Home Construction: Preparing Preliminary Structural Plans for Your Building Project
Proper structural planning by a civil engineering firm is essential if you are planning on building a new home on your property. In general, you should have your house layout and structural plans prepared as early as possible. These blueprints should take into consideration your lifestyle, preferences and the building rules imposed in your local area. Here are the primary types of planning documents that you should prepare for your building project.
Plot or Site Plan
The plot plan is also known as the site plan, and it is essential for obtaining a permit for your home construction. As implied, this is an engineering drawing which shows the different elements in the existing lot. The specific structures which are included in the plan will depend on the circumstances surrounding the project. However, in a standard situation, they contain the existing buildings on the lot, proposed building, landscape elements and general obstructions in the lot. The drawing also includes the property lines and the distance of proposed structures to the boundaries and roads. The plan might also take legal issues such as rights of way and setbacks into account.
Floor Plan
The floor plan is less complicated than the plot plan. In general, this type of plan can be defined as the diagrammatical representation of the home's rooms and other spaces in relation to each other. They are typically drawn from above, and each diagram shows a level of the building. When designing this plan, you should take the lifestyle of your family into considerations. Some families might gain more advantage with an open floor plan while others prefer closed spaces. You should also think about the flow of movement from one room to another for an intuitive home. Ideally, you should discuss this aspect of the planning process with your family members.
Structural Drawings
The structural integrity of the building must be taken into account during the planning process. After all, you cannot have a home with a beautiful design but an insecure structure without inherent strength. The structural drawings must be submitted with the other plans to the relevant local authority for an assessment. It is critical to ensure that there are a cross-section drawing, a foundation plan and a specification sheet. These documents should include details on foundation footings, joists, stairs, ceilings and rafters.
Professional knowledge and experience are required for preliminary house planning. Therefore, consult a licensed civil contractor for assistance.