Why specialist records are different
A main contractor's archive shows a project from the top down. A specialist's archive shows how one part of it was actually designed in detail, built, tested and handed over. For anyone building tools for a specific trade (MEP coordination, steel detailing, façade quality, groundworks progress), that depth is hard to find anywhere else.
What specialists typically hold, by trade
| Trade | Typical records |
|---|---|
| Mechanical and electrical | Coordinated services drawings, schematics, commissioning and test results, O&M content, asset registers |
| Structural steel and frames | Fabrication and erection drawings, connection design, inspection and weld records |
| Façades and envelope | Shop drawings, mock-up and testing records, installation photos, snagging |
| Groundworks and civils | Setting-out data, earthworks records, drone surveys, testing results |
| Fit-out and finishes | Setting-out, product submittals, progress photos, snag lists |
Across trades, method statements and risk assessments (RAMS), quality records and day-to-day site photos are common to almost everyone.
Your records vs the main contractor's
Specialists often work inside someone else's systems, so be clear about what's actually yours:
- Documents you produced, such as shop drawings, RAMS, test results and your own photos, are generally your firm's to deal with, subject to your subcontract.
- Documents you were given, such as the main contractor's programmes and the consultants' drawings, generally aren't.
- Records in the main contractor's platform. If you submitted through their Procore or Autodesk project, the platform copy sits in their account. Your own originals, on your servers, are what you can work with.
Subcontract terms to check
- Confidentiality clauses, which often flow down from the main contract.
- Copyright or licence terms covering your design work (common on design-and-build packages).
- Any client-specific restrictions passed down to you.
If in doubt, anonymised records (no client names, addresses or identifying details) are often easier to agree than identifiable ones.
Getting ready
- List completed packages from recent years, with the main contractor, the sector and where the records are stored.
- Separate your own records from documents others supplied.
- Note which projects have good imagery or test data.
Mercor's listing is aimed at companies with roughly 50 to 2,000 staff, which covers most established specialist contractors.
We mostly worked for one main contractor. Is that a problem?
Not in itself. What matters is what your subcontracts say about confidentiality and who owns the documents you produced.
Are commissioning and test records useful?
Structured, repeatable records such as test sheets and commissioning results are exactly the kind of data that's hard to find publicly.