This phase consists of the production of the documents which will be used to procure the building permit, establish a contract for construction, and actually build the building. The construction documents include both drawings and written specifications; generally the drawings describe "where" and ‘how much’ while the written specifications define "what". Easily the most time intensive portion of the architectural process, the construction documents phase integrates information concerning every aspect of the building’s nature including structure, finishes, fittings, and equipment, and also addresses all pertinent building code issues including state mandated energy compliance standards.
This phase is complete when the documents are submitted to the local building department, and a building permit is issued. Since much more information has continued to accumulate on the drawings throughout this phase, an updated estimate is not a bad idea.