Services buying guideLast updated October 2026

Project Design and Shop Drawings

Stone projects succeed or fail on the drawings.

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Price level
Mid-range
Top sources
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Blueprint elevation and detail drawings

Photo: Seattle Municipal Archives, CC BY 2.0

Overview

What it is

Stone consultants and design offices translate architecture into buildable stone: selecting materials, laying out slabs (dry-lay and bookmatch plans), producing shop drawings with every piece numbered, cutting lists, anchor layouts and structural calculations for façades, and installation sequences.

Good shop drawings cut waste, prevent site improvisation and make quality control possible.

Deliverables
Specs, shop drawings, cutting lists, slab layouts
Façades
Anchor layouts and structural calculations
Tools
CAD, BIM (Revit), 3D modelling
Stage
After design, before ordering

Applications

Best used for

  • Façades and claddingEngineering and panel layouts.
  • Luxury interiorsHotels and high-end residential.
  • Stairs, curves and carvingComplex geometry.
  • Bookmatched wallsSlab-by-slab layouts.

Hubs

Where to find them

Where the providers cluster, near the quarries, factories and ports that generate the work.

Costs

How it's priced

  • Per drawing set, per square metre of stone, or hourly.
  • Façade engineering and calculations are usually quoted separately.

Small next to the waste and rework it prevents.

Before you order

Buying checklist

  1. 1Include tolerances and joint widths.
  2. 2Approve a numbered slab layout before cutting starts.
  3. 3Have façade anchors calculated and stamped by a local engineer.
  4. 4Ask for BIM files if your architect works in Revit.

Vendor Network

Ready to source project design and shop drawings?

Compare verified suppliers, or post an RFQ and let them come to you with quotes.

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Keep reading

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Freight Forwarding and Logistics

Forwarders book containers, clear customs, arrange haulage and insurance, and manage the paperwork from quarry to site.

  • First-time importers
  • Samples and small orders
  • Door-to-door delivery

Best to buy: Feb–May

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Pre-Shipment Inspection

An independent inspector checks sizes, finish, colour and packing at the factory, before you pay the balance.

  • First orders with a new supplier
  • High-value slabs
  • Large project tiles
Budget
Read guideSee inspection vendors
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