BA Plans vs Construction Plans

A lot of people get confused as to the differences between a 'BA' set of drawings and 'Construction' drawings. Even people in the industry such as builder's and other designers don't fully understand the inclusions on these different packages. This is mostly due to differing opinions, experiences and marketing techniques. For example, if you looked at two sets of BA plans for the same project from two different designers there would without a doubt be a difference in the level of detail and inclusions.  This can be extremely difficult for clients when trying to compare fees as each designer has different inclusions and prices. This is why it is so important to not just compare the overall fee, but what is included in the fee and what you get for it.

Fundamentally, a set of BA plans contain only the information required for the certifier to approve the drawings. Many will argue that this is just not enough information to construct a building; and they're right. This is where construction drawings come in. They contain all the information on how the designer wants the building built, such as specific construction details, schedules, and other important requirements. Now, construction drawings are not a necessity. If you have a very competent builder, they can apply their knowledge and experience and use just the BA plans. However, if the builder is not very experienced in the type of project you are doing, then construction drawings are invaluable.

There is one step further you can go, and these are called 'Detailed Drawings'. These drawings contain everything that you get in construction drawings as well as the even finer details. These drawings are required when you have very specific requirements, or you just want to ensure that everything is taken care of. Items such as bathroom and kitchen elevations and details, fixture placements, lighting layouts and material specification are included.

The main advantage of having highly detailed drawings is it leaves less questions during construction; less decisions to be made on site and less mistakes. In turn this can save a lot of money and time. If you are unsure what package of drawings you think you will need, contact us today and we will guide you through the process.