Chapter 1: The House That Will Be Built

Case-study home 3D cutaway perspective, concept floor plan, and load path diagram from roof to walls to slab to soil

Diagram set showing house systems, load path sequence, envelope cross-section, and basic HVAC distribution concept

Residential project responsibility map, cost breakdown allocation diagram, and 8-month construction Gantt-style timeline

Buildable envelope and setback illustration showing front, side, and rear setback lines within the property boundary

Utility connection concept diagram showing water, sewer, gas, and electric service lines reaching the house from the street

Site drainage arrows diagram showing grading sloped away from the house foundation toward the street and swales

Full example lot site plan showing the house placement, driveway, setbacks, and patio within the buildable envelope

Civil engineering existing conditions plan C-100 showing topographic survey, contour lines, existing house, trees, and utility lines before construction

Civil engineering site plan C-200 showing the proposed house footprint, driveway, setbacks, and property boundary dimensions

Civil engineering grading and drainage plan C-300 showing proposed contours, slope percentages, and drainage calculations

Civil engineering utility site plan C-400 showing proposed water, sewer, gas, and electric service routing to the house

Civil engineering erosion and sediment control plan C-500 showing silt fence, rock check dams, and construction sequencing notes

Zone color-code legend and bubble diagram showing public, private, service, and transition zone relationships

Zoning overlay diagram with color-divided public, private, and service zones and a transition buffer

Preliminary floor plan schematic in hybrid CAD style showing walls, door swings, windows, and fixture rough-ins

Single-story residence architectural floor plan sheet A-101 showing rooms, dimensions, door swings, kitchen, bedrooms, and two-car garage

Basement and slab plan sheet A-101 showing unfinished basement, utility room, storage, family room, and egress window wells

Front elevation drawing of the case-study ranch home showing gable roof, garage, covered porch entry, and windows labeled with ridge line and grade line

Rear elevation drawing of the case-study home showing sliding glass door, windows, and ridge and grade lines

Left side elevation drawing of the case-study home showing the gable end, ridge line, and a utility window

Gable roof diagram labeling ridge line, gable end, roof plane, fascia, soffit, and overhang

Right side elevation drawing of the case-study home showing the gable end, roof plane, and bedroom windows

Dimensioned architectural front elevation sheet showing roof pitch, eave height, ceiling height, porch columns, shutters, and sash windows with a title block

Residential roof plan sheet showing ridges, hips, valleys, slope callouts, fascia lines, gutters, and downspouts from a top-down view

Gravity load path section diagram showing arrows tracing load from roof truss through top plate, studs, rim joist, foundation wall, concrete footing, and into soil

Tributary area diagram of a floor joist bay showing tributary width, joist centerline, and 16-inch on-center spacing

Top-down bearing versus non-bearing wall diagram with load arrows showing which walls align above supports

Floor joist example diagram showing a 2x10 joist spanning 12 feet with tributary width and load arrows labeled

Residential building section drawing showing the full cross-section from concrete slab foundation through wall framing, roof trusses, and ridge with room labels and dimensions

Annotated HVAC equipment location floor plan showing the furnace, interior mechanical closet, and supply trunk duct routing to bedrooms, kitchen, and living room

Duct routing illustration showing main trunk duct, branch ducts to each room, and return air path back to the furnace

Mechanical closet cutaway showing the furnace, combustion air path, condensate drain, and required service clearances

HVAC floor plan sheet M-101 showing supply and return air grilles, CFM values, ductwork, furnace and AC unit location, and a legend and title block

HVAC ductwork layout sheet M-200 showing supply and return trunks, flex duct connections, and diffuser locations routed below floor joists

Electrical floor plan showing outlet, switch, and light fixture locations with a legend, and the panelboard location in the garage

Receptacle spacing rule overlay map on a floor plan showing 12-foot maximum spacing between receptacles and kitchen counter spacing requirements

One-line electrical riser diagram showing utility service, meter, main breaker panel, and grounding to a ground rod and UFER ground

Grounding and bonding detail showing a UFER concrete-encased electrode, ground rod, and brass ground clamp at the foundation

Sample residential panel schedule table for a 200-amp service listing circuit numbers, breaker sizes, loads, wiring notes, and GFCI/AFCI requirements

Plumbing floor plan showing fixture layout and pipe routing for bathroom, kitchen, laundry, dishwasher, water heater, and manifold connections to the main water and sewer lines

Water supply schematic showing a PEX manifold distributing hot and cold water lines to toilet, sinks, tub, shower, dishwasher, and laundry

Plumbing floor plan sheet P-101 showing kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom fixtures with water, drain, waste, and vent pipe routing, a legend, and title block

Isometric plumbing riser diagram showing vertical stack vents, hot and cold water risers, and horizontal drain branches across ground, first, and second floors up to the roof vent terminal

Smoke alarm placement floor plan for a one-story home showing interconnected smoke alarms in each bedroom, hallway, and living areas

Carbon monoxide alarm placement floor plan showing combo smoke/CO alarms and dedicated CO alarms near sleeping areas and gas appliances

Low-voltage and smart-home wiring topology floor plan showing Cat 6 Ethernet jacks, TV coax, Wi-Fi ceiling access point, and a low-voltage panel in the mechanical closet

Permit path flowchart for a homeowner showing steps from start project through deciding scope, HOA check, permit submission, plan review, corrections, approval, and start of construction

Complete framing overview illustration showing a crane lifting a roof truss onto framed exterior and interior walls, with bottom plate, studs, headers, jack studs, and shear wall bracing labeled

Roof and envelope cutaway overview showing roof trusses, OSB decking, asphalt shingles, ridge vent, drip edge, weather-resistant barrier, flashing tape at windows, and siding trim

Rough-in diagram of a framed wall cavity showing electrical panel, Romex wiring, HVAC furnace with ductwork, PEX supply lines, PVC drain-waste-vent piping, P-trap, and a shower mixing valve