A site plan is a document that holds the drawings of your home build and how it will work with the land that you’re building on. It shows:
- Orientation
- Land contours
- Underground services
- Slab type
- Earthworks
- Driveways
- Neighbouring buildings
- Existing structures and vegetation
Learning how to interpret a site plan is a great skill you’ll gain while building your new home. At first, you may feel daunted at the prospect of reading such a detailed drawing, however, it’s worth your effort and attention as it will enable you to feel confident and aware as you work with your new home builder.
And just remember, when you choose an experienced and professional home builder like Henley, they help guide you through the entire construction process to help give you peace of mind.
Below are some tips to give you a quick lesson in ‘Site Plan 101’!
What is a site plan?
A site plan is a document that holds the drawings for your home build. It shows how your house will work with the land (also known as the block, lot or site) that you’re building on. Your builder works from these drawings to ensure a quality build that follows the building code and sticks to the agreed plan!
What sorts of information does a site plan contain?
Site plan formats can vary, depending on the location you are building in. There is no single urban planning system for Australia so different states have different building regulations.
Some site plans will be basic, simply requiring property lines and the building structure. However, the majority of site plans contain a range of detailed elements that are essential to a quality build.
These elements may include:
- the shape of the site and the footprint and location of the future structure
the overall size of the site or future structure, shown using a scale.
the site’s orientation – e.g. is it facing north, south, east or west?
contour lines to show the lay of the land and the variations in structure height
features of the space surrounding the building site that might cause issues for site access or construction, for example, fencing, gates, retaining walls, easements, walkways, etc
the exact positions of things like trees, poles, signage, rocks, etc.
any external structures and requirements, such as driveways, easements, water drainage, additional parking areas, gating, etc.
Who creates the site plan?
Site plans are usually prepared and designed by land surveyors, builders, building designers and architects. They’re important reference documents to verify that a property has been constructed to code/regulations and that a permit has been granted for building works. When you are looking at properties for sale, you can also ask to see the drawings if you want to check out how the property was constructed before you purchase – it’s great to know where sewerage and plumbing are, especially if you want to put in a pool or do landscaping down the track.
Is the site plan the same as the floor plan?
No, a site plan is a complete view from the birds-eye view perspective of the entire property, covering external features such as retaining walls, fences and how the home is situated on the block of land. The floor plan shows the actual house footprint and includes the interior walls and features.
Is a site plan drawn to scale?
Yes, most site plans will map out the area of a future building site as close to scale as possible.
When you design a house, most plans are drawn to scale to show you the difference between the size of the drawings and the size of the actual property to be constructed. It will be shown as a ratio form, for example, the majority of site plans are at a scale of 1:200, and also a block scale to provide a visual description of the distances and heights referenced in the site plan.
Is there only one site plan for each new home build project?
If you are embarking on a knock down and rebuild project, you will receive two sets of site plans. There will be the existing site plans (which show the site before the rebuild and what’s required during the property demolition) and also the proposed site plans (which show how the site will be changed and what the result will look like once your dream home is constructed).
If you are building a home in a new estate, then you will just have the site plan to show how the proposed property will work with the new home constructed.
What’s the purpose of the title block?
Often located at the bottom or right of the site plan, the title block captures the administrative information about the build, including the name of your building designer, architect, and the other key people in the project team. It also tells you when the drawings were made and by whom, as well as who approved the drawings for construction to begin.
What’s the best orientation to have?
The orientation of your new home will depend on several factors, including the climate, the orientation of neighbouring properties, and the outlook. North-facing homes are recommended where possible, as this makes the most of the sun’s warmth and natural light. The site plan will indicate how the property is positioned on the block, so you will notice a compass illustration or an arrow with the letter ‘N’ to show the direction north.
How do I read the land’s contour on the site plan?
The fall of the land will be depicted on the site plan as contour lines. This captures any important topographical information that could influence the build, such as identifying any hills, slopes or valleys. The contour is often referenced to the datam point so that you can understand how the land’s elevation may impact the end result and each contour line is in 200mm increments.
What do the symbols mean?
Reading a site plan is a bit like decoding a hidden message. Although you can soon learn what all the symbols mean – whether they indicate a window, a door, or electrical fixtures, for example. Simply refer to the legend on your site plan, find the symbol you want to know and match them up. If you are still lost, ask your builder to clarify what each dot, dash and stroke means!
How do I read the internal features of a home?
You will need to view your floorplan to get the specific details of your internal layout, including fixtures, fittings, windows, doors and sinks.
A floorplan will also give more detailed information on entryways, inner walls, doorways, stairways, patios, garages, and more. Even appliances like refrigerators, stoves, laundry sinks and more will be depicted on your floorplan!