Architectural plans drawn up during a residential architect project will include working drawings, schedules, and notes. Different angles will be shown and floor layouts included. Well drawn plans are essential for your custom home builder to ensure you get the house of your dream.
We shall examine these plans in more detail to greater understand just what it is an architect will produce for us, which will explain just what kind of home we are proposing to build for our loved ones.
Cover sheet
Whether you are considering new homes delaware beaches, Los Angeles, or London, the top sheet of drawing plans for a home will normally include an elevation of the exterior of a home to show how it will look once built. Also, it will include an index to list the order of the drawings that are included, using page numbers for easier reference.
Wall Sections and Notes
Wall section drawings will show section cuts of exterior walls from the roof to the foundations. Building materials will be specified here too. The plans will show the type of foundation to be used and the number of stories proposed, as well as show wall constructions. It will reference roofing, insulation, and floor materials.
Typical Detail and Notes
This section will go into more detail about what is to be included within a home. Except for any local building code requirements, architectural and structural elements will be noted. This will mean details of features such as windows and doors, stairs, interior walls, and partitions.
Foundation Layout Plan
A fully dimensional foundation layout will be included in architectural plans, which will reference footings, support walls, and pads. Where there is a basement, additional columns and walls will be drawn in.
Building foundations need to meet local regulations and be deeper if supporting more floors.
Detailed Floor Plan
Every floor will be shown here. Exterior and interior openings will be included and carefully dimensioned. New homes with built-in appliances can be seen as part of the floorplan drawing.
Reflected Ceiling Plan
Ceiling heights and their treatments will be shown, as well as arches and soffits. A taller ceiling will mean better acoustics, but also a room that is likely to prove more costly to heat for the sake of a grander look too.
Floor Framing Plan
Homes that have a basement or any crawl space will need a floor framing plan produced by an architect. Where a house is intended to have multiple floors, it will need to have floors drawn in for upper floors as well.
Roof Layout
Roof design will be included in the roof layout drawing. The roof truss should be in keeping with local regulations. A roof plan will show what architectural roof styles, gable, or flat roofs are proposed. The first will deflect rainwater better, but the latter proves cheaper to build in the first instance.
Exterior Elevations
The exterior elevations will be drawn to show how a finished home is intended to look. This is more of an approximation. The front, side, and rear elevations of a home will be included in this drawing. The exterior materials used and intended heights will all be noted. They may include specific details about the exterior of your home, such as a deck area, if you have told the architect about your plans. This will be very useful if you are planning to have a deck built, as it will give you an idea of what it will look like. It will also be useful for the contractor/deck builder to use. If you are thinking of adding a deck to your exterior, you can find a suitable local company by searching for “deck builder near me” on Google or by asking around for recommendations.
Building Section and Details
Floor and ceiling information will be detailed in this drawing. An architect will be required to show, by way of a scaled drawing, roof heights and their relationship to the different floors.
Interior Elevations
This will show specific interior details such as the design of the kitchen, bathroom, or utility room, as well as where built-in units such as bookcases and fireplaces are intended for. This is the part of the plans that will show the functionality of a home and how its occupants can make efficient use of its rooms and space.
Electrical Plan
Electrical plans show how the home will function and are intended to be a useful guide for the electrician, in terms of where the power points are located so that they are useful to the home’s occupants.
The above demonstrates how many drawings will be required for a detailed house plan to be drawn up, indicating just how much there is to consider for an architect, when it comes to building a house that is practical, safe, and will please everyone, including the authorities, builders, the environment, and current and future occupants.