Since a set of construction drawings
is the chief means by which
designers communicate their ideas
to builders, understanding them is
vital for anyone estimating or laying
out a construction job. Builders can
eliminate errors and much of their
frustration in dealing with
blueprints by paying close attention
to a few trouble spots. Since I design
70% of the projects my construction
company builds, I have some insight
into both points of view.
Perhaps the single most important
rule in reading blueprints is to
study the drawings as a set. Drawings
usually appear in the order in
which they are needed: first the
floor plans, then sections and elevations,
and finally the details.
The progression is from the general
to the