Last Updated: December 14, 2025

You’re reviewing the electrical drawings for a commercial build, and something doesn’t add up. The architectural plans show a wall in one location, but the mechanical drawings route ductwork right through that same space. Do you guess which plan is correct and hope for the best?

An RFI in construction is a Request for Information. It’s a formal document used to clarify unclear details, missing information, or conflicts in project plans and specifications. It’s the official way for contractors, subcontractors, and other project team members to ask questions and get answers that keep work moving forward without assumptions or errors.

In this guide, you’ll learn when to use them, how the process works, and get a template that makes the whole process faster.

What Does RFI Mean in Construction?

RFI stands for Request for Information. It’s a formal written question submitted during construction when project documents are unclear, incomplete, or contradictory.

RFIs are used when you need official clarification before you can proceed with work. Maybe the specifications call for a material that isn’t manufactured anymore. Maybe two drawings show different ceiling heights in the same room. Maybe the details are so vague that three different crews would build three different things. That’s when you submit an RFI.

Here’s what RFIs are not:

• They’re not change orders
• They’re not submittals
• They’re not casual questions you shoot off in an email

An RFI doesn’t automatically change the scope or cost of a project. It’s a request for clarity, not approval to change the work. The response might lead to a change order later, but the RFI itself is just asking the question.

Why RFIs Are Important in Construction Projects

RFIs prevent expensive problems. When you build based on assumptions instead of facts, you risk doing work twice: once wrong, once right. Tearing out finished work because someone guessed at the design intent costs time, money, and relationships.

According to research from the Navigant Construction Forum, which analyzed over 1,300 construction projects containing more than 1 million RFIs, each costs approximately $1,080 in administrative and technical review time. The collective cost can reach $859,000 per project. Perhaps most concerning is that roughly 22% of all RFIs never receive a response, which often becomes a catalyst for costly disputes.

RFIs also create accountability. Construction involves multiple parties: owners, architects, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. When questions arise, you need documentation showing who asked what, when they asked it, and what answer they received. If a problem surfaces later, that paper trail protects everyone involved.

Poor RFI handling creates chaos. When teams skip the RFI process and make judgment calls, they create risk. When RFIs get lost in email threads or take weeks to answer, schedules slip. Research shows that RFI delays can potentially add up to 10% of a project’s total duration.

How the RFI Process Works in Construction

The RFI process follows a straightforward path, though the specific timeline and protocols can vary by project. The diagram below outlines the typical lifecycle of an RFI from identification through to formal closure.

Identification and Drafting

The process kicks off when a stakeholder, usually a contractor or subcontractor, cannot move forward without more detail. For the process to run smoothly, the draft needs to be specific.

A high-quality RFI doesn’t just ask a question; it pinpoints the conflict. For example, if you’re working on HVAC installation and notice the mechanical drawings show ductwork routing through a space where structural drawings indicate a beam, you wouldn’t just ask “Where does this go?” You would reference both drawing numbers, specify the grid line location, and ask which takes precedence.

Investigation and Response

Once the RFI is reviewed for completeness by the project manager, it moves to the design team. The architect or engineer will investigate the original design intent, which may involve coordinating with other consultants or the owner.

While urgent RFIs can be expedited, the average response time is approximately 10 days. The final response will provide a clear answer, often including sketches, and must confirm if the solution constitutes a change to the original contract.

Distribution and Implementation

The process doesn’t end with an answer. The approved response must be logged and distributed to every stakeholder who needs to know so they can implement the changes on-site.

Throughout this entire workflow, project tracking is essential. Someone must monitor when the RFI was submitted, when it was answered, and whether the resolution requires further action. This tracking is the only way to coordinate progress across multiple teams and ensure the project record is accurate.

Who Is Responsible for RFIs in Construction?

RFI responsibilities get divided across the project team, and understanding who does what prevents confusion.

Subcontractors and trade contractors typically initiate RFIs. They’re the ones in the field encountering unclear details or conflicts in the documents. If you’re an electrician and the panel schedule doesn’t match the drawings, you’re writing that RFI.

General contractors manage the flow. The GC’s project manager receives RFIs from subs, reviews them for completeness, logs them in the project system, and forwards them to the design team. They also track response times and follow up when answers are overdue.

Architects and engineers answer RFIs related to their scope. If it’s about structural details, it goes to the structural engineer. If it’s about finishes or layouts, the architect handles it. Sometimes an RFI requires coordination between multiple consultants before a unified answer emerges.

Owners sometimes get involved, especially when the RFI response requires a design decision that affects budget, aesthetics, or building performance. The design team might present options and ask the owner to choose.

Project managers, regardless of which organization they work for, keep the process moving. They set expectations for response times, make sure RFIs don’t get buried, and ensure answers actually address the questions asked.

Common RFI Mistakes That Cause Delays

Vague Questions Waste Time

“What do you want us to do here?” doesn’t give the design team enough context. They’ll need to send it back for clarification, adding days to the response time. Be specific about what’s unclear and what you need to know.

Bundling Multiple Unrelated Issues

If three different consultants need to weigh in, your single RFI bounces between them while all three issues remain unresolved. Submit separate RFIs for separate issues so each can move through its own path.

Missing Drawing References

“The wall in the corridor” could mean twenty different walls. “The wall on the east side of the second floor corridor per drawing A-201, grid line 5” is clear. This level of specificity is similar to how you’d detail items in construction blueprints.

Submitting Too Late

If you need to know something before you pour a foundation next Tuesday, don’t wait until Monday to ask. Build RFI lead time into your planning, ideally submitting at least 10 days before you need the response.

Not Following Up on Overdue Responses

If an RFI sits unanswered past its due date, someone needs to escalate it. Silence doesn’t mean “do whatever you think is best.”

Treating RFIs Like Casual Questions

An RFI is a formal document. It should be professional, well-organized, and complete. Studies show that more than 13% of RFIs could have been answered by simply reviewing the provided documents, representing unnecessary costs of roughly $1,000 per avoidable RFI.

What Should Be Included in an RFI?

A complete RFI needs these elements:

• RFI number and date for tracking
  
• Project name, location, and contract number
  
• Clear subject line (e.g., “Conflict Between Structural and Architectural Drawings at Grid 7-B”)
  
• Specific drawing references with sheet numbers, detail markers, and spec sections
  
• Description of the issue with enough context for anyone to understand
  
• The actual question you need answered
  
• Suggested solution (optional but helpful)
  
• Schedule impact if the answer affects your timeline
  
• Photos or marked-up drawings to eliminate confusion

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RFI vs Change Order

RFIs and change orders serve different purposes, though they often work together.

An RFI is a question. It asks for clarification about what’s already supposed to be built according to the contract. The answer might confirm existing information, provide missing details, or resolve conflicts in the documents.

A change order is a formal modification to the contract. It documents a change in the work, adjusts the contract price, and typically extends the schedule. Change orders require signatures from the owner and contractor because they alter the legal agreement.

Here’s how they connect: an RFI might reveal that what’s shown in the drawings can’t actually be built as designed. The architect’s response might say, “You’re right, we need to redesign this.” That redesign becomes a change order if it adds cost or time beyond what was in the original contract. This is particularly important to track during the bidding process, where accurate pricing depends on clear project scope.

Not every RFI leads to a change order. Most just provide clarification within the existing scope.

RFI vs Submittal

RFIs and submittals are both formal documents, but they move in opposite directions.

A submittal is something you send for approval before you buy or install. You’re showing the design team what you plan to use: product data, shop drawings, samples, material specifications. The design team reviews it and marks it approved, approved as noted, or rejected.

An RFI is a question asking what those requirements actually are. You’re seeking information, not approval.

Sometimes the two overlap. You might submit product data and realize the specifications are unclear about a certain performance requirement. That’s when you’d submit an RFI alongside your submittal, asking for clarification before the design team reviews your proposed product. For instance, if a specification lists performance criteria but doesn’t specify acceptable manufacturers, an RFI would clarify which brands meet the requirements before you submit your proposed product for approval.

Think of it this way: submittals say “here’s what we want to do,” while RFIs say “we’re not sure what you want us to do.”

How RFIs Are Managed in Construction Projects

Different teams manage RFIs different ways, and the method affects how smoothly the process runs.

Email Management

Email is common on smaller projects. Someone sends an RFI as an attachment or in the body of the message. It’s simple and requires no special tools, but tracking becomes a problem. RFIs get buried in threads, responses get lost, and there’s no central log of what’s been asked and answered.

Spreadsheet Tracking

Spreadsheets add some organization. The project team maintains a master RFI log in Excel or Google Sheets, listing every RFI with its status, due date, and response. This creates visibility, but it still requires manual updates and doesn’t solve the problem of attachments scattered across email.

Construction Management Software

Construction management software centralizes everything. RFIs get submitted, tracked, and answered in one system. Everyone sees the status in real time. Attachments stay with the RFI. Reports show which RFIs are overdue. Responses get automatically distributed to everyone on the list. For projects with dozens or hundreds of RFIs, this level of organization becomes essential, particularly when managing subcontractors across different trades.

The method matters less than the consistency. Whatever system you use, everyone needs to use it the same way.

How Builtfront Helps Teams Manage RFIs

Builtfront streamlines RFI management by keeping everything in one place and making status visible to everyone who needs it.

You can submit RFIs directly in the system with all the required fields built in, so nothing gets forgotten. Attachments upload right alongside the question. The system automatically logs each RFI and tracks it through the review process.

Responses stay connected to the original question. There’s no digging through email chains or wondering if you’re looking at the latest version. You can see at a glance which RFIs are waiting for answers, which are overdue, and which have been closed.

For project managers, this means less time herding information and more time making sure answers are complete and work keeps moving. For teams in the field, it means clear visibility into what’s been asked and what’s been answered.

RFI Best Practices for Construction Teams

Submit Early and Plan Ahead

Don’t wait until the day before you need an answer. Build RFI lead time into your schedule so you have a buffer if responses take longer than expected. This is especially important when working with construction contracts that have specific response time requirements.

Write Clear, Specific Questions

Include all the relevant references, explain the issue concisely, and state exactly what you need to know. The easier you make it for someone to understand and answer your question, the faster you’ll get a response.

Keep Each RFI Focused

One issue per RFI makes tracking and resolution simpler. If you have three separate questions, submit three RFIs.

Follow Up on Outstanding Issues

Check the status regularly and escalate when responses are overdue. Don’t assume silence means you should proceed on your own.

Distribute Responses to All Affected Parties

The answer to an RFI often impacts multiple trades. Make sure the information gets to everyone who needs it promptly.

Review Your RFI Log in Coordination Meetings

This keeps the whole team aware of open issues and helps identify patterns that might indicate larger problems in the documentation.

Close RFIs Formally

Don’t leave them hanging in limbo. Confirm that the answer was received, understood, and sufficient to proceed. This step is as important as completing items on your punch list.

Include Visual Documentation

Photos, marked-up drawings, and diagrams reduce ambiguity and speed up responses significantly.

Consider Value Engineering Opportunities

Sometimes RFI responses reveal opportunities to improve the design or reduce construction costs through alternative materials or methods. When appropriate, suggest solutions that maintain quality while improving efficiency.

RFI in Construction FAQs