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What Are Submittal Rejections Really Costing Your Projects?

What Are Submittal Rejections Really Costing Your Projects?

What Are Submittal Rejections Really Costing Your Projects?

Based on research with 6,000+ construction professionals, each rejected submittal costs an average of $805. Use our calculator below to discover your annual impact.

Based on research with 6,000+ construction professionals, each rejected submittal costs an average of $805. Use our calculator below to discover your annual impact.

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How We Calculated This

How We Calculated This

How We Calculated This

35%

Average Industry Rejection Rate

$805

Cost Per Rejection (Research-Backed)

<5%

BuildSync Customer Rejection Rate

Total submittals per year

Rejection rate

35%

35%

Outcome scenarios

Outcome scenarios

Outcome scenarios

Average cost of resubmittal

$0

Total annual resubmittal cost

$0

Reset values

How We Calculated the Hidden Costs of Submittal Rejections

How We Calculated the Hidden Costs of Submittal Rejections

How We Calculated the Hidden Costs of Submittal Rejections

Nearly every General Contractor and Subcontractor we speak to faces the same costly bottleneck: 30–40% of their submittals are rejected on the first pass.


At BuildSync, we suspected these rejections were more than just a minor inconvenience—they were eating into project margins. With margins tighter than ever, we set out to answer one critical question:

What does a single rejected submittal actually cost a project?

Nearly every General Contractor and Subcontractor we speak to faces the same costly bottleneck: 30–40% of their submittals are rejected on the first pass.


At BuildSync, we suspected these rejections were more than just a minor inconvenience—they were eating into project margins. With margins tighter than ever, we set out to answer one critical question:

What does a single rejected submittal actually cost a project?

Nearly every General Contractor and Subcontractor we speak to faces the same costly bottleneck: 30–40% of their submittals are rejected on the first pass.


At BuildSync, we suspected these rejections were more than just a minor inconvenience—they were eating into project margins. With margins tighter than ever, we set out to answer one critical question:

What does a single rejected submittal actually cost a project?

Our Research Methodology

Our Research Methodology

Our Research Methodology

To find out, we connected with over 6,000 construction professionals and ran comprehensive surveys with more than 200 of them. We asked about rejection rates, downstream effects, and cost implications across different project types and company sizes.


Our survey included:

  • General contractors ranging from $50M to $2B+ in annual revenue

  • Subcontractors across MEP, structural, and finish trades

  • Operations Managers, project managers, and engineers

  • Projects spanning commercial, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors

To find out, we connected with over 6,000 construction professionals and ran comprehensive surveys with more than 200 of them. We asked about rejection rates, downstream effects, and cost implications across different project types and company sizes.


Our survey included:

  • General contractors ranging from $50M to $2B+ in annual revenue

  • Subcontractors across MEP, structural, and finish trades

  • Operations Managers, project managers, and engineers

  • Projects spanning commercial, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors

To find out, we connected with over 6,000 construction professionals and ran comprehensive surveys with more than 200 of them. We asked about rejection rates, downstream effects, and cost implications across different project types and company sizes.


Our survey included:

  • General contractors ranging from $50M to $2B+ in annual revenue

  • Subcontractors across MEP, structural, and finish trades

  • Operations Managers, project managers, and engineers

  • Projects spanning commercial, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors

Breaking Down the $805 Average Cost

Breaking Down the $805 Average Cost

Breaking Down the $805 Average Cost

Here's what we uncovered about the real impact of submittal rejections:

Here's what we uncovered about the real impact of submittal rejections:

Here's what we uncovered about the real impact of submittal rejections:

25% of rejections have little to no impact

25% of rejections have little to no impact

  • Typically submitted early in the process

  • May need some revisions but cause no downstream issues

  • Cost is minimal, mainly administrative time to resubmit

  • Cost impact: ~$0 per rejection

65% of rejections cause operational friction

65% of rejections cause operational friction

  • Project Managers, Superintendents, Foremen, and Engineers pulled into conversations

  • Time spent reviewing rejection reasons

  • Rescheduling delivery dates and updating project timelines

  • Managing stakeholder communications

  • Cost impact: ~$500 per rejection

9% become more critical issues

9% become more critical issues

  • Can lead to project delays, field rework, or detailing changes

  • Require design team involvement for clarifications

  • Additional equipment or labor mobilization needed

  • Schedule compression costs and expedited shipping

  • Cost impact: ~$2,000 per rejection

1% of rejections result in significant project delays

1% of rejections result in significant project delays

  • Can delay substantial completion and trigger liquidated damages

  • Cascade effects on subsequent trades

  • Major client relationship impacts

  • Cost impact: ~$30,000 per occurrence

The Math: How We Calculated $805

The Math: How We Calculated $805

The Math: How We Calculated $805

Here's what we uncovered about the real impact of submittal rejections:

Here's what we uncovered about the real impact of submittal rejections:

Here's what we uncovered about the real impact of submittal rejections:

Using these averages and their frequency, the weighted average cost per rejected submittal breaks down to:

  • 25% × $0 = $0

  • 65% × $500 = $325

  • 9% × $2,000 = $180

  • 1% × $30,000 = $300


Total average cost per rejected submittal: $805

Using these averages and their frequency, the weighted average cost per rejected submittal breaks down to:

  • 25% × $0 = $0

  • 65% × $500 = $325

  • 9% × $2,000 = $180

  • 1% × $30,000 = $300


Total average cost per rejected submittal: $805

Using these averages and their frequency, the weighted average cost per rejected submittal breaks down to:

  • 25% × $0 = $0

  • 65% × $500 = $325

  • 9% × $2,000 = $180

  • 1% × $30,000 = $300


Total average cost per rejected submittal: $805

Hidden Costs Beyond the Numbers

Hidden Costs Beyond the Numbers

Hidden Costs Beyond the Numbers

Client Relationships

Client Relationships

Frequent rejections strain relationships with owners and architects, potentially affecting future project opportunities.

Team Morale

Team Morale

Project teams dealing with constant submittal issues experience higher stress and lower job satisfaction.

Competitive Positioning

Companies with smoother submittal processes can offer more competitive pricing and faster delivery times.

Cash Flow Impact

Cash Flow Impact

Delayed approvals mean delayed deliveries, creating cash flow challenges throughout the project lifecycle.

How BuildSync Changes The Equation

How BuildSync Changes The Equation

How BuildSync Changes The Equation

Intelligent Compliance Verification

  • Automated comparison against project plans and specifications

  • Real-time identification of specification conflicts


Consistent Review Standards

  • Standardized criteria eliminate reviewer inconsistency

  • Clear documentation accelerates approval processes

  • Automated routing to appropriate stakeholders


Seamless Integration

  • Works within your existing Procore workflows

  • No disruption to established processes

  • Maintains all audit trails and documentation


Proven Results Across the Industry
BuildSync customers consistently achieve:

  • <5% rejection rate (vs. 30-40% industry average)

  • $400,000+ annual savings for mid-size contractors

  • ROI within weeks of implementation

  • 85% faster submittal review cycles

Intelligent Compliance Verification

  • Automated comparison against project plans and specifications

  • Real-time identification of specification conflicts


Consistent Review Standards

  • Standardized criteria eliminate reviewer inconsistency

  • Clear documentation accelerates approval processes

  • Automated routing to appropriate stakeholders


Seamless Integration

  • Works within your existing Procore workflows

  • No disruption to established processes

  • Maintains all audit trails and documentation


Proven Results Across the Industry
BuildSync customers consistently achieve:

  • <5% rejection rate (vs. 30-40% industry average)

  • $400,000+ annual savings for mid-size contractors

  • ROI within weeks of implementation

  • 85% faster submittal review cycles

Intelligent Compliance Verification

  • Automated comparison against project plans and specifications

  • Real-time identification of specification conflicts


Consistent Review Standards

  • Standardized criteria eliminate reviewer inconsistency

  • Clear documentation accelerates approval processes

  • Automated routing to appropriate stakeholders


Seamless Integration

  • Works within your existing Procore workflows

  • No disruption to established processes

  • Maintains all audit trails and documentation


Proven Results Across the Industry
BuildSync customers consistently achieve:

  • <5% rejection rate (vs. 30-40% industry average)

  • $400,000+ annual savings for mid-size contractors

  • ROI within weeks of implementation

  • 85% faster submittal review cycles

Submittal calculator

Enter your project details below to see your current annual losses and potential savings with BuildSync.

Total submittals per year

Rejection rate

35%

35%

Outcome scenarios

Average cost of resubmittal

$0

Total annual resubmittal cost

$0

Reset values

Calculator Input Fields:

  1. How many submittals do you process annually? [Input field placeholder: "e.g., 2,000"] Include all submittals across all your projects

  2. What's your current rejection rate? [Slider: 10% to 50%, default at 30%] Industry average is 30-35%

  3. Company annual revenue (optional) [Dropdown: <$50M | $50M-$200M | $200M-$500M | $500M-$1B | $1B+] Helps us provide more accurate industry comparisons

Calculator Results Display:

Your Current Annual Impact: [X] rejections per year × $805 = $[XXX,XXX] annually lost to rejections

With BuildSync (5% rejection rate): [X] rejections per year × $805 = $[XX,XXX] annual rejection costs

Your Annual Savings Potential: $[XXX,XXX]

Additional Benefits Beyond Direct Cost Savings:

  • Time Savings: 20-40 hours per week per project team

  • Schedule Improvement: 2-4 weeks faster average project delivery

  • Team Productivity: 25% reduction in administrative overhead

  • Client Satisfaction: Improved relationships through consistent performance

Total submittals per year

Rejection rate

35%

35%

Outcome scenarios

Outcome scenarios

Average cost of resubmittal

$0

Total annual resubmittal cost

$0

Reset values

Total submittals per year

Rejection rate

35%

35%

Outcome scenarios

Outcome scenarios

Average cost of resubmittal

$0

Total annual resubmittal cost

$0

Reset values

Frequently Asked

Everything you need to know about automating your submittal process and integrating BuildSync.

How long does it take to implement BuildSync?

BuildSync can be up and running in under 24 hours. Once your account is set up, our customer success team will guide your users through onboarding and training. As soon as training is complete, your team can begin uploading and reviewing submittals right away.

How long does it take to implement BuildSync?

BuildSync can be up and running in under 24 hours. Once your account is set up, our customer success team will guide your users through onboarding and training. As soon as training is complete, your team can begin uploading and reviewing submittals right away.

How long does it take to implement BuildSync?

BuildSync can be up and running in under 24 hours. Once your account is set up, our customer success team will guide your users through onboarding and training. As soon as training is complete, your team can begin uploading and reviewing submittals right away.

Is there an extra cost to implement Buildsync?
Is there an extra cost to implement Buildsync?
Is there an extra cost to implement Buildsync?
What types of documents can BuildSync analyze?
What types of documents can BuildSync analyze?
What types of documents can BuildSync analyze?
How much can BuildSync reduce submittal rejections by?
How much can BuildSync reduce submittal rejections by?
How much can BuildSync reduce submittal rejections by?
Can BuildSync process multiple submittals at once?
Can BuildSync process multiple submittals at once?
Can BuildSync process multiple submittals at once?
What document formats does BuildSync accept?
What document formats does BuildSync accept?
What document formats does BuildSync accept?
How does BuildSync handle revisions and resubmittals?
How does BuildSync handle revisions and resubmittals?
How does BuildSync handle revisions and resubmittals?
Can BuildSync detect changes between drawing or spec revisions?
Can BuildSync detect changes between drawing or spec revisions?
Can BuildSync detect changes between drawing or spec revisions?
What support options are available to BuildSync users?
What support options are available to BuildSync users?
What support options are available to BuildSync users?

Resources & insights

Stay ahead with expert insights, guides, and strategies to optimize your submittal process.

Visit our blog

Visit our blog

Visit our blog

Industry Insights

The True Cost of a Rejected Submittal: $805 Each.

Our survey of 6,000+ construction professionals revealed each rejected submittal costs $805—here's how we calculated that number.

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The True Cost of a Rejected Submittal: $805 Each.

Our survey of 6,000+ construction professionals revealed each rejected submittal costs $805—here's how we calculated that number.

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The True Cost of a Rejected Submittal: $805 Each.

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Read more

Industry Trends

Overcoming Labor Shortages in Construction: Strategies for Project Managers and Engineers

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Ready to transform your submittal preparation process?

We help teams who are tired of:

We help teams who are tired of:

Getting their submittals rejected by GC's

Spending hours of time on manual reviews

Spending hours of time generating submittal packages

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