How do I check fire-rated walls?

Trace each rated partition continuously — every door, damper, and penetration in it must be rated too.

What is a code summary sheet?

The cover-sheet table stating occupancy, construction type, areas, and fire protection — it must agree with what is actually drawn.

Plan Review Checklists

Architectural Plan Review Checklist

Short answer

Reviewing architectural plans means checking egress — exit widths, travel distances, and discharge — fire-rated construction continuity, that door and window schedules match the plans, accessibility compliance, and that the code summary sheet agrees with the drawings.

Architectural review carries the life-safety load: egress, fire protection, and accessibility are the findings that stop permits and endanger occupants. It is also the most schedule-heavy discipline — doors, windows, finishes, and wall types all live twice, once drawn and once tabulated.

The review below follows the order reviewers actually work: life safety first, then code summary consistency, then schedule reconciliation.

What a review of architectural plans checks

Egress — exit widths, travel distances, common paths, and discharge to a public way.
Fire-rated walls, doors, and dampers are continuous and labelled at every required location.
Door and window schedules match the plans — count, size, rating, hardware.
Accessibility — routes, clearances, restrooms, signage per ADA Standards.
Wall types referenced on plans exist in the legend and are applied correctly.
Code summary sheet matches the drawings — occupancy, area, construction type.
Stair geometry — rise, run, headroom, handrails, landing dimensions.
Rated penetrations and shafts are protected and labelled.

Life safety comes first

Egress review is geometric: trace every occupied space to a public way and check widths, distances, and door swings along the path. Fire-rating review is continuity: a rated wall stops being rated at the first unprotected penetration or the first non-rated door in it.

Schedules against plans

Schedule mismatches are the most common architectural finding — a door in the schedule but not on the plan, a rated door drawn where the schedule calls it unrated. PDFDepth’s AI Plan Review cross-references the schedules against the plans and flags the disagreements with sheet citations.