What is Floor Plan?

Floor plans are the scale drawings that show the interplay of rooms, spaces, and physical objects. They are an integral part of the house plan. They let you see how people will move around the room. Floor plans determine the suitability of space for its intended use, work through any potential issues, and redesign before moving on to more comprehensive planning or constructing phases. It shows the different alternatives and perspectives related to the location and dimension of rooms, windows, doors, kitchen and all other things as per the requirement by the user. Many consultants give their own floor plans as reference to the clients for a better idea and to develop good floor plans.

Blueprint

Blueprints are also a type of scale drawings but do not consist enough information for home builders or engineers to construct a home or other structure. Site plan and building plans which are referred by many architects, planners, etc. give a holistic view of the proposed plan. Building plans are used in construction proposals. On the other hand, a floor plan is a simple schematic that illustrates room arrangement and is used to provide a conceptual starting point. A builder needs comprehensive blueprints or construction drawings that are ready and include technical information not included in the typical floor plans. It is used to highlight the structure of the walls and essential components of the house, such as doors, windows, stairs, and the major furniture items of each floor of a home project. It also conveys the names and sizes of the rooms and the measurements between the walls. Scale drawings accurately depict both the interior and external layout.

Blueprints are useful in terms of

• Showing the overall plan of the house, including the walls and partitions.
• Understanding the project through the use of room articulation.
• Providing specific information about each room size and proportions

Whether a paper, pencil, and graph paper can be used to assist and scale, or an internet application to create y floor plan, there are several key processes and things that go into creating a great diagram.

List the prerequisites

Measure

Make sure that the measurements are right by measuring again. What should be measured:

• The space's outside walls or footprint, any entrances or entry, and windows.
• The walls go from side to side and from floor to ceiling.
• The location of electrical outlets, switches, and other controls.
• Any architectural plans, features, including fireplaces, brackets, shelves, benches, and other built-in components, are permanent fixtures.
• Surrounding area and exterior or overall dimensions of these things, and then place each on the layout.
• Objects that will be present in the space.

Scale

Floor plans should be drawn to scale, which involves decreasing the size of your picture such that the entire area fits on a single sheet of paper or computer. A standard scale is 1/4-inch equals 1 foot. Furniture and display booths should use the same scale that should include in the floor plan.

Consider the sightlines 

What a person wants to see while standing, sitting, or working? Consider windows, entrances, walls, and what makes the most sense for the area's functions you have in mind.

Create it 

Organize the floor design with all of the components in mind.

Evaluate 

Examine the list of desires and requirements. Examine the spatial layout, including circulation. Usable space, privacy, and accessibility are other important considerations. Learn more about assessing home space planning and design here.

Share

Collaborate and have someone else review your floor plan to receive useful comments and double-check thoughts and design.

Types of floor plans

There are three basic ways to envision a house's layout and convey important information to purchasers. The floor plan design should be provided in 2D to show the more technical elements and in 3D to view the overall image, including the floor coverings, paint, furniture, and decorating, to be similar to what the clients receive once constructed as feasible.

2D Floor Plans

The 2D (two-dimensional) floor plan is a flat depiction of the home layout that lacks perspective, displaying technical information and space measurements. This is a basic perspective that should give with 3D representations to assist clients in visualizing their future house. It consists of incorporating technical information, wall dimensions, surface areas, windows and doors, and so forth.

3D Floor Plans

It is simpler for consumers to read with a 3D (three-dimensional) perspective because it is generally completely equipped and decorated. It may also incorporate the design of the deck and garden. It is the most appealing and efficient approach to market a home project by showcasing it.

Major consideration for floor plan

Effective floor design necessitates that housing experts have a broad and thorough grasp of their customers' needs to recommend the ideal house layout for them. It must meet fundamental requirements such as garages, bedrooms, and bathroom, while maintaining a logical space flow and an appealing architectural balance.

Below figure shows a three-bedroom floor plan examples:

Layout

A house plan is a drawing that shows the shape, arrangements, and size of the building when seen from the top. House plans are inclusive of every detail including floor plans, roof plans, etc. Each customer's ideal house plan is unique. When designing a floor plan, you must start with the client's needs and adjust it to ensure that it is useful and practical, such as separating the living areas from the bedrooms. If you can discover the right room layout arrangement that provides adequate space in each room without wasting space in places that aren't essential, you'll be able to persuade your clients to work with you.

Size

To determine the size of each room, you must first determine the size of the family or the number of people who will reside in the new home. It is critical to ensure that the room sizes are large enough to be comfortable for day-to-day living.

Expenses

The floor plan must be developed according to the family's quality of living, as certain exceptional architectural concepts, such as high vaulted ceilings or big spiral staircases, might be more expensive to build and require significant monthly expenditures afterward.

Versatility

Make sure that certain rooms may be utilized for a different function if necessary, such as a guest room that can turn into a nursery, office, or gym area without interfering with the flow of the space. This plan must create the house plan in mind to satisfy the demands of your clientele for many years to come.

Lifestyle

It is important to understand the purchasers' lifestyles to ensure that your proposed floor plan meets their goals. If your clients work from home regularly or irregularly, they may want a dedicated home office or a separate place in a bedroom or living room.

Major floor plan components and their Symbols

Walls

Walls and partitions seem like solid lines that may separate to show indoor, outdoor isolation, or weatherproof.

Doors

Door arcs represent the orientation of the opening, in or out of the room, and the direction, which is shown by the straight line. Two rectangles symbolize sliding doors.

Stairs

Stairs are shown as a rectangle with parallel lines indicating the steps. The arrow indicates the upper side.

Window

Window arcs, like doors, show the direction of the opening, whereas hanging or a rectangle indicates picture windows.

Dimensions

Dimensions can be buried to create a clean floor plan, but they can also be included when necessary.

Uses

Site plan and floor plans are made by many consultants for clients who require their dream home to be designed with different arrangement of bathroom, bedrooms, Kitchen appliance etc. Software like AutoCAD are exhaustively used for faster formation of construction drawings.

Context and Applications

The following topics find their applications in

• Bachelors in Technology (Civil engineering)
• Bachelors in Architecture
• Masters in Technology (Civil engineering)

Practice Problems

1. Which of these is a type of floor plan?

1. 3D (Three Dimensional)
2. 4D (Four Dimensional)
3. 5D (Five Dimensional)
4. 6D (Six Dimensional)

Correct Answer: Option a.

Explanation: The floor plan design should be provided in 2D to show the more technical elements and in 3D to view the overall image.

2. Which of the following is not part of a floor plan?

1. Stairs
2. Window
3. Fan
4. Doors

Correct Answer: Option c.

Explanation: Floor Plan does not consist of a fan. It shows the different alternatives and perspectives related to the location and dimension of rooms, windows, doors, kitchen and all other things as per the requirement by the user.

3. What does the given symbol indicate?

1. A window
2. A roof
3. A door
4. A wall

Correct Answer: Option d.

Explanation: The symbol indicates a wall with two solid lines. Walls and partitions seem like solid lines that may separate to show indoor, outdoor isolation, or weatherproof.

4. What is the main purpose of illustrating/drawing a floor plan?

1. Find the total cost estimation
2. To convey the names and sizes of the rooms as well as the measurements between the walls
3. Know the color of the walls
4. It is not necessary at all.

Correct Answer: Option b.

Explanation: The main purpose of illustrating/drawing a floor plan is to convey the names and sizes of the rooms and the measurements between the walls.

5. Which of these is not a key consideration for floor planning?

1. Size
2. Color
3. Expenses
4. Layout

Correct Answer: Option b.

Explanation: Color is not a key consideration for floor planning. Usable space, privacy, and accessibility are other important considerations.

Related Concepts

• Two dimensional floor plans
• G+2 Residential Buildings
• Construction drawings