawings (CDs) and spreadsheets (specs) that fully communicate the interior designer’s design intent for the construction of a project. Every detail is meticulously documented and clearly communicated in a way that provides sufficient information to contractors, carpenters, and fabricators to construct and finish a project to be precisely what the designer has imagined.
We use the analogy of an orchestra playing a symphony. Musicians need the sheet music to instruct what they play, so the performance is as the composer intended. The interior designer is the composer, the written sheets of music are the CDs and specs, and the performance is the execution of a construction project through completion.
CDs and specs have additional uses beyond serving as a guide for construction and fabrication. They are also used:
In the bidding and cost-estimating process to provide sufficient detail for contractors to calculate construction costs to a fairly accurate degree
To apply for a building permit. CDs and specs are submitted to the building department in the local jurisdiction for review. A Plans Examiner reviews them to ensure compliance with codes and local ordinances. If everything is good, a building permit is issued, and construction can commence.
In the procurement process to place orders with vendors. The specs provide thorough documentation of the materials that need to be ordered. Vendors sometimes also need to refer to the plans to calculate square footage quantities—a process called “take-offs.”
In an abbreviated form, drawings and specifications are presented to the client to communicate the design intent and to get their approval to move forward.
Not sure what should be presented to clients versus contractors? Be sure to check out our Elevate Your Client Design Presentation step-by-step live training.
Not All Interior Designers Need to Produce CDs and Specs
For interior designers who offer furnishings-only design services, or other quick-turnaround, design-only services such as Design Day or Designer By Your Side, there will be no need to produce construction documentation or specs as a deliverable. No actual construction or fabrication will be completed for these types of projects.
If computer drafting and documentation is not in your wheelhouse, this may be the status for you.
What IS the Difference Between the Job of an Interior Designer and an Architect?
This topic has been explored a great deal, but here is the Dakota Design Co take on the subject:
While both professions focus on creating well-designed buildings and interior spaces, their contributions have a distinctly different focus due to their respective areas of expertise. Additionally, the difference between an interior designer and a decorator should be considered.
A note here about interior design education: College-level training for interior designers can be a 4-year Bachelor’s program, or a 2-year Associates or Certificate program. Two-year programs may not include training in construction documentation, or a thorough review of building codes or building systems.
A significant area of advancement that commercial interior designers have achieved in recent years is the ability, in an increasing number of states, to stamp and sign CD sets for interior projects that do not involve any changes to load-bearing elements. A design professional’s stamp and signature is required when applying for a building permit, typically an architect. But in states where interior design “permitting privileges” exist, the stamp and signature can be that of an interior designer. Check here for state-by-state information about whether these “permitting privileges” for interior designers exist in your state. Typically, the designer needs to have passed the NCIDQ exam, and may need to additionally become registered or certified at the state level.
It is important to note that, for single-family homes or duplexes not exceeding three levels, the stamp and signature of a licensed design professional (typically an architect) is not required, except in specific jurisdictions. More information can be found here.
How do Interior Designers Collaborate with Architects and/or Builders/Contractors to Produce a CD Set?
There are several different scenarios for how collaboration can occur, including:
An architect or builder may produce the building shell drawing (on AutoCAD or another program). Both working off the architect’s drawing file, the architect finalizes drawings, and the interior designer completes specific additional drawings, such as finish plans, lighting plans, millwork elevations, and furniture plans. The sheets the architect produces and the sheets the designer produces are combined into the full CD set.
The architect or builder and the designer both draw from a CAD file produced by the architect/builder as described above. The designer completes their design work, and provides their finished digital file to the architect/builder who incorporates those drawings into one complete CD set.
An architect/builder completes drawings, and the interior designer reviews and redlines them for the architect. The architect or builder incorporates the interior designer's edits before final CDs are issued.
An interior designer can work independently on a CD set, without the involvement of an architect, and complete the CD set required for permits and construction.
The advantage of the first scenario is that the interior designer maintains control of their drawings. Collaboration on CD sheets raises challenges, particularly if the various professionals do not utilize the same digital drawing programs.
It is also very important for interior designers to understand the value they bring when they are able to produce CDs for their clients’ projects. This is true for both residential (in jurisdictions where an architect’s stamp is not required) and small commercial projects (in states that have interior design permitting privileges—meaning an interior designer’s stamp and signature can be used in lieu of an architect’s). This may mean that a client needs to only hire an interior designer, and not other building professionals for their project.
Note: If you have any question about what may be required for a building permit application for a project, call the building officials at the local building department where the project will occur. They are usually very open to answering any questions you may have.
So What Competencies SHOULD Interior Designers Have Regarding Producing and Reading Construction Documents (CDs)?????
Well, as noted above, if an interior designer does furnishings-only projects, they will not be involved in construction or construction documents at all. And, many interior designers who work on projects involving construction choose to outsource the production of their CDs and specs. Many others find there are inefficiencies and extra costs with outsourcing.
So, any interior designer who works on projects that involve construction should have a strong knowledge of construction documentation, either reading it and/or producing it.
Both the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) provide some direction about competencies interior designers should have regarding construction documents and material specs.
Four–year college-level programs culminating in a Bachelor’s degree or higher often seek CIDA accreditation. And interior designers who want to be credentialed take the industry-specific NCIDQ exam.
So what do these organizations say about competencies for CD production?
CIDA states that an entry-level interior designer should (per 2024 Standard 15, expectations h, i, j):
Understand the formats, components, and accepted standards for an integrated and comprehensive set of interior construction documents
Be able to read and interpret construction documents, and
Be able to contribute to the production of interior construction documents including drawings, detailing, schedules, and specification formats appropriate to project size and scope.
The NCIDQ exam tests on (IDFX):
Construction drawing standards (e.g.: annotations, hatch patterns, line types, symbols, north arrow, section cuts, cross referencing, dimensioning)
General information sheets (e.g.: notes, drawing index, legend, symbols)
Demolition plans, floor plans, reflected ceiling and/or lighting plans, furniture plans, finish plans, elevations, sections, detail drawings, schedules, and millwork drawings
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing CD Production?
If you are not strong in digital drafting and construction document production, outsourcing that work is a good option. However there can be challenges to outsourcing:
You need to provide strong documentation of your drawing standards to ensure the finished work meets your expectations. This includes your sheet formatting and numbering, your use of drafting symbology, font and text heights, and more.
You will need to spend time reviewing the drawings, redlining them, communicating the needed edits, and rechecking revised plans. Often designers find this takes more time altogether than just producing them in-house.
The cost of hiring an outside contractor to produce your CDs may exceed the cost of hiring a team member for your team to do the work.
You won’t be able to “catch” mistakes until you get the final drawing back, whereas if the drawings were being done in-house, you’d likely catch mistakes earlier, saving time and money in the long run.
Want to join our next live training session to learn how to format and prepare your Construction Documentation & Spec Books? Add your name to the waitlist here.
