# Rebar detailing software that keeps marks, bar lists, revisions and mill certificates on one job record

> Rebar detailing is the work of converting structural drawings into fabrication and placing information: bar marks, sizes, bend types, lengths and quantities, plus the drawings showing where each piece goes. Caltrans requires a certificate of compliance, a certified mill test report and a bar list for each shipment, sets minimum centre to centre spacing at 2.5 times the diameter of the larger bar, and requires uncoated laps of at least 45 bar diameters. Neurobird holds marks, revisions and certificates on one job record.

- URL: https://neurobird.com/rebardetailing/
- Product: Neurobird Rebar Detailing Operations Platform
- Niche: rebar detailing
- Buyer: rebar detailers and fabricators
- Status: in development, open for early access
- Updated: 2026-08-21

## What Neurobird Rebar Detailing does

- Hold marks, sizes, bend types and quantities per job, with the drawing revision they came from
- Show which marks a design revision touches before fabrication rather than after delivery
- Keep certified mill test reports, certificates of compliance and bar lists against the shipment they travelled with
- Track lap lengths, cover and spacing requirements per element so a field question has one answer

## How it works

1. **Take in the drawings** Drawing set, revision and date recorded, so every mark created afterwards carries the revision it came from.
2. **Build the bar list** Marks, sizes, bend types, lengths and quantities held per element, with lap, cover and spacing requirements attached to the element rather than remembered.
3. **Track the change** A revision shows which marks it touches and whether those marks are drawn, fabricated or shipped, with certificates of compliance and mill test reports on the shipment record.

## From the source material

> Additionally, once rebar is delivered to the site, check that the Contractor has reported the material quantity delivered on the Data Interchange for Materials Engineering (DIME) webpage for the project within 5 business days.

Source: Caltrans, Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual chapter 4, https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/engineering/documents/structureconstruction/rcm/sc-rcm-chpt04-a11y.pdf

## Industry context

- **45 diameters** Caltrans requires uncoated reinforcement lap splices of at least 45 times the bar diameter for number 8 size bars and smaller, and 60 times the diameter for number 9, 10 and 11 bars. Where two sizes lap, the smaller bar governs. (source: Caltrans, Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual chapter 4, https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/engineering/documents/structureconstruction/rcm/sc-rcm-chpt04-a11y.pdf)
- **2.5 times** Contract specification section 52-1.03D sets the standard minimum centre to centre spacing for parallel bars at 2.5 times the diameter of the larger bar, with clear distance requirements on top of that. (source: Caltrans, Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual chapter 4, https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/engineering/documents/structureconstruction/rcm/sc-rcm-chpt04-a11y.pdf)
- **2 inches** Clear cover between the outermost bar and the adjacent concrete surface is typically 2 inches minimum, while cast in drilled hole concrete piles require at least 3 inches. Marine and freeze thaw projects may specify more. (source: Caltrans, Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual chapter 4, https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/engineering/documents/structureconstruction/rcm/sc-rcm-chpt04-a11y.pdf)
- **5 business days** Beyond the certificate of compliance and certified mill test report that travel with each shipment, contractors must report delivered material quantity on the Data Interchange for Materials Engineering page within 5 business days. (source: Caltrans, Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual chapter 4, https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/engineering/documents/structureconstruction/rcm/sc-rcm-chpt04-a11y.pdf)
- **03-001** New York State DOT design advisory 03-001 covers contract plans prepared without reinforcing bar lists. Without them, reinforcement is called out with size, spacing, cover, embedment length and lap length only, and bar marks do not appear on the contract plans at all. (source: NYSDOT, structures design advisory 03-001, https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/structures/repository/files/sda/sda03_001.pdf)

## Pricing

- Single office: $150 per office, per month
- Detailer: $370 per office, per month
- Fabricator: $650 per office, per month

## Questions

### What is rebar detailing?

Rebar detailing is the work of turning structural drawings into fabrication and placing information: bar marks, sizes, bend types, lengths, quantities and the drawings that show where each piece goes. On many jobs the engineer specifies reinforcement by size, spacing, cover and lap length only, and the detailer produces the bar list and placing drawings from that.

### What is a bar list?

A bar list, also called a reinforcement list, is the bill of materials for delivered rebar. Caltrans describes it as listing the rebar sizes, lengths and quantities delivered, and requires the contractor to submit certificates of compliance, certified mill test reports and a bar list for each shipment.

### How long does a lap splice have to be?

It depends on bar diameter, grade, coating and bundling. Caltrans requires uncoated reinforcement to lap at least 45 times the bar diameter for number 8 bars and smaller, and 60 times the diameter for number 9, 10 and 11 bars. When two sizes lap, the smaller bar governs.

### Who is responsible if the placing drawings are wrong?

Usually the detailer, and often without a formal review to catch it. Caltrans notes that unless specified otherwise the contractor is not required to submit rebar shop drawings for authorisation, though a cursory review is good practice on complex details. New York State DOT issued design advisory 03-001 specifically to handle contract plans issued without reinforcing bar lists.

### Does this replace our detailing CAD software?

No. The drawings stay in the software that draws them. What lives here is the job record: marks, revisions, bar lists, mill certificates and shipments, joined so a change is traceable to the pieces it affects.

## Sources

- [Caltrans, Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual chapter 4](https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/engineering/documents/structureconstruction/rcm/sc-rcm-chpt04-a11y.pdf)
- [NYSDOT, structures design advisory 03-001](https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/structures/repository/files/sda/sda03_001.pdf)
- [FDOT, standard bar bending details](https://www.fdot.gov/docs/default-source/roadway/ds/12/ser/StandardBarBending.pdf)
- [FHWA, epoxy coated reinforcing review guidelines](https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/reviews/revepoxy.cfm)

## Contact

- office@neurobird.com
- https://neurobird.com/