Architectural plans, also known as blueprints or floor plans, are complete drawings of buildings that include elevation changes, material lists, and design notes. They are essential for designing and constructing a building and are usually prepared by a licensed architect and approved by the project owner. Contractors use them to bid on projects and determine accurate estimates.
Architectural plans are complete drawings of buildings that represent the completed project. These may also be called blueprints or floor plans. In the case of a structure intended to serve as a residence, they may also be called house plans. Architectural plans usually include any elevation changes, along with a possible material list and design notes.
Providing a good set of architectural plans is one of the first steps in designing a building. A site plan, or study, can be made first so that there is adequate knowledge gained about the site before the final plans are made. Once the site inspection has been carried out, the floor plans can be drawn up based on the available space. At times, this can radically alter plans from the initial design, but most changes due to site limitations will be relatively minor.
The building layout in the architectural plans is the blueprint the contractor will use to construct the building. The layout should note any elevation changes, such as those requiring steps or slopes, both inside and outside the building. Plans should be drawn up at a uniform scale throughout the document unless changes are noted. The scale can be zoomed in to show more detail in some cases, but this detail is usually pushed aside from the main plans.
Architectural plans will often be very specific regarding the materials used. This is because the designer is going for a certain look, requiring strict adherence to plans. Any deviations from plans that a contractor may wish to execute should only be done after consultation with the architect or landlord, and for good reason. Some changes may require an entirely new set of architectural plans so that the overall look remains seamless, but that’s usually rare.
In most cases, architectural plans will be prepared by a licensed architect and then approved by the project owner. This provides two levels of review before the plans are actually used in the construction process. Once the plans have been approved, several contractors may be asked to bid on the project. The plans are very important to the contractor, as the quoted price will greatly depend on what is shown in the documents. Without accurate plans, there’s no way to determine a fair estimate for the job ahead.
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