Why RFI Cycle Time Kills Schedules
An RFI (Request for Information) is issued when the design documents are incomplete, contradictory, or ambiguous. Until it's answered, the affected members sit in limbo — they can't be detailed with confidence, released for approval, or cut in the shop. On a typical structural project, RFI response time averages 7–10 business days. Multiply that across dozens of RFIs and you can lose weeks of schedule to waiting.
Batch RFIs by Discipline and Priority
Firing off RFIs one at a time as questions arise trains the engineer of record to treat them as low-priority interruptions. Instead, batch related questions into a single, well-organized submission — and flag which items are blocking fabrication releases:
- Group questions by drawing sheet or structural zone so the reviewer can answer them in one sitting
- Mark each RFI with a schedule impact: 'Blocks Sequence 2 release' gets attention; 'clarification' does not
- Send a weekly RFI log summary to the GC and EOR showing open items, ages, and downstream impacts
- Reserve standalone urgent RFIs for genuine emergencies — overuse dilutes urgency
Write RFIs That Answer Themselves
The fastest RFI to answer is one that proposes a solution. Instead of asking 'How should this connection work?', write 'Detail 5/S-501 conflicts with the beam elevation on S-201. We propose holding the S-201 elevation and adjusting the connection per the attached sketch. Please confirm.' A yes/no question with a marked-up sketch gets answered in days; an open-ended question gets circulated for weeks.
Build the Escalation Path Before You Need It
At project kickoff, agree on a response-time standard (5 business days is common) and an escalation path for overdue items. When an RFI blows past its due date, the detailer should notify the fabricator's PM, who escalates to the GC — with the schedule impact quantified in tons of steel and days of shop time. Numbers move meetings; complaints don't.
Track It or It Didn't Happen
Maintain a live RFI log with issue date, due date, response date, and affected piece marks. When a schedule dispute arises months later, that log is the difference between recovering delay costs and eating them. A detailer who tracks RFIs rigorously is protecting the fabricator's commercial position, not just the schedule.