A concept drawing shows how an opening should feel. A technical pack explains how it will be made, tested and installed. The handover between those two documents is where many window and door problems begin: a sightline changes, a threshold grows, or a glass unit becomes too heavy for the selected hardware.
Keep design intent visible
Begin the pack with the approved elevation and a short design statement. Identify the intended sightline, the location of vertical divisions, the relationship between frame and wall finish, and any view that must remain clear. Number each opening so the same reference appears on plans, schedules, sections and fabrication drawings.
Build the opening schedule
The schedule should carry the information that production cannot infer safely. Include finished opening width and height, frame size, operation, handing, threshold, glass build-up, colour, hardware, screen or blind provision, and required test performance. Distinguish “confirmed”, “to be measured” and “for coordination”. That small label prevents a provisional dimension from being treated as an order.
- W-01: fixed window, north elevation, laminated low-e glass
- D-02: outward-opening door, level threshold, restricted opening angle
- S-03: sliding opening, recessed track, drainage to external channel
Show the sections that carry risk
Plans are not enough for a window package. Add head, jamb, sill and threshold sections at a scale that shows membranes, packers, insulation, sealant and drainage. Where a frame meets a different material, draw the transition. Where a sill is flush, show how water is collected and discharged. A section that hides the waterproofing may look clean on paper and still fail on site.
Attach performance evidence
List the frame system, test size and relevant performance documents. Keep whole-window values next to the glass specification so the reader can see what was actually tested. Add structural calculations or wind-load assumptions where the opening is large or exposed. If a value is estimated, label it as an estimate and state what must be confirmed before manufacture.
Coordinate the pack before release
Run a short review with the architect, builder, installer and fabricator. Check that the opening schedule matches the latest plans, that handing is consistent, that hardware clears the reveal, and that the delivery route can handle the largest unit. Ask the installer to mark any point that cannot be inspected after the wall is closed.
Questions to settle before sign-off
Which drawing controls when two documents disagree?
Name the controlling revision in the pack and keep a change log. Never rely on an email thread as the only record of a changed size or finish.
Can a product brochure replace a technical pack?
No. A brochure describes a system. A project pack records the actual opening, glass, finish, interfaces and responsibilities.
For a coordinated review, send the latest schedule through our project contact page. Our product range can then be evaluated against the sections and performance requirements that matter.
Keep the handover readable on site
Print the release issue with a clear revision, a one-page schedule and the key sections. Put the opening reference on the physical frame label and delivery note. When a site question is raised, record the answer against that reference so the as-built record stays useful after the installation team has left.
Prepared by the joycham Windows + Doors editorial team. Specifications and performance outcomes vary by opening, glass, hardware and installation; confirm project-specific values before ordering.
