Using the Plans

You will need AutoSketch 9 to view, print, or modify the plans. Attempts to make the files compatible with other design programs have proved unsatisfactory.

Opening the files

The files for the plans were created with AutoSketch 9, and were saved in the native AutoSketch 9 format with filename extension SKF. Saving the files in DWG format to make them compatible with other design programs results in loss of critical information such as line width, scale, and snap intervals, and also destroys the integrity of symbols and other elements.

AutoSketch 9 is an inexpensive program that was developed from QuickCAD by Autodesk, the maker of AutoCAD. You can buy AutoSketch 9 for about $50 on eBay.

Perhaps you do not know how to use AutoSketch 9 and do not want to invest the time and energy to learn how to use it. If so, you can give the files to an engineer, draftsman, architect, or skilled amateur to make any modifications necessary to suit yourself and your building department, and to provide prints.

Files, drawings, and sheets

A file can contain more than one drawing, and a drawing can have more than one sheet. Two layers in a file are combined to make a sheet of a drawing. Determining which file to use and which layers to combine is explained by the drawing number system.

A more complete description is available for the drawings in the files.

Printing the plans

Half-size originals (4 feet per half inch) can be printed with any printer capable of handling letter and legal size paper. These can be enlarged to full size on bond paper, or they can be enlarged to full size on vellum to facilitate erasures.

SIZE      ORIGINAL, inches          FULL SIZE, inches  
 1        8.5 x 11 (letter)         17 x 22 (C)        
 2        8.5 x 14 (legal)          17 x 28 (irregular)
 3       11.0 x 17 (two letter)     22 x 34 (D)

For size 3, the two letter size tiles are taped together to make the original.

What else you will need

You will need to submit a site plan to your building department when you submit the other drawings. Someone familiar with your zoning ordinance can prepare the site plan.

Some drawings must be prepared by specialists licensed by your state. The schematic plan is a guide for these specialists to prepare electrical, plumbing, and mechanical working drawings.

The foundation plan is suitable for most sites. However, if your soil is unstable, if your site is on a hillside, or if you want to use frost-protected shallow footings to save money, a new foundation plan must be prepared by a local specialist.

The roof must be designed to withstand the local weather. The roof plan serves as a guide for the truss company that will design the roof and submit any additional documents required by your building department.

A list of materials is not included. The drawings are deliberately made general enough to allow the use of a wide variety of materials. When you have chosen your materials, a lumberyard can provide you with a list of materials.

Plan approval

The designs meet or exceed requirements of the International Building Code and other model codes, but this does not guarantee that your building department will approve the plans. Each building department interprets the building code differently, and some have requirements in addition to the code.

The designs must meet the requirements of the zoning ordinance as well as the building code. The zoning ordinance regulates such matters as building density and height, and might have other requirements that control appearance.

Each official in a building department interprets their job differently. Some look for reasons to disapprove plans, and might even require that the plans be reviewed and sealed by a licensed architect or engineer. Others will approve plans that generally meet all requirements, if not to the letter.

The plans cannot describe every detail of the construction of a building, so the plans do not repeat information covered by codes. Nevertheless, your official might require additional information.

Even if the building department has no objection to the design, neighbors of the site will. Neighbors are typically opposed to any new construction, and in some areas they are given enough power to block approval or impose additional requirements.

Construction costs

Construction costs vary greatly by locality. To determine the construction cost of a building in your area, contact a local real estate agent or builder. They can determine the construction cost by comparing the building to similar buildings.

Do not estimate the cost by using the average cost per square foot of new construction. Large buildings cost less per square foot than small buildings.