Skip to content
KitWren

Search tools

IntermediateFree Construction documentation course about 20 min

Plans, sections and elevations

The general arrangement drawings define the building. Learn what builders need from each drawing type and the conventions that make them readable.

In this lesson you will

  • Know what a construction floor plan must show
  • Know what elevations and sections must show
  • Apply line weight and symbol conventions
  • Coordinate between drawing types

Floor plans

  • Grids and setting-out dimensions tied to them.
  • Walls with type tags, openings with door and window tags.
  • Room names and numbers; floor levels (FFL) and changes in level.
  • Stairs with direction, riser count and landing levels.
  • Fixtures and fittings relevant to the builder.
  • References to sections, elevations, enlarged plans and details.
  • North point, scale, general notes and legend.

Elevations

Show every face of the building: external materials (tagged or keyed), openings with window/door tags, heights (levels to floors, eaves, ridge, parapets), ground line existing and proposed, downpipes, and any setbacks or height planes the approval requires.

Sections

Cut through the building where it explains the most — stairs, changes in level, double-height spaces. Show structure and construction build-ups, floor-to-floor heights, ceiling heights, roof pitch, footing and ground levels, and callouts to wall sections and details.

A floor plan with a section line cutting through the building with arrows showing the viewing direction, and four elevation markers outside the building, one on each side.1section 1elevation markers look at the building from outside
Figure: Section and elevation markers in a plan. Original KitWren diagram.

Conventions

Heaviest lines for elements cut by the section plane; medium for elements seen beyond; thin for dimensions, hatch and annotation; dashed for hidden or overhead items (e.g. roof outline on a plan). Use standard symbols from a legend. Consistency matters more than any particular convention.

A chart of lines: thick continuous for visible outlines, thin continuous for dimensions, dashed for hidden edges, chain (long dash, short dash) for centre lines, and thick chain for cutting planes.Visible outlineDimension / hatch / leaderHidden edgeCentre lineCutting plane
Figure: Line types and what they mean. Original KitWren diagram.

Common mistakes

  • Dimensioning to finishes when the builder sets out structure.

    Dimension to grids and structure for setting-out; add finish dimensions where needed.

  • Levels that disagree between drawings.

    Use levels from one source (the model or a level schedule) and check sections against elevations.

  • Missing references to sections and details.

    Every section and detail must be referenced from the plan or elevation it explains.

Exercise

Check a plan

  1. Take a floor plan you drew (or one from a public set).
  2. Tick each item from the plan list above; note anything missing.
  3. Check that every section marker points to a section that exists.

You should end up with: A checklist-verified plan.

Checklist

0 of 4 checked · saved on this device

Lesson quiz

1 / 4

Which drawing best shows floor-to-floor heights?

Finished this lesson?

Taking the quiz marks it complete too. Your course page picks up where you stopped.

Free KitWren tools that help

Free, independent learning material written for KitWren. We never provide software downloads, licence keys or cracks — use the official sources.