How to Write a Construction RFI
A poorly written RFI gets a vague response, which leads to another RFI, which adds weeks to the schedule. This guide covers the format and detail level that gets clear answers fast.
What RFIs are (and are not)
An RFI is a formal request for clarification or additional information from the design team. It is not a change order request, a complaint, or a substitute for reading the drawings. Well-written RFIs protect the contractor by creating a documented record of unresolved design information. Poorly written RFIs create disputes about who was responsible for a coordination failure.
Step-by-step process
State the specific conflict or missing information
An RFI should describe a single, specific issue. Bundling multiple questions into one RFI creates ambiguity in the response and makes tracking harder. State: what the document says, what is missing or conflicting, and what the contractor needs to know to proceed. Avoid general complaints. "Detail 4/A5.1 does not show how the curtain wall system connects to the slab edge at Level 3" is a good RFI. "The drawings are incomplete" is not.
Reference specific drawing sheets, details, and specification sections
Include the exact sheet numbers, detail numbers, and specification section numbers that are in conflict or missing information. The design team should not need to hunt through the drawing set to find what you are asking about. If multiple sheets are in conflict with each other, list all of them. Attach marked-up drawings where the conflict is visible.
State the potential cost and schedule impact
Note whether the issue affects the critical path and whether the contractor cannot proceed until an answer is received. If a delay is building, state the date by which a response is needed to avoid impact. This creates a documented record that supports any future change order or claim and signals urgency to the design team.
Propose a suggested resolution
If you have a preferred solution or a practical workaround, include it. A suggested resolution gives the design team something to react to rather than starting from scratch. It also demonstrates good faith and often leads to faster turnaround. Mark it clearly as a suggestion: "Suggested resolution: extend the slab edge plate to 4 inches to accommodate the anchor bolt pattern shown in detail 8/S3.2."
Assign a number, date, and required response date
Every RFI needs a unique sequential number, the date it was submitted, and a required response date. The required response date should be based on when the information is genuinely needed to maintain schedule, not just the soonest possible date. Most contracts specify a default RFI response time; check the general conditions. Log every RFI in a tracking register and follow up if the response is not received by the required date.
Anatomy of a well-written RFI
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| RFI Number | RFI-0047 |
| Date Submitted | April 6, 2026 |
| Project Name | Elmwood Mixed-Use Development |
| To | Smith Architecture (Project Architect) |
| From | Redwood General Contractors |
| Subject | Curtain wall anchor connection at Level 3 slab edge |
| Reference Documents | Sheet A5.1 Detail 4, Sheet S3.2 Detail 8, Spec Section 08 44 13 |
| Description | Detail 4/A5.1 does not include the curtain wall anchor bolt layout at the Level 3 slab edge. Detail 8/S3.2 shows a 3-inch slab edge plate, but the curtain wall system specified in Section 08 44 13 requires a 4-inch minimum bearing width. These two details appear to conflict. |
| Suggested Resolution | Extend the slab edge plate to 4 inches minimum or revise the curtain wall anchor to fit the 3-inch plate. |
| Schedule Impact | Curtain wall rough-in begins May 15. Response required by April 30 to avoid delay. |
| Cost Impact | To be determined pending response. |
Time required
Manual process
30 to 90 minutes
Per RFI, including drawing review, writing, and logging in the tracking register
With TrussNote
Under 10 minutes
Describe the issue and TrussNote drafts a complete, properly formatted RFI with all required fields
Draft your next RFI in under 10 minutes
Describe the conflict or missing information in plain language and TrussNote generates a complete, properly formatted RFI with all required fields.