INTRODUCTION

• Architecture and Building Constructions

- definition
- special attributes
- functionality
• Architecture and Construction, an overview of the terminology:
- function
- space-mass
- surface close connections
- build. material intricate relations
- building construction
- build. technology
- build. machinery
Building construction elements – these are the main topics of „Building
Constructions” subjects – are technical realization tools for architectural ideas
The tool system, naturally, has changed with the course of technical
advancement, in addition, there is no single collective term for the various
solutions and processes that envelope different building realization techniques.
For example:
Perhaps most often used:
o traditional techniques
o industrialized building techniques
or
o wet building techniques
o dry building techniques
or
o heavy building system techniques
o light building system techniques
With somewhat more distinction in the terminology:
BUILGING TECHNIQUES may be:
b) – traditional (historical)
c) – advanced traditional (conventional)
d) – industrial (manufactured)
e) – system based (system principle based)
• Major building REALIZATION STAGES
- planning
- construction
More funds
required
Less manpower
required

• PLANNING STAGES and their attributes

1. Concept definition (goal, location, timeframe, requirements, resources,
ROI) → program →possible plan competition → permit plans
2. Construction plans (construction, perhaps tender plans, production,
assembly, special trades plans, etc. )
The CONCEPT phase of planning deals with the integration, i.e.: with the
summation and compilation, of various parts of the plan process.
The second phase of planning, the CONSTRUCTION phase deals with deintegration,
i.e.: with the sectioning of the building (the plans) into smaller, more
manageable but more detailed elements (so that various parts may be
independently manufactured, shipped with retained complexity).
• SECTIONING OF BUILDINGS INTO COMPONENTS
1. construction systems (e.g.: CLASP-H1, BVM, =)
2. construction sub-systems (skeleton structure, external walls, slabs...)
3. system components (solid wall, window, door, =)
4. small parts (window, door frame, panels...)
5. materials (e.g. the panels may be wood, metal, plastics...)
• BUILDING COMPONENT SYSTEMS requirements (most relevant)
1. functionally, high satisfaction of use requirements
2. economically, spanning manufacturing, construction to demolition
(construction, operation, renewals, upkeep, potential re-furbishment etc.)
3. enduring (physical and emotional ageing)
4. aesthetics
• space structure classification of BUILDINGS:
1. CELLULAR (many small spaces) –(we deal with these in this semester)
2. SINGLE SPACE (great spans, hangar type) –(these will be dealt with later)
• Classification of BUILDING COMPONENTS
1. load bearing structures.: - vertical = wall, grid work
- horizontal = slab, roof struct.
- stairs
- reinforcing / stabilizing structures.
- foundations
2. external space separator struct. (walls, roofs, doors and windows)
3. internal space separator struct. (internal walls, doors, slabs)
4. surface finishing struct. (insulations, tiling, roof materials etc.)
5. additional structures (e.g. chimneys, ventilation shafts)
6. building machinery and cabling/piping (water, sewage, nat. gas, elect. ...)
7. built-in furniture, fixtures (railings, bars...)

BIS Symbols of building materials in sections

Conventional signs are used to represent the particular item like stone masonry, brick masonry,
concrete etc in the section of drawing. (i.e.) when the materials are cut by any imaginary plane.
Conventional symbols are provided to indicate doors, windows, their fixing, and movement of
shutters. When they are cloud or opened, various water supply and sanitary fixtures like tap,
wash basin, W.C., urinals, Kitchen sink, shower etc, symbols are used to indicate the position of
electrical fittings like lamp, switch, power socket, fan etc. To indicate positions of furniture on
drawing room, bedroom, suitable symbols are used.
The Bureau of Indian standards (B.I.S) has recommended the conventional signs and
symbols for the following purposes.
1. Avoid confusion and to understand the drawings
2. Save the time in making out various details in the drawing
3. Identify the various details of materials, Electrical fixtures, water-supply and sanitary fittings,
Position of furniture‟s etc.
 4. To prevent any dispute between contractor and owner in the actual construction of the
structure

Graphical symbols for Brick Masonry, Concrete, Wood work and Glass:

Graphical symbols for door and window:

Sectional Views

 CUTTING PLANE
 CUTTING PLANE LINE
 SECTION LINING
 FULL SECTIONS
 HALF SECTIONS
 BROKEN OUT SECTIONS
 REVOLVFD SECTIONS
 OFFSET SECTIONS
 REMOVED SECTIONS

You have learned that when making a multiview sketch, hidden edges and surfaces are
usually shown with hidden (dash) lines.

When an object becomes more complex, as in the case of an automobile engine block, a
clearer presentation of the interior can be made by sketching the object as it would look if it
were cut apart. In that way, the many hidden lines on the sketch are eliminated.

The process of sketching the internal configuration of an object by showing it cut apart is
known as sectioning. Sectioning is used frequently on a wide variety of Industrial drawings.

In this example, blocks A and B result after the block in figure 1 has been “Sectioned”. When
you cut an apple in half you have sectioned it. Just as an apple can be sectioned any way you
choose, so can an object in a sectional view of a drawing or sketch.

Cutting Plane

A surface cut by the saw in the drawing above is a cutting plane. Actually, it is an imaginary
cutting plane taken through the object, since the object is imagined as being cut through at a
desired location.

Cutting Plane Line

A cutting plane is represented on a drawing by a cutting plane line. This is a heavy long-
short-short-long kind of line terminated with arrows. The arrows in show the direction of
view.
 

Once again, here is an graphic example of a cutting plane line and the section that develops
from it.

Section Lining

The lines in the figure above, which look like saw marks, are called section lining. They are
found on most sectional views, and indicate the surface which has been exposed by the
cutting plane. Notice that the square hole in the object has no section lining, since it was not
changed by sectioning.

Different kinds of section lining is used to identify different materials. When an object is
made of a combination of materials, a variety of section lining symbols makes materials
identification easier. Here are a few examples:

Section lines are very light. When sketching an object or part that requires a sectional view,
they are drawn by eye at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, and are spaced about 1/8”
apart. Since they are used to set off a section, they must be drawn with care.

It is best to use the symbol for the material being shown as a section on a sketch. If that
symbol is not known, you may use the general purpose symbol, which is also the symbol for
cast iron.

Full Sections

When a cutting plane line passes entirely through an object, the resulting section is called a
full section Fig. 7 illustrates a full section.

 
 It is possible to section an object whenever a closer look intentionally is desired. Here is an
object sectioned from two different directions.

Half Sections

If the cutting plane is passed halfway through an object, and one-quarter of the object is
removed, the resulting section is a half section.  A half section has the advantage of showing
both inside and outside configurations.

It is frequently used for symmetrical objects. Hidden lines are usually not shown on the un-
sectioned half unless they are needed for clearness or for dimensioning purposes. As in all
sectional drawings, the cutting plane take precedence over the center line.

Here is another example of a half section. Remember that only one fourth of the object is
removed with a half section, whereas half of the object is generally removed with a full
section.
 

This manufacturer’s drawing, using both full and half section, illustrates the advantages of
sectional views. The different line directions indicate different parts and materials used in the
assembly of this valve.

 Broken Out Sections

In many cases only a small part of a view needs to be sectioned in order to show some
internal detail. In the figure below, the broken out section is removed by a freehand break
line. A cutting plane line does not need to be shown, since the location of the cut is obvious.

Revolved Sections
A revolved section shows the shape of an object by rotating a section 90 degrees to face the
viewer. The three revolved sections illustrated in the spear-like object of figure 12 show the
changes that take place in its shape.

Offset Sections

An offset section is a means of including in a single section several features of an object that
are not in a straight line. To do this, the cutting plane line is bent, or “OFFSET” to pass
through the features of the part.

Removed Sections

A section removed from its normal projected position in the standard arrangement of views is
called a “removed” section. Such sections are labeled SECTION A-A, SECTION B-B, etc.,
corresponding to the letter designation at the ends of the cutting plane line. Removed sections
may be partial sections and are often drawn to a different scale.

 
Terminology in building components

1. Aggregate: A particulate material which is made up of sand or crushed stone. Aggregates

are used in materials such as concrete and are a fundamental part of building foundations.

2. Backfilling: The process of refilling trenches or holes created during excavation,

especially around foundations.

3. Beam: Beams run horizontally along the main walls of a building at ceiling level,
supporting the structure.

4. BIM: BIM (building information modeling) is the process of creating a computer model of

a building that includes all of the details of that structure, from its basic layout to the smallest
measurements.

5. BOQ: The bill of quantities is a contract document that contains a list of materials and
workmanship involved in a construction project. It is necessary for properly pricing a project.

6. CAD: CAD (computer-aided design) refers to using architecture software to create

detailed models of buildings to speed up the design process, allow for more creativity, and
ensure greater accuracy in measurements.

7. Caulking: A flexible, rubbery type of material that is used to seal gaps in a joint.

8. Ceiling joist: Parallel framing members that support ceiling loads and are themselves
supported by load-bearing walls.

9. Circuit breaker: A switch in the electrical panel that shuts off power to certain parts of
the building.

10. Concrete: A building material created by a hardened mixture of cement, gravel, sand,
and water. It is used for slabs, columns, and other types of structures.

11. Construction management software: This software is designed for construction

managers to help them more efficiently run a construction project; it can include features to
manage accounting and financials, documentation, and team workloads.

12. Dimension: A dimension is used in the planning stage and refers to a measure between
two points.

13. Drywall: A panel made from gypsum plaster that is wrapped in cardboard. It is
commonly used as a fundamental material for framing a building.

14. Ducts: Piping that carries air throughout a structure.

15. Egress: A way of exiting a structure, such as a window or door. Laws require a certain
number of egress windows in certain parts of a home.

16. Field measure: Taking measurements within the structure itself rather than relying on
blueprints.
17. Floor plan: The floor plan refers to the layout of the building. It is a drawing of the
horizontal section that shows how the different spaces relate to each other.

18. Girder: The main horizontal support of a structure that supports smaller beams.

19. HVAC: An abbreviation that stands for heat, ventilation, and air conditioning.

20. I-beam: A beam that has a cross-section that looks like the capital letter I. Girders often
have an I-beam cross-section.

21. Insulation: Material that’s designed to prevent heat from leaving or entering a building.
Insulation material is placed within the walls, ceiling, or floor of a structure.

22. Joist: The location where the surfaces of two components are joined.

23. King stud: A framing member that runs from the bottom to the top of a panel or sheet.

24. Lath: A metal wire on the frame of a building that serves as a base for laying down
stucco or plaster.

25. Load-bearing wall (partition): A partition or load-bearing wall carries the load of the
structure above it. As a result, they cannot be removed without compromising the integrity of
the structure.

26. Mortar: In masonry, mortar is the paste that is used to bind stones, bricks, and other
similar types of units used to construct the walls of a building. Mortar can be made up of a
variety of things, such as asphalt, pitch, or clay.

27. Particle board: A substitute for plywood that is composed of sawdust mixed with resin.

28. Plywood: A panel of wood that is made from multiple layers of veneer, compressed
together.

29. PVC: Short for polyvinyl chloride, this common plastic is used most commonly for water
pipes and sometimes for flooring.

30. Rafter: A series of roof frame pieces that are connected to the supports and hold up the
roofing and sheathing.

31. Reinforced concrete: Concrete that is strengthened by adding steel bars or mesh within
the concrete.

32. Section: This is a drawing or model that shows what it would look like if you sliced
vertically through a building and were able to see its various components or layers,
showcasing exactly how a building is constructed top to bottom.

33. Skirting: Material that covers up the joint between the floor and a wall in the interior of a
building, for aesthetic purposes.
34. Stucco: A material made from aggregates, a binder, and water. It is often used as a
decorative coating on walls and ceilings.

35. Trim: The materials used to provide a clean finish of the building, such as moldings
around window and door openings, or the baseboards in rooms, for example.

36. Veneer: A very thin sheet of wood. It is typically a finer wood that is used as a decorative
cover for lower-quality wood.

37. Warping: A distortion of material, which can be a sign of water damage.

38. Zoning: A government regulation that involves restricting how a property is used. For
example, industrial buildings cannot be constructed in areas zoned solely for residential.

Types of Building Materials Used in Construction

1. Natural Construction Materials
Construction materials can be generally categorized into two sources, natural and synthetic.
Natural materials are those that are unprocessed or minimally processed by industry, such as
lumber or glass.

Synthetic materials are made in industrial settings after much human manipulations, such as
plastics and petroleum based paints. Both have their uses.

Mud, stone, and fibrous plants are the most basic materials, aside from tents made of flexible
materials such as cloth or skins. People all over the world have used these three materials
together to create homes to suit their local weather conditions.

In general stone and/or brush are used as basic structural components in these buildings,
while mud is used to fill in the space between, acting as a type of concrete and insulation.

A basic example is wattle and daub mostly used as permanent housing in tropical countries or
as summer structures by ancient northern peoples.

2. Fabric
The tent used to be the home of choice among nomadic groups the world over. Two well
known types include the conical teepee and the circular yurt. It has been revived as a major
construction technique with the development of tensile architecture and synthetic fabrics.
Modern buildings can be made of flexible material such as fabric membranes, and supported
by a system of steel cables or internal (air pressure.)

3. Mud and clay

The amount of each material used leads to different styles of buildings. The deciding factor is
usually connected with the quality of the soil being used. Larger amounts of clay usually
mean using the cob/adobe style, while low clay soil is usually associated with sod building.
The other main ingredients include more or less sand/gravel and straw/grasses. Rammed
earth is both an old and newer take on creating walls, once made by compacting clay soils
between planks by hand, now forms and mechanical pneumatic compressors are used.
Soil and especially clay is good thermal mass; it is very good at keeping temperatures at a
constant level. Homes built with earth tend to be naturally cool in the summer heat and warm
in cold weather. Clay holds heat or cold, releasing it over a period of time like stone.

Earthen walls change temperature slowly, so artificially raising or lowering the temperature
can use more resources than in say a wood built house, but the heat/coolness stays longer.

Peoples building with mostly dirt and clay, such as cob, sod, and adobe, resulted in homes
that have been built for centuries in western and northern Europe as well as the rest of the
world, and continue to be built, though on a smaller scale. Some of these buildings have
remained habitable for hundreds of years.

4. Rock
Rock structures have existed for as long as history can recall. It is the longest lasting building
material available, and is usually readily available. There are many types of rock through out
the world all with differing attributes that make them better or worse for particular uses.

Rock is a very dense material so it gives a lot of protection too, its main draw-back as a
material is its weight and awkwardness. Its energy density is also considered a big draw-back,
as stone is hard to keep warm without using large amounts of heating resources.
Dry-stone walls have been built for as long as humans have put one stone on top of another.
Eventually different forms of mortar were used to hold the stones together, cement being the
most commonplace now.

The granite-strewn uplands of Dartmoor National Park, United Kingdom, for example,
provided ample resources for early settlers. Circular huts were constructed from loose granite
rocks throughout the Neolithic and early Bronze Age, and the remains of an estimated 5,000
can still be seen today.

Granite continued to be used throughout the Medieval period (see Dartmoor longhouse) and
into modern times. Slate is another stone type, commonly used as roofing material in the
United Kingdom and other parts of the world where it is found.

Mostly stone buildings can be seen in most major cities, some civilizations built entirely with
stone such as the Pyramids in Egypt, the Aztec pyramids and the remains of the Inca
civilization.

5. Thatch
Thatch is one of the oldest of materials known; grass is a good insulator and easily harvested.
Many African tribes have lived in homes made completely of grasses year round. In Europe,
thatch roofs on homes were once prevalent but the material fell out of favour as
industrialization and improved transport increased the availability of other materials.

Today, though, the practice is undergoing a revival. In the Netherlands, for instance, many of
new builds too have thatched roofs with special ridge tiles on top.

6. Brush
Brush structures are built entirely from plant parts and are generally found in tropical and
subtropical areas, such as rainforests, where very large leaves can be used in the building.
Native Americans often built brush structures for resting and living in, too.

These are built mostly with branches, twigs and leaves, and bark, similar to a beaver’s lodge.
These were variously named wickiups, lean-tos, and so forth.
7. Ice
Ice was used by the Inuit for igloos, but has also been used for ice hotels as a tourist attraction
in northern areas that might not otherwise see many winter tourists.

8. Wood
Wood is a product of trees, and sometimes other fibrous plants, used for construction
purposes when cut or pressed into lumber and timber, such as boards, planks and similar
materials. It is a generic building material and is used in building just about any type of
structure in most climates.

Wood can be very flexible under loads, keeping strength while bending, and is incredibly
strong when compressed vertically.

There are many differing qualities to the different types of wood, even among same tree
species. This means specific species are better for various uses than others. And growing
conditions are important for deciding quality.

Historically, wood for building large structures was used in its unprocessed form as logs. The
trees were just cut to the needed length, sometimes stripped of bark, and then notched or
lashed into place.

In earlier times, and in some parts of the world, many country homes or communities had a
personal wood-lot from which the family or community would grow and harvest trees to
build with. These lots would be tended to like a garden.

With the invention of mechanizing saws came the mass production of dimensional lumber.
This made buildings quicker to put up and more uniform. Thus the modern western style
home was made.

9. Brick and Block

A brick is a block made of kiln-fired material, usually clay or shale, but also may be of lower
quality mud, etc. Clay bricks are formed in a moulding (the soft mud method), or in
commercial manufacture more frequently by extruding clay through a die and then wire-
cutting them to the proper size (the stiff mud process).

Bricks were widely used as a construction material in the 1700, 1800 and 1900s. This was
probably due to the fact that it was much more flame retardant than wood in the ever
crowding cities, and fairly cheap to produce.

Another type of block replaced clay bricks in the late 20th century. It was the Cinder block.
Made mostly with concrete.

An important low-cost material in developing countries is the Sandcrete block, which is

weaker but cheaper than fired clay bricks.

10. Concrete
Concrete is a composite building material made from the combination of aggregate
(composite) and a binder such as cement. The most common form of concrete is Portland
cement concrete, which consists of mineral aggregate (generally gravel and sand), portland
cement and water.

After mixing, the cement hydrates and eventually hardens into a stone-like material. When
used in the generic sense, this is the material referred to by the term concrete.
For a concrete construction of any size, as concrete has a rather low tensile strength, it is
generally strengthened using steel rods or bars (known as rebars). This strengthened concrete
is then referred to as reinforced concrete.

In order to minimise any air bubbles, that would weaken the structure, a vibrator is used to
eliminate any air that has been entrained when the liquid concrete mix is poured around the
ironwork. Concrete has been the predominant material in this modern age due to its
longevity, formability, and ease of transport.

11. Metal
Metal is used as structural framework for larger buildings such as skyscrapers, or as an
external surface covering.
There are many types of metals used for building. Steel is a metal alloy whose major
component is iron, and is the usual choice for metal structural construction. It is strong,
flexible, and if refined well and/or treated lasts a long time. Corrosion is metal’s prime enemy
when it comes to longevity.

The lower density and better corrosion resistance of aluminium alloys and tin sometimes
overcome their greater cost. Brass was more common in the past, but is usually restricted to
specific uses or specialty items today.

Metal figures quite prominently in prefabricated structures such as the Quonset hut, and can
be seen used in most cosmopolitan cities. It requires a great deal of human labor to produce
metal, especially in the large amounts needed for the building industries.

Other metals used include titanium, chrome, gold, silver. Titanium can be used for structural
purposes, but it is much more expensive than steel. Chrome, gold, and silver are used as
decoration, because these materials are expensive and lack structural qualities such as tensile
strength or hardness.

12. Glass
Clear windows have been used since the invention of glass to cover small openings in a
building. They provided humans with the ability to both let light into rooms while at the same
time keeping inclement weather outside. Glass is generally made from mixtures of sand and
silicates, and is very brittle.

Modern glass “curtain walls” can be used to cover the entire facade of a building. Glass can
also be used to span over a wide roof structure in a “space frame”.

13. Ceramics
Ceramics are such things as tiles, fixtures, etc. Ceramics are mostly used as fixtures or
coverings in buildings. Ceramic floors, walls, counter-tops, even ceilings. Many countries use
ceramic roofing tiles to cover many buildings.
Ceramics used to be just a specialized form of clay-pottery firing in kilns, but it has evolved
into more technical areas.

14. Plastic
Plastic pipes penetrating a concrete floor in a Canadian highrise apartment building

The term plastics covers a range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic condensation or

polymerization products that can be molded or extruded into objects or films or fibers. Their
name is derived from the fact that in their semi-liquid state they are malleable, or have the
property of plasticity.

Plastics vary immensely in heat tolerance, hardness, and resiliency. Combined with this
adaptability, the general uniformity of composition and lightness of plastics ensures their use
in almost all industrial applications today

15. Foam
Foamed plastic sheet to be used as backing for firestop mortar at CIBC bank in Toronto.

More recently synthetic polystyrene or polyurethane foam has been used on a limited scale. It
is light weight, easily shaped and an excellent insulator. It is usually used as part of a
structural insulated panel where the foam is sandwiched between wood or cement.

16. Cement composites

Cement bonded composites are an important class of construction material. These products
are made of hydrated cement paste that binds wood or alike particles or fibers to make precast
building components. Various fibrous materials including paper and fiberglass have been
used as binders.

Wood and natural fibres are composed of various soluble organic compounds like
carbohydrates, glycosides and phenolics. These compounds are known to retard cement
setting. Therefore, before using a wood in making cement boned composites, its
compatibility with cement is assessed.
Wood-cement compatibility is the ratio of a parameter related to the property of a wood-
cement composite to that of a neat cement paste. The compatibility is often expressed as a
percentage value.

To determine wood-cement compatibility, methods based on different properties are used,

such as, hydration characteristics, strength, interfacial bond and morphology.

Various methods are used by researchers such as the measurement of hydration

characteristics of a cement-aggregate mix; the comparison of the mechanical properties of
cement-aggregate mixes and the visual assessment of microstructural properties of the wood-
cement mixes.

It has been found that the hydration test by measuring the change in hydration temperature
with time is the most convenient method. Recently, Karade et al. have reviewed these
methods of compatibility assessment and suggested a method based on the ‘maturity concept’
i.e. taking in consideration both time and temperature of cement hydration reaction.

17. Building Materials in Modern Industry

Modern building is a multibillion dollar industry, and the production and harvesting of raw
materials for building purposes is on a worldwide scale. Often being a primary governmental
and trade keypoint between nations.

Environmental concerns are also becoming a major world topic concerning the availability
and sustainability of certain materials, and the extraction of such large quantities needed for
the human habitat.

18. Virtual Building  Materials

Certain materials like photographs, images, text may be considered virtual. While, they
usually exist on a substrate of natural material themselves, they acquire a different quality of
salience to natural materials through the process of representation.
19. Building Products
When we talk about building products we refer to the ready-made particles that are fitted in
different architectural hardware and decorative hardware parts of a building.

The list of building products exclusively exclude the materials, which are used to construct
the building architecture and supporting fixtures like windows, doors, cabinets, etc. Building
products do not make any part of a building rather they support and make them working.

Floor Plan

A building may be residential or public building. The plan, section along given vertical
plane and elevation gives the details of building.
Plan:
Plan of building represents a horizontal section of building at given height seen from top. It is a
general conventional to imagine that the building has been cut down by a horizontal plane at the
sill level of the window and is seen from the top after removal of so cutpart. The plan shows the
arrangement of rooms, varandah or corrider, position of door, and window and other openings
along with their respective sizes.
The dimension of the room indicated as Breath x Length In the case of Varandah‟s, the given
dimension upto the end of Varandah retaining wall and the position of beams, sunshades, portico,
ventilators which are above sill level of window are shown with dotted or broken lines.
Line diagram is the sketch generally not drawn to particular scale also known as line sketch. The
relative positions of all elements like rooms, doors, windows are clearly shown inside to inside.
From the given specifications, the thickness of wall in super structure shall be taken to draw the
fully dimensioned plan to a convenient scale.
Floor Plan Drawings provide a "bird's-eye view" of the different floor levels of your project.
They show scaled dimensions of the project, and include rooms, spaces, walls, partitions, doors,
windows, fixtures and other features.
For renovation and alteration projects, the drawings must clearly distinguish between existing,
new, and demolished or removed construction.
Walls and partitions must be shown at an appropriate width for the scale used. Single
line wall and partition drawings are not acceptable.
What is a Floor Plan?

A floor plan is a scaled diagram of a room or building viewed from above. The floor plan
may depict an entire building, one floor of a building, or a single room. It may also include
measurements, furniture, appliances, or anything else necessary to the purpose of the plan.

Floor plans are useful to help design furniture layout, wiring systems, and much more.
They're also a valuable tool for real estate agents and leasing companies in helping sell or rent
out a space.

The Importance of Floor Plan Design

Floor plans are essential when designing and building a home. A good floor plan can increase
the enjoyment of the home by creating a nice flow between spaces and can even increase its
resale value.

What are the key characteristics of a good floor plan when designing your house?
Versatile and flexible. Make sure in the future an office can easily be turned into a
child's bedroom whether for your family or a future buyer's.
Ideal room layout. Make sure bedrooms are far from entertaining spaces. Bathrooms
shouldn't face common entertainment spaces like dining rooms or living rooms.
Most people will like if the kitchen opens to the dining or living rooms so whoever
is cooking can still interact with guests or keep an eye on the kids playing.
 Size matters. Whenever designing any room or hallway, think about how many
people will be in that space at one time. Do they have room to move around? Is
there room for furniture to accommodate all the planned activities?
Fits your priorities and lifestyle. If entertaining is important, make sure there's a
good flow from the kitchen to an outside space and living room. If you work from
home, make sure your office gets ideal light and is perhaps in a quiet location.
When you do laundry, is it ok if you have to climb three floors to get from your
master bedroom to the laundry room?
Find the balance between architectural details and practical
considerations. Think about the safety of kids, cleaning, heating and cooling bill
before falling in love with some majestic staircase or floor to ceiling windows.
Marketing and communicating with floor plans

Floor plans are also key in communicating the flow of your space to potential buyers or
renters.

Rightmove released a study in 2013 that suggests that real estate buyers consider floor plans
not just nice to have, but essential when looking at properties. One in five said they would
ignore a property without a floor plan. They also rated floor plans more important than photos
and the description of the property. On the flip side, when sellers consider hiring a real estate
agent, Rightmove found that 42% wouldn't hire an agent that didn't offer a floor plan.
Adding a floor plan to a real estate listing can increase click-throughs from buyers by 52%.
You can also use a floor plan to communicate with contractors and vendors about an
upcoming remodeling project.
How to Draw a Floor Plan

There are a few basic steps to creating a floor plan:

Choose an area. Determine the area to be drawn. If the building already exists,

decide how much (a room, a floor, or the entire building) of it to draw. If the
building does not yet exist, brainstorm designs based on the size and shape of the
location on which to build.
Take measurements. If the building exists, measure the walls, doors, and pertinent
furniture so that the floor plan will be accurate. If the layout is being created for an
entirely new area, be sure that the total area will fit where it is to be built. It is
advisable to examine buildings built in similar areas to use as an estimate for this

floor plan.
Draw walls. Add walls for each room of the building, taking care to draw them to
scale.
Add architectural features. Begin adding features to the space by including the
unchangeable things, like the doors and windows, as well as the refrigerator,
dishwasher, dryer, and other important appliances that must be placed in a specific
location.
Add furniture. Add furniture if the floor plan calls for it.
Floor Plan Examples

The best way to understand floor plans is to look at some examples of floor plans.

Click on any of these floor plans included in SmartDraw and edit them:

House Plan - Contemporary

These instructions will aid you in creating your very own floor plan. The ability to create
floor plans is a vital part of what it means to be a civil engineer or architect. Follow these
instructions carefully to get the most out of what they offer. The design of a simple floor plan
requires little technical skill. Use of architectural or engineering scales is required, but other
than that all you need is an imagination. A quick video tutorial on the use of an engineering
scale is included in these instructions. Depending on the complexity of the design, this can
take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours. 

List of Supplies:
Pencil
Eraser
Engineering Paper
Engineering Scale
Attachments
Step 1: 1. Sketch Exterior Walls

To begin manually drafting a basic floor plan, start by lightly laying out your exterior walls
with the shape and dimensions desired for the house. For the sake of simplicity, the example
shown here is going to use a basic rectangular shape. It is also important to choose an
appropriate scale for the drawing.  The scale for this particular floor plan is 1 inch : 20 feet.

Step 3: Draw Reference Lines

Once the exterior walls are up it is helpful to add reference lines to the drawing for scaling
purposes. Generally these lines are put through the midpoints of the vertical and horizontal
walls of the house. This is demonstrated in the example.

Step 4: Interior Walls

Now it’s time to lay out the interior walls of the proposed house using light lines. It is
important to predetermine the thickness of these walls. Six inches is a typical thickness for a
house, the purpose being to leave room for plumbing and electrical tubing. It is at this stage
that the number of rooms and closets needs to be determined.
Step 5: Locate Doors

The next step is to determine the location of the doors to both enter the house, the rooms
within the house, and all of the closets using light lines. Standard door dimensions are 2 foot
8 inches, as used in the example. Placement on the wall will be dimensioned from the center
of the door, so be sure to measure accordingly.

Step 6: Add Windows

Windows are the next addition to the existing floor plan. Similar to the doorways, windows
will be dimension from their center. It is important to keep in mind realistic spacing and size
of the windows as well. All of the windows in this example are 3 feet wide for the sake of
simplicity, but feel free to make them any size.

Step 7: Place Cabinets, Kitchen Appliances and Bathroom Fixtures

Now it’s time to add cabinets, kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures to the plan. Lower
kitchen cabinets are typically 2 feet deep and upper cabinets are generally 1 foot deep. Lower
cabinets are given a solid line while upper cabinets are dashed. The refrigerator and stove are
deeper than than cabins and also drawn with solid lines, however they will be labeled later
on. Bathroom fixtures are drawn similarly, as is shown in the example.

Step 8: Dimension the Plan

It’s finally time to add dimensions to the floor plan. Make sure to thoroughly label
dimensions throughout the plan. All walls, doors, windows, cabinets and appliances need to
be dimensioned to ensure that their proper location is known. Reference the example to see a
basic demonstration of what dimensioning should look like.
Step 9: Label Rooms

Once dimensioning is complete it is time to label the rooms and add any specific notes
thought to be appropriate. Bedrooms should be labeled by number with the master bedroom
being number one.

Step 10: Clean It Up

The next step in finishing up the floor plan is to clean it up and make it look nice. Make sure
all mistakes are completely erased and look nice and clean cut. When you feel absolutely sure
that everything is correctly in place it is time to darken in all of the construction lines. This
should be done with a straight edge and NOT free hand.
Step 11: Add Title Block

The final thing needed on the floor plan is a title block. The title block should be on the
bottom right hand corner of your floor plan. It should include the name of your house, your
name and the size of the scale you used to draw it for future reference.

The floor plan is finally complete! It is now possible to look into further aspects of designing
the house and bringing it  to life. You're floor plan should be fully dimensioned and other
viewers should be able to easily comprehend your ideas.