A submittal stuck in an architect's inbox for three weeks is a programme delay. Here's how to manage submittals so approvals don't hold up your project.
Submittals are one of those processes that everyone knows they should be doing properly and almost nobody does. On most small contractor projects, the submittal process is informal at best — the site manager emails a product data sheet to the architect, the architect replies with "that's fine" two weeks later, and the paper trail consists of a forwarded email buried in someone's inbox.
That works until it doesn't. And when it doesn't — when the wrong material is installed, or the right material is installed but nobody approved it, or the approved material doesn't match the specification — the arguments about who was responsible can run for months.
A submittal is a formal request for the design team to review and approve a product, material, or piece of equipment before it's procured or installed. It's the contractor's way of saying: "The specification calls for X. We propose using this specific product. Please confirm it's acceptable."
The submittal package typically includes product data sheets, manufacturer specifications, colour samples, test certificates, installation instructions, and any other information the design team needs to make a decision.
The purpose is twofold. First, it confirms that the contractor's proposed product meets the specification requirements. Second, it creates a formal record of what was approved — which matters when disputes arise about whether the installed product is what was specified.
They treat it as optional. Many small contractors view submittals as a large-project formality that doesn't apply to their work. This is a mistake. Even on a £500k fit-out, if the specification calls for a particular standard of fire-rated partition, a specific acoustic rating for the ceiling, or a certain grade of flooring — the design team needs to confirm that your proposed products meet those requirements before you order them.
They confuse submittals with procurement. The submittal process should happen before you place orders with suppliers. If you order the flooring, it arrives on site, you start installing it, and then the architect says it doesn't meet the specification — you've got a serious problem. Submittals prevent that by getting approval before commitment.
They don't track turnaround times. You send the submittal. It disappears. Three weeks later, you need to start installing the product. You chase the architect. They say they haven't seen it. Or they have comments. Or they need to consult the engineer. Meanwhile, your programme's slipping because you can't install something that hasn't been approved.
Build a submittal register at the start of the project. Go through the specification and identify every product, material, and piece of equipment that requires approval. List them in a register with: a reference number, the description, the specification clause, who's responsible for preparing it (you or a subcontractor), the required submission date, and the required approval date (based on when you need to order the material to meet the programme).
This register is your early warning system. It tells you what needs to be submitted, when, and highlights the items with the longest lead times — the ones you need to submit first.
Submit early. The biggest mistake is leaving submittals until just before you need the product on site. Allow at least three to four weeks for the review cycle — longer for complex items or specialist products. If the design team has comments or rejects the submittal, you need time to revise and resubmit without affecting your programme.
Submit properly. A submittal should include all the information the design team needs to make a decision. Product data sheet with full technical specifications. Compliance certificates (fire rating, acoustic performance, whatever the specification requires). Colour and finish samples where relevant. Installation details if they differ from the specification assumptions.
Reference the specific specification clause the product relates to. Highlight where the product meets the specification and — critically — where it doesn't. If you're proposing an alternative to the specified product, explain why and demonstrate that it meets the performance requirements.
Track the response. Every submittal should have one of four statuses: submitted (awaiting review), approved (proceed with procurement), approved with comments (proceed but note the comments), or rejected (do not proceed, resubmit).
"Approved with comments" is the one that catches people out. Read the comments carefully. "Approved subject to coordination with M&E contractor" means you need to coordinate before proceeding, not that you have a blank cheque. "Approved subject to colour sample" means don't order until the colour is confirmed.
On most projects, the majority of submittals come from subcontractors — the M&E contractor submitting light fittings, the partitioning contractor submitting door ironmongery, the flooring contractor submitting adhesive specifications. As the main contractor, you're the conduit between the subcontractor and the design team.
This creates a coordination challenge. The subcontractor needs to prepare the submittal. You need to review it (to make sure it's complete and compliant) before forwarding to the design team. The design team needs to review and respond. You need to pass the response back to the subcontractor. That's four steps before anyone can order anything.
Build this into your programme and your subcontract orders. Make it a contractual requirement that subcontractors prepare and submit their submittals within a specified period of their order. Chase them when they're late — because a late submittal from a subcontractor becomes a late approval, which becomes a late delivery, which becomes a programme delay that you're responsible for managing.
A rejected submittal isn't the end of the world, but it needs managing quickly. Understand why it was rejected — does the product not meet the specification? Is there a technical issue? Is it a sample/colour preference? — and resubmit with an alternative as fast as possible.
If you believe the rejection is wrong (the product does meet the specification), challenge it. Reference the specification clause, provide the supporting data, and request reconsideration. Document the exchange in writing.
What you should never do is install a product that's been rejected and hope nobody notices. That way lies abortive work, delays, and a very uncomfortable conversation at the progress meeting.
The submittal process is fundamentally about planning ahead. If you know at the start of the project what needs approving and when you need the approval, the whole process becomes manageable. If you're scrambling to submit product data sheets the week before you need the material on site, you've already lost control.
In Construction AI, the project management module includes a full submittal register with automated tracking, response monitoring, and links to specifications. Submittals can be prepared, reviewed, and tracked through the approval cycle without relying on email chains that nobody can find three months later — proper document control that ties submittals to drawings and programme activities.
Whether you use construction project management software or a spreadsheet, the principle is the same: submit early, track rigorously, and don't order anything that hasn't been approved.
Stephen Mckenna MCIOB
30+ years in UK commercial construction, from site management to director level. Now building the project management tools he wished he'd had.
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