Finding a Good Draftsperson
At some point many homeowners want a home designed just the way they want it, not some house from a cookie cutter builder. They may find a house plan in a newspaper, order plans from a magazine, or just have an idea of what they would like based on houses they have been in. But they need to get those ideas on paper, and have blueprints drawn to give to contractors. Since most municipalities do not require that construction plans for single-family dwellings be done by a registered architect or engineer, it can be much cheaper to hire a draftsperson to put those ideas on paper.
If you have a set of plans you purchased from a magazine or other source, the draftsperson can also make modifications to meet your needs or satisfy local building codes in order to get a building permit. A draftsman can also take the plans to structural engineers or other licensed professionals to be stamped if a particular element in the building should need special consideration.
Once plans were all drawn by hand but now, as with many aspects of modern life, the computer has entered the field to allow drafting to be done more quickly and accurately. The latest Computer Aided Drafting & Design (CADD) software can do 3D renderings and drafting which includes floor plans and elevations as well as plumbing and electrical plans to meet the standards set by the UBC, BNBC, BOCA and SBC building codes.
Although private individuals may not need plans for a single residence be drawn on computer, it is frequently required for larger commercial and governmental jobs. It is also easier to make changes to drawings created on computer and send them across modems, if needed. Therefore draftspersons are often asked to convert plans on paper to a CAD program for future use.
Draftspersons can also make Asbuilt drawings of existing buildings if needed, such as to apply for building permits to make modifications.
-- Tips courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com