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Construction Plan Standards

Construction Document Standards

The National Council of Building Designer Certification recommends the following as the standard for checking and evaluating plans for light frame construction. Documents must also meet the requirements of local building departments, as well as all local, state and national laws, statutes and building codes that may be applicable.

PHILOSOPHY

Construction documentation (Plans and Specifications ) should be provided so as to graphically convey the appropriate design requirements for a construction project. They should not, however, be interpreted as shop drawings as they are not expected to indicate every consideration in absolute detail. The documents should sufficiently detail the construction requirements to provide information for permitting, contracting and construction in the local municipality where the project will be built. These requirements should not be duplicated in both the drawings and specifications, as it could possibly increase the chances for error and/or contradictions.

Please keep in mind that all construction documents must be prepared based upon the locally established standards of care. As such, you may find that some of the information in the table below may be omitted. This table represents the items we encourage our membership to include in each project they design, and which we require as evidence of capability, prior to being accepted to sit for our professional certification exam.

The following table outlines the recommended information, to be included in a set of construction documents. Some of these items may be prepared by  other professionals and coordinated by the Certified Professional Building Designer.

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

These should be accurately drawn to scale not less than as indicated below and should include all shading, cross hatching, and stippling as is considered acceptable by professional standards.
(Architectural Graphics Standards).

I. SITE PLANS:

Minimum Scale 1" = 20'

1. Show all lot lines, streets and north orientation.
2. Show all building lines, set backs and easements.
3. Locate structure, with dimensions, and show depth of front, rear and side      yards.
4. Show all walks, drives, steps, decks, terraces, retaining walls, garages, and/or car ports.
5. Show existing and finish grade elevations at corners of structure with finished floor elevations, as required by code or owner.
6. Show existing grade elevations at all corners of lot, when required.
7. Show invert sewer elevation or septic tank location and layout of absorption field.
8. If private wells are involved, show location, and distance from absorption field, if applicable.
9. Show property drainage, as required by code or owner.
 

II. FOUNDATION PLAN:

Scale 1/4" = 1' - 0" ( In the event engineering data requirements have been waived, indicate the assumed conditions the system has been designed to accommodate as a footnote )

A. WOOD FLOOR

1. Provide complete dimensions (verify with floor plan ).
2. Show size, direction and spacing of floor and band joists. Indicate where doubling is necessary.
3. Show location and size of all sills and/or girders.
4. Show location and size of all piers or pipe columns as well as footings and size.
5. Show location and size of all structural beams.
6. Show location and size of all foundation vents and access doors.
7. Show size, material and finish of foundation walls.

B. SLAB FLOOR

1. Provide complete dimensions (verify with floor plan )
2. Show slab thickness, type and thickness of fill, membrane vapor-proofing,     welded wire mesh (size and gauge) or other appropriate reinforcing.

3. Show all grade beams, location, and size of reinforcing.

III. FLOOR PLANS: Scale 1/4" = 1'-0"

1. Appropriate and sufficient dimensions (verify with foundation plan )
2. Provide designation of all rooms and closets.
3. Show all garages, car ports, porches, decks, terraces, stoops and steps.
4. Show location, size, direction of swing and header requirement of all doors.
5. Show location, size and header requirement of all windows (Window and door sizes may be shown on separate schedule, if on same page as floor plan.)
6. Show location of all plumbing fixtures, to scale.
7. Show layout of all cabinets and vanities, book cases, wet bars and desks, including all appliances and venting.
8. Show all electrical fixtures, receptacles, switches, TV, phone, special purpose outlets, whole house fans, paddle fans, bath fans, and hood fans.(may be shown on a separate electrical and lighting plan for clarity)
9. Show size, direction and spacing of ceiling joist framing members.
10. Show all stairs; indicating rise, run, number of treads, including handrails.
11. Show all disappearing stairs and/or attic access.
12. Show all room finishes and materials.

IV. ELEVATIONS:

Scale 1/4" = 1'0"( Except as noted )

1. Show front elevation. ( Sides and rear elevations may be shown in scale of 1/8" = 1'-0" )
2. Show all openings, windows, doors, etc.
3. Show all finished floor, header and ceiling heights.
4. Show all roof pitches.
5. Show all overhangs of all eaves and rakes.
6. Show all flashing.
7. Show all gutters and down spouts.
8. Show all crickets and or saddles.
9. Show all foundations vents and access doors.

V. SECTIONS:

Minimum Scale 3/8" = 1'0"

1. Show fully dimensioned section(s) through exterior wall including all details of construction from bottom of footings to highest point of roof.

2. Show fully dimensioned section through stair well, landings and stairs, showing all headroom, stringer cut, tread width, riser height, hand rails. ( include surrounding construction, if applicable.)

3. Show fully dimensioned section of masonry fireplace , including footing, throat, damper, windshelf, flue and hearth construction, as applicable. Metal Fireplaces should be labeled with manufacturers name and product number so that proper installation information may be obtained and used.

VI. DETAILS:

Minimum Scale 3/8" = 1'0"

1. Show elevation, section and sizes of all kitchen cabinets, vanities, book shelves, wet bars, and desks. including back splash, toe space and shelving.

2. Show details of all critical points of construction, special mill work, fans, and hood fans.

VII. H.V.A.C. SYSTEMS (Optional drawing these documents are most often prepared by experts in the mechanical field who assume the responsibility for their work but they should be coordinated by the designer to ensure this work doesn’t significantly change the details of the design)

Scale 1/4"-1'0"

1. Show supply and return duct layout including size of ducts, size of registers and returns.
2. Show total heat loss and heat gain for house. Size heating and cooling equipment.
3. Show location of thermostat. Calculate heat loss and heat gain through all vertical surfaces, floors, ceilings, window and door openings and infiltration.
4. Show inside and outside design temperature used and design temperature difference.
5. Show "R" values used for floors, walls and ceiling.
6. All calculations should be taken from Manual "J".

VIII. SPECIFICATIONS:

Some appropriate form of specifications should be furnished to clients. These could be FHA or VA "Description of Material" forms, to be completed by the owner and builder or the designer, or CSI formatted specifications from an outside vendor. Should you wish to furnish your own written specifications, they must contain at least the information stated on the FHA or VA forms, and should be prepared in standard CSI format.

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