<p>Most unanswered RFIs trace back to one thing: the question wasn&#39;t specific enough for anyone to act on fast. Here&#39;s how to fix that.</p> <p><strong>1. Tie the RFI to a real number, not a vague concern.</strong> &quot;Please confirm ceiling height&quot; gets ignored. &quot;Confirm 9&#39;-6&quot; clearance, drawing A-201, affects duct routing cost&quot; gets answered.</p> <p><strong>2. Reference the model, not just the drawing set.</strong> If your estimate is built off live Revit geometry, you can point to the exact element and its metadata instead of describing it in prose.</p> <p><strong>3. Attach the cost impact.</strong> An RFI that shows &quot;this ambiguity is worth $18,000 either way&quot; moves up the pile. This is where a defensible, line-item estimate earns its keep. When your BOQ is built from AI-classified geometry and current pricing data instead of a spreadsheet guess, you can show your math and get taken seriously.</p> <p><strong>4. Route it to the right person the first time.</strong> Vague RFIs bounce between the GC, architect, and engineer. Specific, model-referenced RFIs usually have one obvious owner.</p> <p><strong>5. Set a follow-up trigger.</strong> Don&#39;t wait for silence to become a delay claim. Flag it again once the number that depends on the answer is due.</p> <p>The real fix isn&#39;t a better RFI template. It&#39;s an estimate detailed enough that your questions are already narrowed down to the one thing that actually needs a decision.</p>