Basics of Drawings & Blueprints : Chapter 2
Types of Drawings
In this module, we will learn about different types of drawings. Skip to quiz!
Drawing Types
Recall that drawings visually communicate the design and the information required in the building process. All drawings generally follow a set of conventions that are widely accepted in the industry. Construction drawings are often called drawings.
Construction drawings are prepared from sketch to final drawing, so a set of drawings is required to describe the building or home. Construction drawings also provide the detailed information required for building permits and are also prepared for tendering purposes. Let us see the types of drawings.
Drawings are of many types, but some of the widely used drawings are:
General Drawings,
Architectural Drawings,
Civil Drawings,
HVAC Drawings,
Electrical Drawings, and
Plumbing Drawings.
General Drawings
General drawings contain the cover sheet, plan index, and plot plans. It is more of a code and laws of the buildings, and no drawings are present on these pages. The details of all the drawings are mentioned on these pages, such as abbreviations, legends, codes, plan details, and site requirements.
The general drawings provide complete information of the site to:
Architect,
Contractor,
Consultants, and
Engineers
It also includes the address, name of the owner, and mainly site name.
In small projects, all information required is provided on one or two drawing sheets. For large or complex projects, many drawing sheets are used to provide all details of the project. The best practice is to refer to all the drawings sheets.
Architectural Drawings
Architectural drawings are also known as the mother drawings for all the other drawings used for construction. It contains all the project details, such as the following:
Site plan,
Working plans,
Sections,
Elevations, and
Other detail drawings.
The site plan is the primary drawing used for marking out the plan on the ground. It represents the location, orientation, and information about its topography, landscaping utilities, and site work.
The working plan gives the information of horizontal dimensions of the building, thickness of walls, clear spaces inside the building, and column locations. It also shows the openings required in the building, such as doors, windows, and ventilators.
Section drawings provide more information on how a building, interior space, or equipment is installed. It may be divided into one or more multiple views through the assembly in a vertical direction. Section drawings take such an imaginary slice through an object or building.
It provides information on heights and relationships between floors, ceilings, spaces, walls, and equipment locations above one another. Two or more sections are often provided at 90 degrees to one another to give additional information unless the space or object is simple.
However, drawing details such as parts of a building or interior space need to be viewed at different orientations to locate the correct position of an equipment. The image refer to sample plan consist of section drawings of walls and staircase.
Elevation drawings represent the following:
Information of openings,
Size, and
Shape of the building,
Height of the building, and
Finish of the building after completion.
The elevation drawings are made by visualizing a 3D view or a completed view of the building.
Architectural plans are the basis for any site to construct or renovate. The plan consists of a floor plan and interior layout, which are the basis for all plans. A technician can use the plans as a reference to identify the location of a diffuser, grilles, and different types of equipment provided in the reflected ceiling plans or equipment layouts.
Civil Drawings
The civil drawings show information about grading, landscaping, land survey, or other site details.
The civil drawings act as a guide for the workers and on-site engineers. Structural drawings also serve as civil engineering drawings.
Structural drawings can be termed as the backbone drawing of the building as the complete load is defined in it. The civil drawings consist of many drawings that explain how the building is constructed, and we will discuss some of them. Site plan: It provides an overview of the site regarding other buildings, roads, and geographical location.
General note: It provides an overview of all the codes, procedures, abbreviations, and many more required to give a comprehensive guide to working on the construction site. Excavation Drawing: The civil engineering drawing describes the dimensions and positions for the excavation process before the actual building work.
Column Layouts: The structural drawings include the layouts of how columns will be laid out. It also helps to define the position and distance between columns across the floor or site. Let us discuss some of the uses of civil drawings.
The civil plan helps to:
Locate the shafts and opening in the slab and structure,
Coordinate during the construction of a site,
Find the description of the walls, doors, windows, and other sections of the building, and
Locate reference lines from the floor or ceiling.
Construction drawings consist of many types of drawings, but some of the widely used drawings are:
General Drawings,
Architectural Drawings,
Civil Drawings,
HVAC Drawings,
Electrical Drawings, and
Plumbing Drawings.
Each drawing has its importance, but the best practice is to refer to all drawings.
Architectural drawings are the base for all drawings that include site details, plans, sections, and elevation drawings. Civil drawings show information about shafts, slab openings, grading, landscaping, land survey, and other site details.
MEP Drawings
In this module, we will learn about MEP drawings. Skip to quiz!
Mechanical Drawings
Mechanical drawings include HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, and Fire fighting drawings. They are also known as Mechanical Electrical Plumbing (MEP) drawings. It includes details for any HVAC installation and maintenance required at the site.
The cover sheet for mechanical drawings contains general notes, legends (chart or table of symbols and abbreviations), and details. Mechanical plans are normally identified as M-1, M-2, M-3, and so on. Mechanical drawings are themselves a set of drawings with complete detailed drawings.
Some of the types of mechanical plans are:
HVAC Floor plan,
Duct layout,
Riser diagram layout,
Piping layout, and
Equipment layout.
Each drawing has its unique functions, and separate detail drawings are provided for more details.
Mechanical drawings provide details of:
Size, type, and layout of ducting,
Location of diffusers, heat registers, return-air grilles, and dampers,
Equipment types, quantities, and its location, and
Wiring, drain pipe, and water line connections.
Electrical Drawings
The electrical drawing represents an in-depth account of all the electrical connections, outlets, fixtures, switches, lighting, fans, and many more. The electrical drawings provide base support to the electricians allowing them to understand the wiring layout on the floor.
An electrical drawing also indicates the load capacity required by the building. It also provides information about the power required by air conditioning or heating systems. The electrical drawings are very helpful to check the locations of items with the reflected ceiling and floor plans.
The cover sheet for electrical drawings contains general notes, legends (chart or table of symbols and abbreviations), and details. Electrical plans are generally identified as E-1, E-2, E-3, and so on. Electrical drawings are itself a set of drawings with complete detailed drawings.
The electrical drawing is helpful to work in collaboration with other trades. The majority of the equipment requires a power supply, and its details are provided in the electrical drawings. The electrical drawings help to recognize the proper locations of switches and distribution panels.
Plumbing Drawings
The plumbing construction plans provide the details of fixtures, waterline, and plumbing components. It includes the location and flow of sanitary pipes, water pipes, water drainage systems, and other plumbing systems related to the building. It also includes the position of the taps and water outlets on every floor
The plumbing drawings provide complete detail of a fixture installation. The plumbing drawings consist of pipes running through the walls, slabs, and underground sections. These details are used to work in collaboration with other trades of construction.
The cover sheet for plumbing drawings contains general notes, legends (chart or table of symbols and abbreviations), and schedules. Plumbing plans are generally identified as P-1, P-2, P-3, and so on. Plumbing drawings are itself a set of drawings with complete detailed drawings.
The plumbing drawings are helpful to locate the drain, connection type, and equipment type. One of the major issues during maintenance is pipe blockage, and pipe routing is found using the plumbing drawings. Nowadays, inbuilt fixtures are used widely so that no maintenance can be done without a plumbing drawing.
Enlarged Plans
The commercial buildings consist of multiple similar areas like apartments and hotel rooms. The multiple area floor plans are represented on drawings by a code or reference name on the floor plan. These multiple area plans are provided on other sheets of drawings named as enlarged unit plans.
The enlarged plans refer to the same code or reference names and do not apply to other areas. The enlarged plans have complete details related to the reflected ceiling plan, AC layout, electrical layout, and plumbing layout as per the respective plan set.
It is helpful to find the correct location of pipes, wires, duct, and fire fighting from the main connection lines. As seen in the image, the unit plan provides the detailed view of the electrical layout used in the floor plan of respective area. The index is the best source to find if any enlarged plans are used in plans.
Mechanical drawings include HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, and Fire fighting drawings, also known as Mechanical Electrical Plumbing (MEP) drawings. MEP drawings help to know the details and locate the equipment used in the building or home. Sometimes plans consist of code for floor plans, and these code plans are available on enlarged unit plans.
Question #1: Drawings used for construction purposes are known as?
Mechanical drawings
Home plan
Sketch
Construction drawings
Scroll down for the answer...
Answer: Construction drawings
Drawings used for construction purposes are known as construction drawings.
Question #2: The general drawing contains? : (Select all that apply)
Unit plan
Legends
Elevation plan
Plan details
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Answer: Legends
Plan details
The general drawings contain:
Plan index,
Legends,
General notes,
Address,
Abbreviations, and
Plan details.
Question #3: The architectural drawings consist of plans such as? (Select all that apply)
Site plan
Front plan
Elevation plan
Plan type
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Answer: Site plan
Elevation plan
The architectural drawings consist of plans such as:
Site plan,
Working plans,
Sections,
Elevations, and
Other detail drawings.
Question #4: The architectural drawings consist of a _____ plan and interior layout, which are the basis for all plans?
Unit plan
Central plan
Front plan
Floor plan
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Answer: Floor plan
The architectural drawings consist of a floor plan and interior layout, which are the basis for all plans.
Question #5: Which drawings show information about grading, landscaping, land survey, or other site details?
General drawings
Floor plan
Civil drawings
Construction drawings
Scroll down for the answer...
Answer: Civil drawings
Civil drawings show information about grading, landscaping, land survey, or other site details.
Question #6: The civil plan helps to?: (Select all that apply)
Finding the elevation of the plan
Locate the shafts and opening in the slab and structure
Finding the description of the interior
Locate reference lines from the floor or ceiling
Scroll down for the answer...
Answer: Locate the shafts and opening in the slab and structure
Locate reference lines from the floor or ceiling
The civil plan helps to:
Locate the shafts and opening in the slab and structure,
Coordinate during the construction of a site,
Find the description of the walls, doors, windows, and other sections of the building, and
Locate reference lines from the floor or ceiling.
Question #7: Mechanical drawings include HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Fire fighting drawings, and they are known as?
MEP drawings
General drawings
Civil drawings
Construction drawings
Scroll down for the answer...
Answer: MEP drawings
Mechanical drawings include HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, and Fire fighting drawings, known as Mechanical Electrical Plumbing (MEP) drawings.
Question #8: Some of the types of mechanical plans are?: (Select all that apply)
Duct layout
Site plan
Piping layout
Foundation plan
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Answer: Duct layout
Piping layout
Some of the types of mechanical plans are:
HVAC Floor plan,
Duct layout,
Riser diagram layout,
Piping layout, and
Equipment layout.
Question #9: Which drawings help to recognize the proper locations of switches and distribution panels?
Mechanical drawings
General drawings
Civil drawings
Electrical drawings
Scroll down for the answer...
Answer: Electrical drawings
The electrical drawings help to recognize the proper locations of switches and distribution panels.
Question #10: The details and location of sanitary pipes, water pipes, water drainage systems, and other plumbing systems required in the building are provided in?
Roof drawings
Electrical drawings
Plumbing drawings
Landscaping drawings
Scroll down for the answer...
Answer: Plumbing drawings
The plumbing drawings provide the details and location of sanitary pipes, water pipes, water drainage systems, and other plumbing systems required in the building.
Question #11: How does the enlarged unit plan is referred to on the floor plans? (Select all that apply)
Sheet number
Same Code
Plan notes
Reference name
Scroll down for the answer...
Answer: Same Code
Reference name
The enlarged plans refer to the same code or reference names as per the floor plan.