Video Transcript:
Are you ready to begin construction on your home? Have you been given a plan set that you’re struggling to understand? Stay tuned and we’ll show you how.
Hi, I’m Adam, a project manager here at Lamont Bros Design and Construction. We believe that an informed homeowner is critical to a successful remodel.
Today, we’ll walk you through the important elements of construction drawings and how to read the plans your contractor is using.
What are Construction Documents?
Construction documents are a set of detailed plans and other documents that outline the design, dimensions, and specifications of your remodel project.
They serve as a communication tool between you, the homeowner, and the design and construction team. By learning how to read these documents, you can better visualize the finished space and ensure the smooth execution of your project.
Ways to Read Construction Drawings
Typically, construction drawings will be annotated with either numbered design notes or text call outs on each page.
Reading Designs With Numbered Notes
When reading numbered design notes, it’s best to sit down with a pen or PDF reader and check off each note as you read it. This ensures that you don’t miss any notes as you go along.
Reading Designs With Text Callouts
If your design drawings have call outs instead of notes, the best method in this case is to go room by room on the page for each room. Look at the design call outs in a clockwise order, taking care to read and understand each call out and how it relates to the design.
Key Elements of Construction Documents
Here at Lamont Bros, we use our plan sets as part of our contract, so we work hard to make it as detailed as possible.
If you’re working with an architect or other design professional, your plans should look similar to ours.
If you’re working with a design/build firm or a general contractor who’s providing drawings for permitting, you may have less detail in your construction documents.
Project Overview
The first page of a plan set is typically a project overview with the vital statistics of the project. These should include general project information like your address, the jurisdiction, relevant codes, and the year your home was built.
It should also include contact information for your entire project team. You should see the designer, design consultant, project manager, and site superintendent listed here, as well as any outside consultants such as architects or engineers.
The abbreviation table is one thing to pay special attention to as you work through your plan set. You’ll be seeing a lot of acronyms in your plans and this table explains what each of these mean.
Your designer has likely included some artistic renderings on the cover page as well. These are computer-generated 3D images of what the finished space should look like. These are generally to help you visualize the space but aren’t necessarily used by the production crew.
Construction Drawings
In the remaining pages of the construction documents, there are many types of drawings and plans. Start by familiarizing yourself with the legend or key that explains the symbols and abbreviations used in the drawings. Take the time to carefully study each drawing, focusing on one aspect at a time. Pay attention to the scales and measurements provided to understand the spatial relationships between different elements.
Site Plans and Demolition Plans
Following the cover page, we have a couple of pages of residential building code that is mostly for our crew to reference. In the Portland-metro area, any remodeling project over $25,000 is required to include a site plan in the designs. The site plan shows existing structures and proposed changes to lot coverage. This is also where we document property lines, setback requirements, tree coverage, and other elements related to your property’s zoning restrictions.
The demolition plan shows what items should get demolished, what should be preserved and protected, and what items we should carefully remove for reinstallation or recycling. Typically, elements to be demolished will be shown in red, and any special instructions will be tagged with the keynote.
New Floor Plans
The new floor plan shows what the basic layout of the space will look like after your remodel. Any new components are noted in a single color, usually blue or green.
The demo plan and new floor plan are great overviews of the scope of your project and you should make sure you are clear on what is being removed, what’s being put back, and that those things are in alignment with your expectations.
If you see something that doesn’t make sense or you have questions about these pages, make sure to ask your design consultant about it.
Finishes and Details
The finished plan looks a lot like the floor plan, but includes more details about the surfaces and finishes to be installed in your new space. It’s important to make sure that the materials noted here match up with what you’ve selected with your design consultant. You’ll find that the electrical and mechanical or MEP page is full of strange symbols and lines that don’t make much sense at first.
The first thing you’ll want to do is take a look at the legends to understand what each symbol means. These will generally detail where your lighting switches and outlets should get located, as well as what lights will be operated by which switches.
If you have any specific needs or wants around outlets, switch locations, or lighting, make sure to pay attention to this page. During a renovation, one of the things that is easy to overlook is exactly how far your production crew is going to go when they’re putting your home back together.
Obviously, they’re going to install drywall, flooring, and trim work, but oftentimes clarification of the paint scope gets overlooked. We use this page to set clear expectations for what services will get painted and which ones won’t. So you don’t have any surprises at the end of the job.
Elevation Drawings
Towards the end of your plan set, you should also see some elevation drawings. These are two-dimensional views that show a view of the building of a room from the side.
The exterior elevation drawings help to communicate any changes to framing, windows, and door openings, and exterior siding, while interior elevations are used to communicate locations and heights of things like countertops, shelves, back splashes, or other finished elements that aren’t clearly shown on the plan views.
Conclusion
After you’ve reviewed your construction documents, make sure to follow up with the design and construction team if you have any questions or want clarification on any of the details in your plans. Remember, understanding these drawings is key to a successful remodel.
We hope this video has helped you understand how to read your project plans. If you’re embarking on a remodel project and want to know more about how to read your construction documents, check out the article link below that dives even deeper into these documents.
Continue educating yourselves and stay tuned for more expert advice, valuable insights to guide you through your remodeling journey.