Roles & authorities
Engineer of record (EOR)
The engineer of record is the licensed professional whose seal is on a discipline's drawings (structural, mechanical, electrical or civil) and who carries design responsibility for that scope through the build. When a field condition doesn't match the drawings, or a substitution is proposed, the EOR is the one who reviews it and decides whether the change is acceptable. Their authority comes from the design contract and the license laws of the state, so it varies with the project and the jurisdiction.
Run it with the Photo Gate
Structural steel inspection checklist
12 items · 27 photos required
Why it matters
Anything that touches design intent (a beam that lands differently, a rebar substitution, a duct route that fights structure) has to go back to the EOR of that discipline, not be resolved by the crew. Their review is what keeps the as-built matching an engineered design rather than a field guess.
On projects with special inspection, the EOR typically defines what gets inspected and to what standard, and reviews the reports against the design.
What proves it
A signed RFI response, a stamped revision, or a written field-change authorization is the record that the EOR accepted a deviation. Photos of the as-built condition tied to that approval close the loop, so a later question has an answer instead of a memory.
Standards it's verified against
Checklists that put engineer of record (eor) to work
Free, field-ready checklists, each with the photo every item needs before it can be submitted.
Related terms
- Special inspectorA qualified inspector who verifies specific high-risk work (welds, bolting, concrete, anchors) beyond the routine building inspection.
- Authority having jurisdiction (AHJ)The office or official empowered to enforce a code and approve materials, methods and completed work on a given project.
- Field observation reportA dated record of what a design or QC professional observed during a site visit, noting conditions, concerns, and items needing action.
- Means and methodsThe contractor's own choices of technique, sequence and equipment to build the work: the how, which the design usually leaves to the builder.
- Construction manager (CM)The manager who plans, coordinates and oversees construction, tying trades, schedule and budget together for the owner.
- Design-builderA single entity that holds one contract with the owner for both the design and the construction of a project.
Knowing the term is step one. Proving it is the job.
RTI holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and the photos are attached, then chains the record so it can be proven untouched later.
30-day trial · No card required