List of Construction Abbreviations Used In Construction Industry

The construction abbreviations are used in all trades in the construction industry. However, some engineers may use construction abbreviations that aren’t standard or well-known.

Here you can find a list of the most common construction abbreviations found in the construction industry. Any engineer who works in the construction industry must be aware of these construction abbreviations List.

Why are Abbreviations used in Construction?

Engineers are responsible for communicating countless things about construction: where it should be located on the lot, how it should be built, what materials should be used, what it should look like, and where the MEP systems that make it function go. To save space on blueprints and simplify information sharing, designers use a set of abbreviations and acronyms.

Most of these construction abbreviations are standard across the trades. But some engineers might use their own abbreviations that aren’t standard or well known.

How do you abbreviate construction?

Following are three ways to abbreviate the word “construction.”

Const.
Constr.
Constrn.

Construction Abbreviations List

Following are the common construction abbreviation:

1.IR: Inspection Request

2.RFQ: Request For Quotation

3.RFB: Request For Bid

4.SWI: Site Work Instruction

5.RFI: Request For Information

6.TOC: Taking Over Certificate

7.SD: Shop drawing

8.MS: Method Statement

9.SWI: Site Work Instruction

10.NSC: Nominated Subcontractor

11.NCR: NON – Conformance Report

12.MIR: Material Inspection Request

13.MAR: Material Approval

14.LOA: Letter Of Acceptance

15.LOI: Letter Of Intent

16.IFB: Invitation For Bid

17.VO: Variation Order

18.IP: Inspection Plan

19.IRP: Inspection Request Plan

20.EI: Engineering Instruction

21.ASCE: American Society of Civil Engineers

22.NOC: No Objection Certificate

23.BCC: Building Complete Certificate

24.A/C: Air Conditioner

25.DWG: Drawing

26.FACP: Fire Alarm Control Panel

27.FL: Floor Level

28.Galv.: Galvanized

29.G.C.: General Contractor

30.HV: High Voltage

31.H.V.A.C.: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

32.H.W.: Hot Water

33.In.: Inch

34.kW: Kilowatt

35.LL: Live Load

36.MH: Manhole

37.QTY: Quantity

38.RC: Reinforced Concrete

39.SQ. FT.: Square Feet

40.SQ. IN.: Square Inches

41.SS: Stainless Steel

42.RFP: Request for Pricing, Request for Proposal

43.ALUM: Aluminium

44.Blvd.: Boulevard

45.BOQ: Bill of Quantity

46.BUA: Built Up Area

47.CO: Change Order

48.DB: Distribution Board

49.AHU: Air Handling Unit

50.FCU: Fan Coil Unit

51.FF: Firefighting

52.FA: Fire Alarm

53.IFC: Issued For Construction

54.IFD: Issued For Design

55.IPC: Interim Payment Certificate

56.RCP: Reflected Ceiling Plans

57.T&C: Testing and Commissioning

58.UPS: Un-interruptable Power Supply

59.VCD: Volume Control Damper

60.CHW: Chilled Water

61.VOR: Variation Order Request

62.C.O: Cleanout

63.Dia.: Diameter

64.F.F.L.: Finished Floor Level

65.FL: Floor Level

66.ASPH: Asphalt

67.TYP.: Typical

68.W/O: Without

69.PC: Precast Concrete

Bottom Line

This construction abbreviations list is very important to be known. Recognizing abbreviations for construction is the first step toward reading construction blueprints.

Download Construction Abbreviations List in PDF