Home, house, duplex, triplex, fourplex/sixplex, INSTRUCTIONS, site, design

Using the Plans

You will need AutoSketch 9 to print the plans. Attempts to make the plans available by other means 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. 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.

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. Scanning a drawing to produce a pdf file reduces legibility.

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. A blueprint company can enlarge these to full size on bond paper, or to full size on vellum to facilitate erasures for modifications.

Letter size enlarges to 17 x 22 inches, which is a size C print. Legal size enlarges to 17 x 28 inches, which is an irregular print. Whether half or full size, legal size can be folded at the tick mark to make it the same size as letter size.

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.

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.

Customization

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.

Specify roof covering, siding, trim, floor coverings, cabinets, and appliances to meet your taste, budget, and zoning ordinance. These materials are inexpensive, attractive, and durable—using more expensive materials will not increase resale value:

Composition strip shingles for the roof covering,
treated plywood (T1-11) for the siding,
sheet vinyl for the kitchen and bathroom floors, and
wall-to-wall carpeting for all other floors.

Use caution with structural modifications because they can have unexpected negative consequences. In a small dwelling unit most furnishings are placed against walls. Reducing wall space by using a larger window or door, even a closet door, would limit the ability to provide furnishings for occupants and guests.

Exterior walls use 4-inch studs, which can be provided with enough insulation to suffice in even the coldest climates. Using 6-inch studs or masonry would reduce room sizes.

Slab foundations are used in all designs except those for hillside sites. A crawl space foundation would degrade acoustic isolation and thermal stability. A basement foundation would provide additional space at lower cost than space above ground, but the space would be far less useful.

In most designs, the kitchen door is placed for the best access and the kitchen window is placed for the best view. Replacing them with a patio door would compromise access and view.

It is recommended that the bedroom doors be placed one inch above the finished floor. Otherwise, the air flow return to the conditioning unit would be inadequate. It is recommended that bathroom doors be solid wood. Hollow doors would allow enough noise transmission to reduce privacy.

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.