Construction drawings are a must for every commercial construction project. There are various kinds of construction drawings. All work together to help construction workers assemble a cohesive finished piece and to aid with future maintenance. In this article, we’ll explain what you need to know about six of the most common types of drawings used in commercial construction.
Architectural
Produced prior to construction, these drawings act as blueprints for contractors. They detail plans for the foundation, floors, and architectural components such as doors, windows, and columns.
Structural
Based on the name alone, it’s easy to think architectural and structural drawings are the same, but they’re actually quite different. Whereas architectural drawings provide the basic structural information of a building, structural drawings delve deep into the details. A structural drawing will include information on:
- Roof slabs
- Beams
- Columns
- Excavation work
- Construction codes and procedures
Like architectural drawings, they’re produced prior to construction and used as a guideline for workers.
Electrical
Electrical drawings show the location of the power grid, wires, and other electrical parts in and around the building. Different marks are used to represent circuit breakers, conductors, generators, and more.
Plumbing
Plumbing drawings mark the location of drains, pipes, pumps, and other sanitary fixtures. They also include information on the type of material used for plumbing wares to aid with repair and make it easier to fend off corrosion.
HVAC
Also known as mechanical construction drawings, these drawings provide detail about the building’s heating and cooling plus ventilation systems.
As-Built
It’s rare that initial drawings remain unaltered. During construction, unforeseen circumstances often necessitate alterations to the original plans. To account for these adjustments, contractors or the owner of the building typically request an as-built drawing after construction concludes. As-built drawings depict the full layout of the building with changes included.
While these aren’t the only types of drawings used in commercial construction, they’re some of the most common ones used by contractors. Each drawing provides information invaluable to the construction process and to future owners of the building.
