Drafting plans are drawn to show the location of a home on a property in its context. Measuring the site allows the drafting plans to correctly reflect the position of your sites structure within the boundaries of your property.  Your site plan allows council (or accredited certifier) to assess compliance against regulations.

For simple extensions and straight forward renovation work a capable drafter will provide accurate drafting plans, for more involved work a drafter will be required to draw from wider experience and knowledge.

What else should be considered when drafting plans?

In addition to drafting plans, attention should be given to how design and compliance issues will impact your building objectives. This will be evident when your proposed work encroaches on council codes or requires a major shift in your homes layout.

In our experience the goal of many major building projects is to contribute significantly to the property’s value and/or improve the homes livability! Early savings can be made by ignoring design considerations, but when compared with the total costs of a project the difference in fees can amount to a fraction of overall costs and greatly diminish the potential capital growth of your biggest asset.

Choosing a drafter with experience in building design may come at an additional cost, but a good designer will be more than capable of adding significant value to your home.

Selecting a Drafter / Building Designer…

Selecting the right contractor for your drafting plans can be difficult; there is so much to consider especially when design is such a subjective matter…

Experience counts…

Check a designers gallery of work, if you see something you like or aspects of a design you would like incorporated into your proposed work, talk to the designer responsible.

You will find designers have a signature style that is refined through years of experience, a designer whose portfolio of work matches your taste in home will be better suited to capture your requirements and translate into drafting plans.

Familiarity with local codes

There is a framework that governs all building work in Brisbane which means you cannot build whatever or wherever you like on your property. There are standard boundary distances and heights your home needs to remain within and these can change based on the address and age of your home.

Many homes in Brisbane are affected by council codes, this could be in the form of the small lot code, character code or your home is located in a demolition control precinct, sometimes all three.

Remaining within the code constraints should be addressed during the creation of your drafting plans, sometimes it can mean a compromise on your requirements, working with a drafter or designer that knows the limitations can push your requirements a lot further than an operator who simply accepts the code as it is stated.

Experience can save home owners a lot of time, money and headaches. Understanding the codes and providing the right advice can minimize work downstream for engineers, town planners and certifiers, an area that can contribute to pre-approval costs.

Summary of Drafting Plan considerations

Plans are required for council (or certifier) approval prior to building; your drafting plans will dictate the look and feel of your project within the local area codes relevant to your property.

Your Drafter or Building Designers role is more than just providing a set of plans, it is their duty to capture your requirements and deliver these in a way that will add value and enhance your lifestyle all while enabling your builder to construct accordingly.

To get the most from your plans we suggest having a clear understanding of your overall goals, if you are unsure where to start… give the team at SEQ Building Design a call on 07 3257 7224 for an exploratory chat.