Residential and Industrial Construction The Basics

The Plans In construction you must be able to read and understand blueprints. On blueprints you will find: How to build the structure (dimensions, elevations etc.) What materials to use (specification or “specs”, this includes nailing patterns, wood dimensions etc.)

Plans include: A plot plan (lot dimensions, placement of structure) Foundation plans Floor plans (these will include a set for plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling etc.) Elevations (showing front, rear, and sides of proposed structures)

Scale These drawing use different scales depending on what is being presented. Plot plans use 1/32 = 1’, whereas floor plans would use 1” = 1’ (paper size can matter here too). It’s important to not the scale before trying to interpret drawings

Estimation Having a complete set of plans helps companies closely estimate how much it will cost to build each project. Missing information at the estimation stage can increase cost to the customer significantly, which can lead to fisticuffs.

Building Contracts In construction, whether residential, commercial or industrial we have contracting companies. These contracts contain agreements on budget and building plans and specifications The general contractors are the company responsible for the initial contract of the build. This company can oversee the entire project or sub-contract to other companies

Subcontracting The are usually companies that specialize in a certain aspect of building construction. Electrical Plumbing Heating and cooling Kitchen/flooring/trim Roofing etc……..

How do contractors make money? When the estimation of the project is presented, most will add approx. 25% to cover overhead/unforeseeable costs Ex: $500, 000 home estimation 25% of $500,000 = $125,000 There are always hidden costs so if these even eat up half the profit, it still can be in the neighbourhood of $62, 500