When do you need construction drafting?
Construction drafting is the indispensable basis for virtually every construction or renovation project. Private individuals need the drawings for the environmental permit, contractors use them as a guide for execution and architects deliver them as a technical basis for structural engineers and installers. Without a complete set of drawings, every construction project runs into delays: the municipality refuses to review it, the contractor cannot calculate and the structural engineer cannot carry out their calculations.
Construction drafting is typically used for:
- An extension, annex, roof structure or other renovation of a home.
- Renovation or restoration of an existing building, including surveying the existing situation.
- Applying for an environmental permit for building, renovating or changing the use.
- Preparation of a quote or building application by a contractor.
What does construction drafting include?
A complete set of drawings usually consists of floor plans of all storeys, elevation views of all relevant sides, sections through the structure, a site plan and, where needed, detail drawings. Floor plans, elevations and sections are usually drawn at a scale of 1:100 or 1:50; detail drawings at a scale of 1:20 or 1:10. For renovation or conversion, we deliver both the existing and the new situation.
In addition to the main drawings, supplementary documents may be needed, such as a principle detail of a floor, roof or facade build-up, or a basic installation plan that schematically shows ventilation, electrics and water. For renovation projects, we map the existing situation accurately, so new interventions connect seamlessly to the existing shell.
NEN standards and municipal requirements
Construction drawings follow fixed standards for scale, line thickness, hatching and dimensioning. For surface-area calculation we use NEN 2580, which unambiguously defines the usable floor area and the gross floor area of a building. The Environment and Planning Act and the Buildings (Living Environment) Decree set additional requirements for the content of a permit application: without a site plan with a north arrow, scale indication and correct dimensioning, an application is declared inadmissible.
In addition, every municipality has its own aesthetics policy (welstandsnota) and zoning plan, against which the design is reviewed. An experienced draughtsperson knows what level of detail and which additional information the municipality expects. This prevents requests for supplementary information and speeds up the processing time of the application.
What does construction drafting cost?
The price of construction drafting depends on the type of project, the scale and the complexity. For a simple extension the costs are limited, whereas a complete renovation of a stacked home with several storeys and connections to installations requires considerably more drafting hours. The availability of existing drawings also has an influence: if we can build on a building file from the municipal archive, that saves considerably on surveying and drafting work.
For anyone who specifically needs a price per type of intervention, we have separate product pages with indicative prices for an extension, annex, dormer, garage and other common renovations. Request a quote for a concrete price based on your project.
Who is construction drafting for?
Construction drafting is relevant for private individuals who initiate a renovation themselves and want to apply for the permit, for contractors who need a complete set of drawings for execution, for property developers bringing new-build homes to market and for architects who want to outsource the technical drafting so they can focus on design and advice themselves.
For renovation and restoration, additional knowledge plays a role: old homes often have structures and materials that are no longer standard. An experienced construction draughtsperson recognises these situations and tailors the drawing accordingly, so the contractor gets no surprises on site.
