The living space of a one storey brick dwelling was tripled, and a small bungalow was converted into the one of the kind 3 storey contemporary house with finished basement and livable 3rd storey attic. In an established enclave of 1-1/2 storey homes, adding a third floor to a proposed dwelling is difficult enough. The key factor in obtaining the positive verdict of the Committee of Adjustment was the fact that the addition would be constructed on existing footprint, not to mention the fact that using existing foundation helped to save the homeowner over ten thousand dollars.
Many homeowners come to us with a vision of their dream home, and the ideas for shaping this personal space, finally bringing it to life. Architectural drawings are used to communicate and realize this vision, serving as the culmination of the process of transforming a homeowner’s ideas into a practical manual that will guide the entire construction and design process.
Aside from communicating a homeowner’s vision, architectural drawings are also used to ensure the safety of the future building. The City uses these drawings to make sure that the building meets all safety and zoning requirements. The builder uses the architectural drawings as the manual to build the house. The drawings are the detailed planning stage of the project, and the better the plan, the better its execution. The more accurate and precise the architectural drawings are, the smoother the construction of the project will be.
Once preliminary designs have been approved by the homeowner, the fundamental work of translating a rough concept of spatial relationships into a design with all the elevations (front, rear and side) and floor plans begins. Completed architectural drawings are the final result of long, detailed discussions between the homeowner and the architect. The drawings take into account the wishes of the homeowner, the budget, lot size, and zoning by-laws - factors which clients often have little experience with.
A complete set of house plans commonly contains floor plans, elevations, and sections that together form a precise image of the entire house.
Here are the components of a house plan:
Consistency is of the utmost importance in the process of preparing house plans. Every part of the plans, every drawing has to match in order to unify into an exact image of the completed house. The windows on the elevation drawings, for example, have to match the windows on the floor plans.
Beyond the details of the layout, the elevation and sections, the architect also needs to take into consideration elements such as sunlight (i.e. allocating rooms which need more or less sunlight on each side of the building); grading, which is the building’s responds to uneven ground; and the integration the garage, the driveway, and cars.
Technical details also need to be considered in the floor plans, such as the position of the doors, such that they don’t interfere with each other, and the position of the plumbing fixtures, to optimize the future cost of plumbing. Certain rooms may need to be designed with some furniture in mind; for example when a homeowner wants to install particular pre-manufactured organizers from a specific company, the architect may use the dimensions of these to determine the layout of the homeowner’s walk in closet.
The homeowner’s ideas and desired style are translated into a package of architectural drawings which includes floor plans, elevations, and sections, with all the structural solutions thought through and the specifications focusing on the materials, installation techniques, and quality standards. The complete package is then submitted to the City, which reviews the designs, and ensures that they meet Ontario Building Code and by-law standards.
The package should completely and fully satisfy the City. All preliminary approvals, including the Committee of Adjustment approval, Heritage approval (if required), Ministry of Transportation, and the Urban Forestry and Tree Department approval, will be obtained; all plans and drawings, obeying all by-laws, will be stamped and signed by the relevant and qualified designers and engineers. This ensures that there is no bouncing back and forth between the City and the Architect, also that the permit application process goes as smoothly and swiftly as possible.
The completed house plan package should also be completely legible for construction crews, ensuring that no unexpected changes will need to be made along the way. Complete and precise drawings result in an easy and timely permit application process, as well as a straightforward and uncomplicated construction process. With great drawings, projects are completed on time and on budget.
At Well Built, our commitment is to deliver industry-standard and well-envisioned architectural drawings. Drawing inspiration and valuable lessons from our years of practical experience, and with a thorough understanding of the process, you can trust that we will ask the right questions to develop the architectural design that best matches your ideas and style.
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