Evaluating the Options
When a fabricated member is affected by a revision, the available options are:
- Rework in the shop — modify the existing member (re-drill, add plates, cut and re-weld), repaint, and re-inspect; typically the fastest option if the modification is minor
- Scrap and replace — if the member requires major revision, it may be faster to fabricate a new one while the old is scrapped; the new member gets a new piece mark
- Field modification — if the member is already shipped or erected, field welding, bolting, or cutting may be the only practical option; always requires EOR approval
- Accept as-is with engineering justification — if the revision is minor and the original member can be shown to comply with the revised design, the EOR may accept it without modification
Identifying Who Caused the Revision
Before doing anything, determine the origin of the revision. Was it a design change initiated by the owner or EOR? A coordination conflict discovered during coordination? An EOR error corrected by addendum? The answer determines who bears the cost. Owner-directed design changes after fabrication has started are typically compensable change orders. EOR-initiated corrections to errors in their own drawings may be compensable depending on the contract structure.
Documenting for Cost Recovery
Document everything before modifying the member: photograph the fabricated condition, confirm the piece mark, note the current drawing revision, and record the labor and material cost that will be required to modify or replace. Submit a change-order notice to the GC before proceeding with the rework — proceeding without notice risks having the cost denied as an undocumented claim.
The EOR Acceptance Option — When Is It Viable?
Before committing to rework or replacement, evaluate whether the as-fabricated condition can be accepted. The EOR can issue a formal acceptance letter stating that the member as fabricated meets the structural requirements of the revised design. This option is available when the revision is minor — a hole location shifted by less than 1/8" in a non-critical zone, a plate thickness slightly less than revised but still adequate for the loads, a section weight that changed but remains compliant. The EOR's decision to accept is an engineering judgment; the fabricator should never accept as-is unilaterally without written engineering confirmation. A formal acceptance letter must accompany the member through inspection and into the project records.
Inspection and QA Requirements After Rework
Modified members require re-inspection after rework. The inspection scope depends on what was modified: re-drilled or reamed holes require dimensional verification and visual inspection of the hole finish; additional field welds require weld inspection per AWS D1.1 (visual, UT, or MT as specified); members that were re-blasted and re-painted require coating inspection for dry film thickness and holiday testing if specified. Special inspection requirements in the project specifications — typically referenced from IBC Chapter 17 — may require re-inspection by the special inspector for any modification to a pre-inspected member. Confirm inspection requirements with the project's special inspector before rework begins.
- Re-drilled holes — dimensional check, visual inspection, re-blast and prime if coating was disrupted
- New shop welds — visual inspection per AWS D1.1 Section 6, UT or MT per specification
- Field welds — visual plus UT for demand-critical welds in seismic members per AWS D1.8
- Re-coated areas — DFT measurement, adhesion test if specified
- Special inspection notification — notify the project special inspector before rework begins on inspected members
Schedule Impact Management for Post-Fabrication Revisions
Post-fabrication revisions are schedule emergencies as much as they are cost events. If the member is on the critical path for erection, the time to rework or replace it is the time the crane and crew stand idle. Notify the GC and erection superintendent immediately with an estimated completion date for the modified member. Explore whether other non-affected erection picks can proceed while the modification is completed. If a replacement member must be fabricated, get the revised drawing to the shop floor as fast as possible — ideally within 24 hours of the revision being received — and place a priority fabrication order with explicit standby instructions for the shop.