Blog

Feb 10 2015

Save Money by Saving Architectural Drawings

Architectural drawings retain their value long after the construction work is done. Designing renovations requires scaled drawings of the existing structure, including interior floor plans and exterior elevations. The renderings help your architect execute a design that keeps with the home's style and is in good proportion with the existing building.

When construction drawings are unavailable, the existing building must be measured and drawn from scratch.  The cost depends upon the size and complexity of the building. For a 4,000 square foot home, the total might add $3,000 to the cost of your project.

Even simple jobs can be less expensive when drawings are available. Say you want to open the kitchen up to the family room; drawings will show whether that wall is load-bearing. If your home is damaged by fire or water, rebuilding can begin more quickly if the drawings have been safely stored.

When buying a home, ask the current owners if they will pass along any existing drawings. Offer to pay for copies if they want the originals as keepsakes. When you sell your home, pay the favor forward by bringing copies of your drawings to the closing as a house-warming gift to the buyers.

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Architect NJ Hunterdon

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