House Plans - Time Taken for Experienced Drafters

Hi all, new here but enjoying the vast knowledge in the forums!

I have now begun drafting houseplans as a moonlighting job. I am doing my first set for a friend (promo) so I can learn the ropes so to speak and not be held over the barrel should it taken longer than expected etc. I am logging my time, but finding the majority of my time is being spent at this point getting my blocks, title blocks, text styles, dimension styles, multi-lines etc set up. However I am making what I think to be good progress. All is being done in 2D.

For those of you who are experienced with drafting house plans...

How long does a typical set of plans take?

How do you charge your clients? Square foot? Hourly?

How many revisions do allow your clients before you start to charge 'extra'?

I have done some asking around in my town and the normal charge seems to be between 2500 and 3000 for an average set of plans. Does this seem normal? When I look at this value I expect one should be taking in the 60 hour range to make it worth while.

And I wonder how some go about doing their plans...

Multiline walls or Single lines and offset?

Do you use blocks for windows or simpy use a multiline?

Do you detail the joist spans (I am), to ensure bearing walls are within span limits of the joists etc?

One thing that I find a hassle is if the client asks for a window to be resized, I have to edit it on the plan, then go to the elevation that it is on and change it there too. Having it auto adjust the elevation would be so cool! I really liked Chief Architect for that!

Would love to hear others comments and input on house plan drafting! And if AutoCAD Architecture would be worth the investment for a moonlighter doing residential houseplans? Would it save time once familiar with the software!?

Cheers,

Here's a link that might help you figure-out some stuff.. like identifying the limits of what you'll do without an Engineer, and/or how to go about getting a building permit off your plans, etc.

http://www.coolhouseplans.com/faq.html

Typically, an Engineer's stamp on the drawings will help streamline the permit approval process, and save money in the long run, it depends upon the amount of items that have to be gone over by the building department and code enforcement agencies, and how many revisions/re-submittals you end-up being required to do. Some engineers will redo your drawings anyways, before accepting liability on them, and that becomes costly.

It's easier to get involved with the layout, acting as an architect, and then wander away while someone else sorts through the codes, etc.. but you likely wont want to do that with a friend. It's a shortcoming of many of these "house plans made easy" deals.. They'll claim that they don't give you something to build from because they don't know the local codes for where it's going, and yet turn around and tell you how "easy it is" to get the list of applicable codes.

Not sure what your house looks like but a multi line walled 3 bedroom single story house as a layout plan walls doors and windows 2 hours including dimensions and elevations plus it was full 3D.

If your serious then you need some "tools" I was involved in writing an architectural add on and the layout plan takes minutes. The code details takes longer, I had 2 hours to complete a typical concrete house slab plan more than that it started to cost money. Just cut and pasted most times with some lisp in between.

If your serious look here for lisps about walls and architectural blocks

BIGAL... wow full set of complete 3d plans ready for construction in 2 hours.... that is incredible.

If I have all the blocks done, I could probably get a two story home floor plan done in 4 hours. But that would not account for elevations or truss plan or dimensioning. I also am only working in 2D, so the elevations are by long method.. see complete draft of side view of home. I am also drafting in Microstation for 2D. I am trying a trial of AutoCAD Architecture for a 30 x 40 shop. It is very new to me and maybe more than I need, but I would love to become good at it. At this point I am definately struggling with it. I think it has potential to save lots of time, and it would give my clients more of a 'pretty picture'. But learning curve is steep.

I know nothing of Lisps, I will look into them. Kind of sounds like an action script for photoshop, but more versatile.

Would love to hear what others are taking to draft a set of plans. I was honeslty expecting 30 to 80 hour range. Not 2 hours!!

MikeScott... This will be my third set of plans upon which a building permit was issued without an Engineer 'sign off'. Our local municipality does not require it. They have internal officers who review and approve in house. Kind of old school I guess. But it works for me at this point.

Not sure what your house looks like but a multi line walled 3 bedroom single story house as a layout plan walls doors and windows 2 hours including dimensions and elevations plus it was full 3D.

 

If your serious then you need some "tools" I was involved in writing an architectural add on and the layout plan takes minutes. The code details takes longer, I had 2 hours to complete a typical concrete house slab plan more than that it started to cost money. Just cut and pasted most times with some lisp in between.

 

If your serious look here for lisps about walls and architectural blocks

If you're looking to move to the states, I have a job waiting for you!!