How to Read a Blueprint
- 1). Mentally break the blueprint down into its parts. Concentrate on a room in the blueprint, then concentrate on the measurements and parts included in that room. Go over the blueprint from top to bottom, side to side, until you’ve got a basic familiarity with the blueprint.
- 2). Know that when you read a blueprint, you’re looking at a 1/4-inch scale; 1/4 inch on the blueprint is equal to 1 foot of actual length. Find the actual scale on the blueprint legend in case the scale is different. Look near the blueprint’s title for the scale the architect used to design the home.
- 3). Notice the elevation on the blueprint. Review the four elevation drawings representing the front, back and sides of the building on the blueprint. Read the blueprint information detailing what the house will look like, including the exterior finishes. Find the legend for this information near the elevation drawings. Proceed to the basement plans on the blueprint, and read the basement structure information.
- 4). Read the electric diagram blueprints that come with the building blueprint. Notice how some of the electric symbols are easy to understand. If any of the symbols are confusing, review the electric diagram legend. Match the electric diagram with the room that it’s associated with on the building blueprint. Know that this diagram generally is drawn on its own blueprint.
- 5). Read the plumbing outline when you read the blueprint; the plumbing legend will tell you what each symbol means. These symbols may be different in different parts of the world, as climate and other conditions dictate different plumbing systems. Know that the plot blueprints are straightforward, and represent the plot that the building will be on.
