Architectural Shop Drawings Vs. Design Drawings: Two Main Differences | CCC

When you are having your building designed, you are likely to encounter terms such as architectural shop drawings and design drawings. The two refer to different things, but all are associated with architectural drawings. So what do these two terms mean? Read on to earn more about this topic.

Design Drawings

These are a type of architectural drawings that are done right at the start of the project. Design drawings are primarily meant to convey the basics of the design idea. Typically, these may be put together by architects, working in tandem with engineers and other building professionals. Design drawings typically include floor plans, design layouts, exterior and interior elevations. 3D renderings of the exterior and the interior. Design drawings may also include site plans as well as convey aesthetic values of the house such as colors.

Architectural Shop Drawings

These are architectural designs that tend to be more precise than the first design drawings. Shop drawings are sometimes referred to a fabrication drawing. The reason for this term is that they are primarily meant to help fabricators develop the materials that will be needed to put together the building. Shop drawings are very detailed and have precise measurements based on the concept articulated in the design drawings.

For example, any steel that would be used in the construction would need to be fabricated. The shop drawings allow the fabricators to get the precise dimensions that are required. The shop drawings also detail the kind of material to be used as well as any pertinent information regarding their fabrication.

Importance Of These Documents

Both the shop drawings and the design drawings are communication tools that form the process of designing a building. The design drawings help all the people involved in the project to understand the basic form that the project will take. Once the design drawings are agreed upon and approved by the clients, the different project leaders then use the design drawings as a basis for developing shop drawings.

The subsequent shop drawings add detail to the basic design idea. It is not just the measurements that are added but the shop drawings detail what standards of quality are applicable, installation information and much more.

Another advantage of using these documents is the fact that it is easy to troubleshoot if anything goes wrong. For example, if the wrong quality of a material is used, the managers can always go back and check the quality specified in the shop drawings.

Finally, by using these documents the construction process is able to move a lot faster. This is because all the materials that need to be fabricated are planned for right from the start. This enables fabricators to start working on the materials even as the basic construction process is starting. This means that the fabricated component will be ready when they are needed, negating the need to halts the construction process to wait for the components to be manufactured.