Building a house undergoes various stages. Starting from concept designing to planning according to client’s requirement and ultimately the construction. All these phases are planned and represented with different drawings. Various types of drawings required are mentioned below to give you’re an understanding of how things work.

Plans

A horizontal plane cut through the building at a certain level is a plan.  a view from above showing the arrangement of spaces in building including walls, windows and door openings and other features at that level. It also shows anything that can be seen below that level including the floor, stairs (but only up to the plan level), fittings and sometimes furniture. Objects above the plan level (e.g. beams overhead) are indicated with dashed lines.

1. Site plan with landscape – This plan shows the complete planning of site and the relationship of the building and the landscape or group of buildings on the site. It shows the buildings that are existing and proposed with roads, parking, footpaths, trees and planting.
2. Different floor plans – These plans show the planning of different spaces in the building at different floor levels such as ground floor, first floor etc.
3. Roof or terrace plan – This plan shows the top view or the roof or terrace planning. It may consist of a staircase cabin on the terrace.

Sections

Cross sections are the vertical planes cut through the building. Those things which are cut by the section plane are shown in bold lines and rest of the things behind are shown lighter as they go farther.

Elevations

An elevation is basically the façade of the building. There are different views or facades of the buildings from different directions. Each elevation is labelled in relation to the compass direction it faces. The elevation lines are such that the things closer are darker and the lines become lighter as the things go farther.

3D design models

Three dimensional models are prepared using various software and these models can be viewed from different points to analyse how the building will look. By providing different colours and textures to different surfaces, a rendered drawing is produced that gives a realistic look to the view.

Working drawings

A set of drawings that are used in a construction of a project are working drawings. These include not only architect's drawings but structural and services engineer's drawings too. It gives a detailed idea of perfect location , dimensions and also the material used.

Site layout – Gives detailed dimensions between various buildings and elements on the site.

Centre line drawing – Shows the column grid and dimensions between various columns on the site.

Foundation layout – Shows detailed information of the foundations and its location.

Excavation layout – Gives the details of ground surface to be excavated for foundation.

Column beam layout – Shows the columns with dark solid hatch and dotted beam lines.

Masonry layout – Shows the brickwork at every floor level with gaps for doors and windows.

Electric layout – Shows the false ceiling layout and locations of electric fittings - ceiling lights, bulbs, fans, air-conditioners and switch boards.

Plumbing layout – Show the layout of pipelines including water supply line, drainage line and rainwater pipeline.

HVAC layout – Shows the air conditioning and heating locations and pipelines.

Door window details – Gives details of types of doors and windows and their sizes.

Toilet details – Gives details of tiling, slope in the floor and exact location of bathroom fixtures.

Wall section details – Shows detail of wall section ( brickwork, cladding, insulation etc.)

Staircase details – Shows details of risers, treads, notches, railings, balusters etc.

Floor and parapet details – Shows details of tile fixation and skirting

Sections – Detailed dimensioned cross sections with materials

Detailed elevations – Detailed elevations with information of cladding or other materials

Roof details with gutter – Shows roof details with slope of water flow and gutter