The submittal process exists for a specific reason: to give the architect and GC an opportunity to verify that the millwork sub has correctly interpreted the contract documents before material is purchased and fabrication begins. A drawing that clears submittal without issues is a drawing that both parties have agreed represents what will be built.

For millwork shops new to commercial work — or shops that have done commercial work without fully understanding the submittal cycle — the process can feel like bureaucratic friction. It isn't. It's the mechanism that protects you from fabricating the wrong thing. Understanding it in detail is part of what separates shops that rarely get rejected from shops that cycle through three rounds of revisions on every project.

Submittal Process Overview and Timeline

Stage Who Is Responsible Typical Duration
Contract document review Millwork sub 1–3 days
Drawing package preparation Drafter / millwork sub 5–20 business days (scope-dependent)
Internal QC review Millwork sub 1–2 days
GC review and forwarding General contractor 2–5 business days
Architect review (first round) Architect of record 10–14 business days
Revision and resubmittal (if needed) Millwork sub 3–7 business days
Architect second review Architect of record 10–14 business days

Total from initial drawing start to approved-for-fabrication: plan for 6–8 weeks on a typical commercial scope. Build this into your project schedule — not as an afterthought when the GC starts asking why fabrication hasn't begun.

Step 1: Review the Contract Documents

Before a line is drawn, someone on the millwork side needs to thoroughly review the contract documents for millwork scope. This includes:

The spec section will tell you the AWI quality grade required, any product substitution restrictions, submittal requirements, and the contractual review timeline. If you're unclear on what the AWI grades mean in practice, our AWI millwork standards guide covers Economy, Custom, and Premium in detail. Read the spec before scoping the drawing package — not after.

Step 2: Prepare the Drawing Package

The drawing package must address every millwork item in the contract scope — nothing omitted, nothing added without written authorization. For each area or unit type, produce:

For commercial millwork shop drawings, the package should also include a cover sheet listing all sheets, project name and number, the applicable AWI grade, and a revision history block. This isn't optional on most commercial specs — it's a submittal format requirement.

On field measurements: Most specs require the millwork sub to verify field dimensions before finalizing shop drawings. If construction is still underway when you're drawing, note clearly on each drawing which dimensions come from contract documents (CD) and which are verified field measurements. This protects you if dimensions change after your drawings are approved and before installation.

Step 3: Internal QC Before Submission

Before the package goes to the GC, run it through your own quality check. At minimum:

Internal QC is the step that gets skipped when shops are busy. It's also the step that determines whether you get a clean approval or spend three weeks in revision cycles. A one-day internal review before submission saves far more time than it costs.

Step 4: Submit Through the GC

Millwork submittals go to the GC — not directly to the architect. The GC reviews the package, logs it in the submittal schedule (tracked in Procore, Autodesk Build, or a similar construction management platform), and forwards it to the architect of record. On some projects, specialty consultants (lab casework, custom millwork systems) review in parallel.

The GC has their own review obligation before forwarding. Under most standard contract structures (AIA A201 terms), the contractor must confirm that the submittals comply with the contract requirements before the architect sees them. This review isn't always thorough in practice, but it exists — and it means the GC carries some responsibility for obvious errors that make it through.

Your submission to the GC should include:

If your submittal isn't logged correctly — wrong spec section number, missing transmittal, wrong file format — it may get rejected by the GC before the architect ever sees it.

Step 5: The Architect's Review

The architect of record reviews the submittal and returns it with one of several standard response notations:

Approved / No Exceptions Taken (NET). Drawings comply with contract documents. Proceed to fabrication.

Approved as Noted / Make Corrections and Proceed. Drawings are acceptable with minor modifications noted. Correct the noted items before or during fabrication. A second full review cycle is typically not required unless corrections are significant.

Revise and Resubmit. Significant issues require correction before drawings can be approved. This adds one full review cycle to your schedule — plan for it as a realistic outcome on complex projects, especially first submittals on new project types.

Rejected. Drawings don't meet spec requirements and need to be substantially reworked. Rare, but it happens on projects where the drawing package was produced from the wrong document set or where the drafter didn't understand the spec requirements.

Architect review time is contractually defined — typically 10–14 business days under standard AIA contract terms. Factor this into your production schedule from the beginning.

Step 6: Respond to Review Comments

Architect review comments come back on marked-up drawings using revision clouds with corresponding delta markers, often paired with a comment log. When you receive a marked-up submittal:

The revision log is important. Architects reviewing a resubmittal are checking that their comments were addressed. A clear revision cloud and delta marker on every change makes that check fast and reduces the chance of a "revise and resubmit" on the second round for a comment that was actually incorporated but not marked. For more on managing revision cycles, see our article on millwork RFIs and change orders.

Step 7: Approved-for-Fabrication

Once the drawings carry an approved stamp, you have a formal record that what you're building has been reviewed and accepted. Before you reach this point, confirm the drawing set is complete — our millwork shop drawing checklist covers everything a commercial submittal reviewer will look for.

Keep approved drawings accessible throughout fabrication. If a question comes up on the shop floor, the approved drawing is the answer — not the original design intent, not an email from three months ago, not a verbal instruction from the GC. If a condition on the approved drawing doesn't match what you find in the field, issue an RFI before deviating from the drawing.

Any change to approved drawings — even a small dimensional adjustment — requires a formal revision and resubmittal under most commercial specs. Fabricating against unapproved revisions creates liability exposure if the change causes a problem at installation or inspection.

RFIs and Architect's Supplemental Instructions During Submittal

Two instruments frequently interact with the submittal process:

RFI (Request for Information): Used to clarify ambiguous or missing information in the contract documents. If your review of the drawings reveals a dimension conflict, a missing detail, or a specification ambiguity, submit an RFI through the GC before producing drawings that rely on an interpretation. An approved RFI response is a project record document that protects you if the interpretation is later disputed.

ASI (Architect's Supplemental Instructions): A direction issued by the architect to clarify or supplement the contract documents without changing the scope or price. If you receive an ASI during the drawing phase, incorporate it into your drawings and note the ASI number in the revision block. ASIs that do add scope become change orders — confirm the contractual treatment with the GC before absorbing additional work.

Common Reasons Submittals Get Rejected

For scope questions and pricing, see our millwork drawing services or review our drawing rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the millwork submittal review process take?
Commercial specs typically allow the architect 10–14 business days for first review. If revision and resubmittal is required, add another 10–14 days for the second round. Plan for 6–8 weeks total from initial submittal submission to approved-for-fabrication status when scheduling your fabrication start date.
What does "Approved as Noted" mean on a shop drawing submittal?
"Approved as Noted" means the drawings are acceptable with minor modifications noted by the architect. You may proceed after incorporating the noted corrections. A full second review cycle is typically not required unless the corrections are substantial — confirm with your GC before proceeding to cut material.
Does a millwork sub submit drawings directly to the architect?
No. Millwork submittals go to the general contractor first. The GC reviews, logs them in the submittal schedule, and forwards to the architect. Direct sub-to-architect submissions typically get rejected and returned through the correct channel, costing you a week or more.
What is a submittal schedule?
A submittal schedule (or submittal log) is a project document maintained by the GC that tracks all required submittals: spec section, required submission date, current status, and review history. Most GCs manage this in Procore, Autodesk Build, or a similar platform. Your millwork submittal must appear in the schedule before it will be formally logged and reviewed.
Can you start fabricating before the submittal is approved?
Starting fabrication before drawing approval is a significant risk. If the architect rejects an aspect of drawings you've already fabricated against, you own the rework. Some GCs allow fabrication after "Approved as Noted" when noted corrections are minor — but confirm this in writing before cutting any material.
What triggers a change order vs. an RFI in the submittal process?
An RFI clarifies ambiguous or missing contract information without changing scope or price. A change order is required when the architect's review comment requires work beyond the original scope — additional details, material upgrades, or construction method changes not in your bid. Document scope-adding comments as a Potential Change Order before incorporating them.

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Related Articles

RelatedAWI Millwork Standards Explained: Custom, Premium, and Economy Grades RelatedMillwork RFIs and Change Orders: How to Manage Scope Changes Without Losing Your Schedule