How to Draw Plans for Building Permits

You can draw plans yourself.

To pull building permits in most counties, you will need to draw plans. Depending on the scope and type of work you are doing, you can actually draw the plans yourself. A simple sketch detailing the work with accurate measurements will be sufficient. If your work involves a new addition to your property, you will need a licensed architect to do the plans for you. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Legal-size copy paper
• Pencils
• Ruler

Instructions

1. Contact your building department. Ask them if they will accept hand-drawn plans for your project. Most counties will accept hand-drawn plans, as long as they are not for a new addition or involve new plumbing.

2. Measure your entire house from the outside. Each wall is a separate measurement.

3. Draw the site plan. Use your ruler and legal paper to draw the outside of your house. Record, in feet and inches, the measurement of each wall on the outside perimeter of your house. You will design an overhead display of your house, though you do not have to show the roof, sheds or windows. Label your paper "Site Plan."

4. Identify the scope of your work. On the site plan the area for which you are pulling the permit, needs to be identified. To identify it, either highlight it or put light perpendicular lines on the rest of the property on which you will not be working. You will draw the interior walls for the area in which you are working, if conducting interior work.

5. Draw the work being done. On a separate paper, draw the work that will be done. If you are going to change something in your house, you need to draw a "before" and "after" sketch. All work being done needs to be measured accurately, so use your tape measure. Use the ruler for straight lines and erase completely or start over, in case of mistakes.

Tips & Warnings

• There are less requirements for plans you drew yourself. So, do not worry about fitting all the details into your plan.

• For faster approval, submit your sketches to an architect for review. They will charge you a minimal fee, usually less than the building department. The architect will let you know what changes you will need to make for approval. If your plans are good, they will even seal them for you, allowing your plans to be approved much more quickly.

References

• Portland Online: What Plans Do I Need for a Building Permit?