How to write an RFI that gets answered fast
An RFI gets answered fast when the person answering can do so without leaving their desk: one specific question, the exact drawing references, photos of the condition, and a proposed answer they can simply approve. Vague RFIs do not get rejected — they get parked, which is worse.
Writing the RFI
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One question per RFI
Three questions in one RFI get one answer and two follow-ups. Number them separately — RFIs are cheap; ambiguity about which part was answered is not.
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Write a subject line that locates the problem
“RFI-047: Level 3 slab, grid C5 — rebar spacing conflict between S-301 rev C and S-310 rev B” tells the engineer what and where before they open it.
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Reference the exact documents
Drawing numbers with revisions, spec clauses, previous RFI numbers. The answering party should never have to figure out which documents you are looking at.
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Attach photos and mark up the drawing
A photo of the actual condition plus a cloud on the drawing detail cuts an entire round of “can you clarify what you mean.” Context is the accelerant.
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Propose an answer
“We propose maintaining 150 mm spacing per S-301 rev C — please confirm.” A propose-and-confirm RFI can be answered in one word, and it demonstrates you have already done the thinking.
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State the date you need it, and why
“Response required by 21 July — pour scheduled 24 July” converts your deadline into the designer's priority. An RFI without a date joins the queue at the back.
After you hit send
- Track open RFIs against the program. Review weekly: which open questions block work starting soon? Chase those, by name, with dates.
- Get verbal answers in writing. If the engineer answers on a call, write it back into the RFI and ask for confirmation. An undocumented answer is a future dispute about who said what.
- Route the answer to the crew. The RFI is not done when the architect replies; it is done when the people building the work know the answer. This last hop is where paper systems leak.
Doing this in TerenIQ
In TerenIQ, the writing guidance above is mostly built in:
- RFIs are raised from the phone with photos attached and a pin on the exact drawing location.
- Due dates and priority make the deadline explicit; open RFIs are visible in the work queue with their age.
- The answer lands in the same thread and pushes to the asker's phone — the crew hop happens automatically.
- The full question-and-answer history stays in the project record for close-out and claims.
Frequently asked questions
Who can raise an RFI?
Anyone under the contract who needs information to proceed — typically subcontractors raise to the main contractor, who raises to the design team or client. Keep the routing in one system so nothing is lost in the middle.
Should small questions really become RFIs?
If the answer directs work, yes. The overhead is minutes; the value is a written record when the direction turns out to matter. Save true trivia for conversation — but write down anything you would want proof of later.
Can an RFI response change the contract?
An RFI answer that changes scope, cost or time should trigger your change procedure — the RFI documents the trigger but is not itself the variation. Flag it immediately rather than absorbing the cost silently.