In construction, translation involves ensuring that a specification can be understood whether it’s in a studio, in a tender or on the site. For this reason, translation services for architecture and construction involve terminological accuracy, consistency across documents, and tracked changes to avoid different interpretations of a particular requirement.
Accuracy that affects safety, costs, and timeframes
Technical translation goes hand in hand with texts used to make decisions and take action: reports, sheets, measurements, product data sheets, installation manuals, trial reports, minutes, and contract annexes. Ambiguity has no place on paper here: a poorly expressed tolerance or a confusing instruction can lead to re-working, incorrect orders, or arguments about what was really included.
In construction, there are often two different aspects that are translated, each with their own purpose. On the one hand, professional architecture translation focusses on the design, so that the vocabulary and references in the architectural project (plans, reports, details, and specifications) are also understood in the target language, without changes to nuances. On the other hand, professional construction translation deals mainly with the site: assembly instructions, procedures, safety, data sheets for materials, and criteria to check that something is properly actioned. Put simply, one explains “what has been designed and with what requirements”; the other helps with “how it is assembled and how it is validated on site.”
How consistency is ensured in technical texts
A reliable technical translation relies on a process. First, we establish which documents are key and we define the version that is valid (changes are constant in construction). A glossary is then prepared: materials, systems, abbreviations, names of items, plan terminology, and equivalents accepted by the client. That glossary is what prevents an item appearing with different names all through a file.
From there, we monitor consistency in figures, symbols, units, and references to regulations, as well as the format, as confusion often stems from tables, notes, or legends that are unclear. Once the translation has been done, there is a review that, in addition to linguistics, ensures terminology consistency, clarity, and the absence of any double meanings. In projects with BIM or repetitive documentation, translation memories and style guides help to ensure consistency in every delivery.
With this approach, professional architecture translation and professional construction translation strive to meet the same goal: that the architectural plan is understandable and actionable regardless of the language. And when it is dealt with like this, translation services for architecture and construction leave no room for interpretation: they provide content that is stable but accessible for every team.
