Concrete Formwork RFQ Checklist: Drawings, Loads And Finish

A formwork quotation checklist helps buyers obtain a system price that can be compared and built from. Send structural plans and sections, wall and slab dimensions, planned concrete placement, surface finish requirements, support heights and the required supply boundary. The supplier can then prepare a panel layout, form tie and prop schedule, accessories list and packing estimate. Without these inputs, an apparent low price may cover only face panels while leaving out ties, braces, U-heads, H20 beams or drawings. This guide lists eight RFQ items and explains how to state assumptions where design information is still developing. It is aimed at B2B buyers sourcing steel or aluminium formwork and related support equipment. The final arrangement and loading capacity must be reviewed against the project's temporary-works design; a quotation cannot establish a universal safe working load for every site.

Concrete formwork RFQ documents checklist

A useful RFQ contains eight items: structural drawings, geometry schedule, pour sequence, concrete and pressure inputs, surface finish, support conditions, supply boundary and delivery details. Send the latest revision and identify unresolved assumptions. Ask the supplier to return a marked layout and bill of materials against the same revision.

1. Structural drawings: plans, sections and elevations with drawing numbers and revision dates.

2. Geometry schedule: wall thicknesses, heights, slab depths, beam sizes, columns, openings and unusual corners, all with units.

3. Pour sequence: zones, lift heights, rate of rise and whether panels must move between pours.

4. Concrete inputs: mix and placement information needed for the formwork designer's fresh-concrete pressure basis.

5. Surface finish: exposed or concealed faces, joint pattern, tie-hole treatment and repair criteria.

6. Support conditions: clear heights, bearing levels, available lifting equipment and reshoring constraints.

7. Supply boundary: panels, ties, clamps, braces, props, beams, bases, drawings and spares included or supplied locally.

8. Delivery details: destination port, target shipment window, Incoterm, packing and document needs.

The HSE temporary works guidance emphasizes planning and management of temporary works. A supplier cannot infer the planned erection and pouring method from a floor plan alone. If the method is undecided, mark the quotation as preliminary and request alternative layouts tied to clearly stated assumptions.

One RFQ does not need every drawing fully finished. It does need a clear version. Put “for quotation” on preliminary drawings, list pending design decisions and request that the supplier show any assumed wall height or support level on its offer. This prevents an early price from silently becoming a final design basis.

What drawings should I send for a formwork quote?

Send structural plans, wall elevations, slab sections and details for openings, corners and support levels. Include drawing revision numbers and a pour-zone plan. These files let the supplier count panels, ties and props against the actual geometry rather than a rough floor area.

What drawings to send for a formwork quotation

Quick answer: Send a general arrangement plan, dimensioned wall elevations and slab sections, plus typical details for openings, corners, beams and support interfaces. Include an editable drawing format if available and a PDF with controlled dimensions. Mark repeated and special zones so the panel schedule reflects the real project.

A single architectural plan rarely gives the formwork team enough information. Structural drawings identify concrete thickness, beam drops and reinforcement-related constraints. Wall elevations show pour height, openings and recesses. Sections show the distance from slab soffit to bearing level, which affects steel prop extension or shoring tower configuration. A detail at a corner can change the panel and tie schedule even when the total wall area remains the same.

For a 200 mm wall, state that 200 mm is the concrete thickness and provide the outside panel arrangement separately. For a suspended slab, show slab thickness in mm, beam width and depth, clear support height and whether props bear on a recently cast level. These figures are inputs to a system layout; no single dimension determines safe working load or prop spacing on its own.

If the project contains repeated floors, send one typical floor and a difference schedule for every atypical level. Mark transfer slabs, podium levels and roof details. A panel used on many floors may be cost-effective; special fillers that fit one opening should be identified separately. Ask the supplier to issue an indexed panel map rather than only a total square-metre rate.

Define loads finish and delivery scope

Specify the intended pressure or the data needed for the designer to calculate it, along with finish expectations and exactly which accessories the supplier must include. State where each load passes from form face to support and bearing. The quotation should identify exclusions as clearly as inclusions.

For wall formwork, fresh concrete presses laterally against the face. Form ties, wing nuts, plates and walers restrain it. Tie spacing depends on pressure and the complete assembly. For slab formwork, the face transfers vertical loads through joists or H20 beams to props or towers and then to a supporting level. Identify who provides the plywood, formwork panels, U-heads, base jacks, braces and tie-hole repair materials.

The Concrete Society's formwork material note distinguishes the form face from its immediate support. That distinction is useful in an RFQ: a supplier may price a steel face but exclude the beams and props below it. Ask for a separate line for each major component family and a drawing showing their interfaces.

Specify whether the formed concrete will be exposed. If it will, include the desired joint alignment, tie-hole pattern, face-sheet condition and trial-pour requirement if the project uses one. Avoid vague “smooth finish” language; give the project acceptance criteria or a reference photograph that the design team has approved. Finish affects panel choice, release agent, cleaning and repair, which affect price.

Define delivery scope in commercial terms too. Will packing and export documentation be included? Will the quote cover replacement small parts? Will it be FOB Tianjin, another port basis or delivered to site? Is the buyer sourcing timber or plywood locally? An itemized list allows the site to see missing connections before equipment arrives.

How much does concrete formwork cost per square metre?

A reliable project price needs the formed area, system scope and expected reuse, so one universal rate is misleading. A wall-panel face price can omit ties, braces, props, freight and special corners. Request an itemized quote and compare total cost over the planned usable pours.

Compare itemized project quotations

Quick answer: Compare bids on the same drawing revision, formed area, pour sequence, accessory scope and delivery basis. Normalize exclusions before ranking prices. Review the returned layout, component counts, unit weights, packing and assumptions with the project formwork engineer.

Ask each bidder for panel IDs and dimensions, face-sheet material, corners and fillers, form tie grid, prop or tower layout, support heights and the erection sequence considered. Compare the number of special panels and whether standard panels can repeat. An offer with fewer listed components may reflect a different scope rather than a more efficient solution.

Shipping deserves its own check. Request bundle dimensions, packed weights and a 40HQ container loading estimate for the exact bill of materials. Steel panels, props and small accessories use volume and weight differently. Do not treat a generic catalogue container count as an order commitment. Ask for MOQ by special size and show spare parts separately.

For import classification, HS code 730840 may be relevant to iron or steel equipment for scaffolding, shuttering or propping. The importer should check the exact goods and destination requirements. The code should not be used as a substitute for an itemized packing list. If lead time matters, confirm it on the project quotation; standard items are typically quoted as 15–25 days after deposit and customized items as 30–40 days, subject to the agreed scope.

Our team brings 17+ years of scaffolding manufacturing & exporting experience. In-house engineering support and project-based technical drawings can help turn the eight RFQ items into a reviewable layout and itemized project quotation. Send a controlled drawing set and state which components you want in the supply package.

The formwork versus falsework guide helps define the support boundary. The formwork tie selection guide covers wall tie details. Use our contact page to send the RFQ and request a marked return drawing.

For procurement, one-stop supply from complete systems to single components can keep the specified main parts and accessories in one itemized project quotation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a quotation without final construction drawings?

Yes, but it should be identified as preliminary and tied to written assumptions. Mark uncertain wall heights, slab thicknesses, pour sequence and finish. Ask the supplier to list exclusions and issue a revised bill of materials when the controlled drawings are ready.

Can you ship formwork to my country?

Shipping options depend on the destination, order mix and agreed trade terms. Send the destination port, delivery target and bill of materials so packing and freight can be assessed. Request a 40HQ loading estimate for your actual components and confirm the import classification with your customs adviser.

Project CTA: Email your drawing set, bill of quantities and destination port to mason@easy--scaffolding.com ｜ WhatsApp +86 13212036031 ｜ https://www.easy-scaffolding.com/