Design dimension & past learnings

Site 

• External Brick wall 260mm thick. (Consist of 110mm brick, 50mm air cavity, 90mm timber frame, 10mm internal plaster board.) 

• External Weatherboard (Hardie plank) wall 135mm thick.  (Consist of 25mm weatherboard, 90mm timber frame, 10mm internal plaster board.)

• External EPS textured wall (EPS = Expanded polystrene) 160mm thick.  (Consist of 50mm polystyrene, 90mm timber frame, 10mm internal plaster board.

• Check ResCode and Town Planning setback requirements.  Refer to this link how to find the requirements.  

Floor Layout

• Double garage minimum area 6m deep x 5.5m wide.  Single garage minimum area 6m deep x 3.5m wide.  Door swings outside garage area. 

• Standard door width are 420, 470, 520, 570, 620, 670, 720, 770, 820, 870, 920 and 970.  

  • Domestic - The common single door swings are 820 for living room and master bedroom; 770 for bedrooms and toilets.  Large house step up to 870 and 820 respectively.  In small spaces, use whatever door that works. 

  • Commercial - Door sizes are 920 and 970.  Do NOT use anything smaller.  Passage way minimum clear opening is 850mm for public spaces.  920mm opening minus a 50mm thick door allows 870mm clear opening for compliance. 

• Internal wall thickness = 110mm (Consist of 10mm plaster board - 90mm think stud - 10mm plaster board)

• Draw step down 100mm from indoor to garage or outdoor.  

• Smoke detectors are essential.  Locate SD between living space and bedroom.  Position SD outside bedroom, max 3m beyond the bedroom.  If 1 corridor connects living space to multiple bedrooms, it will comply by installing 1 smoke detector at the corridor. 

• Brick piers size approximately 400 x 400mm. (Minimum dimension 400mm) 

• Kitchen bench normally 600mm wide.  Large oven and cook top requires 800mm wide bench.  Working benches requires 1.2m backing space for manoeuvre.   

• All houses need storage.  Storage space keeps all other spaces tidy.  As a minimum, provide 2 internal cupboards 600mm deep by say around 900mm wide. 

Roof & Structure 

• Architect's structure plan is to coordinate other consultant's design.  We don't specify the beam sizes.  We specify joist using Standard Solution AS1684.2 or AS 1684.4.  

• Internal gutter, drop 50mm where change of water direction.  Avoid water flow backyards.  

Elevation design

• Generally, brick to ground floor.  Light weight cladding to first floor.  

• Generally, roof will be tiled.  Roof with slope shallower than 15 degrees will be corrugated iron type building material.

• For brick walls, clad with lightweight material above windows and door to save cost.  For street facing elevations, clad with brick above windows and doors.    

• Generally roof is tile, pitch at 22.5 degrees.  Some design may use metal sheet roof.  Roof pitch less than 15 degrees must use metal sheet roof.  Roof pitch is 2 to 5 degrees and must use Kliplok metal sheets (clip to structure, no screw penetration). 

• Windows that's 9m from neighbour's habitable rooms or secluded private open spaces must be screen from FFL to 1.7m high.  25% transparency is allowed.  (That is, screening 75mm every 100mm; or frost with up to 25% transparency.)

Use 2D images on Plans & Elevations

• On both plans and elevations for client presentation drawings, and

• On colour elevation page for Planning Permit drawings.

Beautiful presentation helps client and the Council approving the design.  Follow the steps below for presentation drawings.  

Working out the Sections

• Don't need to show individual truss on Section.  Label 'Truss to design and certify by manufacture' instead.  

Windows & Doors

• ID - Should be 001, 002, 003 etc.  Each window / door to have a separate ID.  Do NOT repeat ID.  (Identify any errors easily.)  

• Select Standard Size windows and doors to save construction cost.

• A&L is a popular manufacturer.  Refer to: https://www.alwindows.com.au 

• No windows behind WC hand wash basin, because the mirror will block the window. 

• Window market point to opening.  

• Standard homes window head height 2.1m; door head height 2040mm.

Internal elevation design

• Thing behind cupboard doors to be dotted.  E.g. Dotted line for sink behind the cupboard doors.

• Cupboard door width 450 - 600mm.  Usually equal width.

• Draws for cutlery width 600mm. 

Room names, abbreviation & size information

• Use these room names abbreviation for consistency in our drawings:

  • Master bedroom - MB

    • Prefer 4m x 4.5m or bigger.

  • Ensuite (Toilet & Bathroom for one bedroom) - ENS

  • Bedroom 1 - Bed 1 (2, 3, 4... so on)

    • Prefer 3m x 3.2m or bigger; minimum size 2.7m x 3m; Special shape 2.1m x 3.6m (Where 2.1m fits the length of a bed).

    • Fit all doors on one side of the room.  Avoid walking across the room from the bedroom door to the WR for example.

    • Show tiles 400 x 400mm or 400 x 200mm on internal elevations.  

  • 550 - 600mm deep wardrobe - WR

  • Walk in robes - WIR

  • Toilet / Water closet - WC 

    • Space to fit a toilet bowl: [900mm wide] x [toilet bowl length + 450mm]. 

  • Laundry - LDY

    • Min 1.6m wide (Consist of 600mm washing machine/bench - 1m walkway/working space.)

  • Bathroom - Bath

    • Space to fit a toilet bowl: [900mm wide] x [toilet bowl length + 450mm]. 

    • Hand wash basin often back with a mirror.  Avoid windows behind.  Vanity are 600mm deep by (standard) 600, 900, 1200 long. It is ok if vanity length is not standard length. 

    • Shower box - 750mm door swing to enter / exit the shower box.  (Min. 600mm) 

  • Dining Room - Dining

    • Minimum width 2.7m (Consist of 0.9m chair + backing space - 0.9m wide table - 0.9m chair + backing space)

  • Living Room - Living

    • Min size 4 x 4.5m - Allow as much walls for furniture as possible for living room of this size.

    • Large living room (over 6 x 6m) can have fewer furniture walls.  Sofa and tea table sits around a 4x4 space in the room with walking space around. 

  • Family Room - Family

  • Pantry - PTY

• No abbreviation

  • Kitchen

  • Butler

    • Some houses want deep fry space adjacent the kitchen.  All fume vent directly outside.

  • Garage

  • Entry

  • Porch

  • Alfresco

Abbreviation

Provide a table in the drawing showing the full text for all abbreviation.  This can be in the General Note page(s). 

Other Design & Planning Permit Learnings

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