Documenting What’s There

This section explains how to measure rooms and record the location and condition of the structure and mechanical systems (plumbing, electrical, heating/cooling) as well as how to explore build­ing elements that affect design. Here, too, you learn how to map the site and consider how well exterior renovations will suit the neighborhood.

MEASURING ROOMS

Start by drawing a basic plan of each floor.

image63Подпись:Подпись:Подпись: Need beggar water heater

Подпись: Room Rater
Подпись: Rating YOUR ROOMS As you work up your wish list (program requirements), systematically rate how well each room works. Is the bedroom away, or at least screened, from a noisy street? Is the nursery or small child's bedroom near a bathroom? Is the home office inside of or detached from the main house? Does each room receive sunlight at optimal times? Are the rooms big enough for your furniture? Especially note conflicts within or between rooms, because such conflicts often generate useful design changes. Your room rating sheet might look something like the one shown here.

Using a 25-ft. retractable tape measure, record the overall dimensions of each room, noting the position of existing doors, windows, closets, fireplaces—anything that affects space. Take the time to record this information accurately. Be consistent in your measurements, always meas­uring to window and door jambs, not just to casings. (You are really measuring finished openings in walls.) Also note header and sill heights as well as ceiling heights and plane changes. Determine interior and exterior wall thicknesses by measuring door jambs.

Подпись: Tracing paper is one of the cheapest "building materials" and one of the most essential. With scaled-down floor plans on graph paper, overlays of tracing paper let you to make quick, reasonably accurate sketches as you explore different design options. Tracing-paper rolls are much cheaper than pads. 1111 Подпись: I Creating Floor Plansimage64Подпись: Using a 25 ft. measuring tape, record the dimensions of each room. Graph paper makes the task easier.To create accurate floor plans, transfer your recorded measurements to graph paper. Graph paper is handy because it helps you draw square corners and maintain scale without needing fancy drafting equipment. As to scale, most people find that Va in. = 1 ft. is large enough for detail and thus doesn’t require graph paper larger than 8’A in. x 11 in.

MAPPING THE BUILDING SITE

Once you’ve created floor plans, use a 100-ft. tape to measure the overall exterior dimensions. Using graph paper with a smaller scale than you used for the interior drawings (say, f8 in. = 1 ft.), posi­tion the house as accurately as you can on the lot. If you don’t know exact lot dimensions, check the closing documents you obtained upon pur­chasing the house or consult public records.

Also sketch locations of major site features, such as fences, trees, driveways, walks, ponds, streams, gardens, dog runs, and outbuildings. In the margins of the sketch or on separate sheets, draw in or note structures and features on adja­cent properties that affect your property or its use—such as a tree you enjoy seeing or a garage you don’t. As you gather information, think about how your proposed renovation might affect your neighbors. If a house addition blocks a neighbor’s view, you might have trouble getting it approved. Likewise, there’s no point in adding a window if it would overlook something ugly.

Most communities have setback requirements, minimum distances from structures to property lines; and seeking variances from setbacks is

often a long, frustrating process. Finally, don’t assume that existing fences accurately represent property lines. Verify property lines early on.

Updated: 11 ноября, 2015 — 9:38 пп