Browse Forums DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair 1 Jan 10, 2010 12:57 pm Here is a scanned version of the floor plans I requested from ACTPLA for our house. It was built in 1972, and is mostly the same now except for a slightly different kitchen layout (I actually wish ït was still the original layout, but what can you do).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikaela_d/4260597881/sizes/o/ What I'm wondering is, from this plan can anyone tell me where the load bearing walls are? And what does each symbol mean? There's no key on the plans, frustratingly. Once I know what I'm looking at I'll be able to form some sort of idea of how I want to extend =) Thanks in advance! [UPDATE] I've posted a clearer floorplan a little further down, and am looking for help with ideas for an upper level extension and staircase placement =) Re: Can someone please help decipher my floor plans? 2Jan 10, 2010 1:14 pm No other plans? Trusses transfer load to 'centre points', you need to check for centre points... ie where the bottom of the V sits. Get a pro to help, otherwise Hmmm... you may end up with a lower roof. Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Can someone please help decipher my floor plans? 3Jan 10, 2010 1:14 pm Chances are all walls are load bearing, but this doesn't mean you can't have beams placed and walls removed. I can't see too many symbols. The circles are lights, the full semicircles are double power points and the half filled semicircles are single power points. If you have any other specific symbols that you would like to know, just let us know. The C with an L through the middle means centre line. Demolition August 2009, Construction Started September 2009, Completed December 2010 Re: Can someone please help decipher my floor plans? 4Jan 10, 2010 1:47 pm why dont you jump up into the roof. Probably going to be the only way to find out. Trusses were not around then and it was usually left upto the carpenter to design so not to sure if you will be able to find plans for the roof design. Re: Can someone please help decipher my floor plans? 5Jan 10, 2010 2:36 pm Thanks everyone! I will poke my head up there and have a look, but what exactly am I looking for? "you need to check for centre points... ie where the bottom of the V sits." < This, in the roof? I'll have a look, and if I'm still confused I'll take a photo and share it for more suggestions. Good to know about the power points, thanks Casa2! Re: Can someone please help decipher my floor plans? 6Jan 10, 2010 8:04 pm As its a hip roof with a gable end its likely that the walls that run down the centre of the house will carry some load. Andy Re: Can someone please help decipher my floor plans? 7Jan 11, 2010 2:12 pm andy the pm As its a hip roof with a gable end its likely that the walls that run down the centre of the house will carry some load. Andy Sorry Andy, but IMO the roof is a hip roof both ends and possibly has some sort of flat roof section over the porch. Looking at the drawing I would say that the letters A, B, C & D are indicators as to elevation drawings on another piece or pieces of paper some where and the letter X marked at the front & back of the property could be a sectional indicator, meaning a cross section of the house to possibly show roof section/frame sections/slab details. Dirk Re: Can someone please help decipher my floor plans? 8Jan 11, 2010 2:50 pm OK...the following may sound like I'm being patronising but I'll assume that you know as much about building construction, as I know about creating great looking blogs (and a love the latest update of your blog by the way). When you go up in your roof you'll no doubt see a stack of these...trusses. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ What is important is what is the connection detail between the lower chord and the walls which you are concerned about being load bearing. If the walls are non-load bearing there could a gap between the bottom chord and the top plate (top plate in image below)... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The ends of the trusses will/should be tied down to the external framing walls. The gap could be bridged by some metal plates like... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ If the bottom chord is firmly connected to the top plate then the wall could be load bearing. So get some good photo's of these connections and I'm sure the chippies on here can advise whether it looks structural and then whether it'll be an easy or more complex reno. In any case when you get serious someone "in the know" will have to eyeball the roof structure to give you a definitive answer. Based on the roofing line in your drawing it's definitely of hip construction... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ And I'll let the experts correct anything in the above... mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Can someone please help decipher my floor plans? 10Jan 11, 2010 9:28 pm t_d_l thanks mate... I knew I wasn't going nuts with my bit about the trusses I might be dim but not dumb Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Can someone please help decipher my floor plans? 11Jan 13, 2010 7:00 am Thanks everyone (especially tdl)! Yup it's a hip roof, nothing fancy. I haven't had a chance to poke my head up yet, too busy getting the floors ready to sand and stain and varnish (wooohoooo it's going to be fab), but when I do I'll now know what to look for! The plan is to extend upwards, with a new master, ensuite, study and storeroom. Then we'll strip the current study, have it and the current spare room as kids rooms, and the current master as a playroom. The only thing I'm not sure about though is where to put a staircase! Any ideas on that one? Also, I've cleaned up the floorplan a bit to make it easier to see: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Help decipher floor plans? UPDATE: Also help plan extension 12Jan 13, 2010 7:21 am Which way is north? Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Help decipher floor plans? UPDATE: Also help plan extension 13Jan 13, 2010 9:48 am straight up and a tad to the left. Re: Help decipher floor plans? UPDATE: Also help plan extension 14Jan 13, 2010 10:02 am Sounds like a good solar north aspect. How close are your fences? Plenty of morning sun in the winter is a good thing. ... and slightly shaded from the arvo sun in summer Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Help decipher floor plans? UPDATE: Also help plan extension 15Jan 13, 2010 11:52 am on the left the fence is about 2m away (there's a nice spot to put a water tank in there.. are there any restrictions to how close these can be to fences?), then the back yard fence (top of plan) is miles away, I'll have to measure but I think it's about 10m at the top left tip and maybe 6/7 on the carport side (right). Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Help decipher floor plans? UPDATE: Also help plan extension 16Jan 13, 2010 12:10 pm Sorry not my field of exp'... tanks are good, just make sure it is big enough to do some good. 500 ltrs will cause you more trouble with overflowing unless drainage is taken into consideration during install. Onc Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Help decipher floor plans? UPDATE: Also help plan extension 17Jan 13, 2010 12:23 pm We were thinking more like 3/4000lt, we'll be getting the biggest that will fit in the area =) Also I need a refresher, which side of the house should all the windows be on? I want to draw up some ideas for the extension. And do I need to keep in mind the bottom half or will the builders just do what's needed to make sure it doesn't fall down? Re: Help decipher floor plans? UPDATE: Also help plan extension 18Jan 13, 2010 12:31 pm Glass on the north face - and north east corner, solid south & west. As a general rule anyway. Where you are coming from is where you are going to... This is a very tight fit, I'm not sure if you'll be able to achieve what you've described. Would you consider accessing the separate toilet from the laundry? If so maybe… 1 11258 we need accurate dimensions as well as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms needed etc to make specific suggestions but, based on estimated rooms sizes, it could be… 1 579 |