How long?

[johnnyprc]

So I am curious how long it takes you guys to complete a plan set in CA? Lets pick a 2500-3000 SF med. complex home (not super simple, not super complex) - typical detailing. I'm trying to get a gauge on how long it should take me or my draftsmen.

[goalie13456]

I am also curious about this.

[carpenterguy]

About 20 hrs.

Andy.

[bbbuilders]

I recently completed a 2700 sq ft plan in 42.5 hrs. The plans were 20 sheets, including a site plan, specifications and structural engineering drafting.

[Sageland]

I just finished this 2100 sq ft plan today. It was 6 pages with 1 page of details. I finished it in about 7 hours. This was an old plan that the builder had built several years ago and wanted it redrawn with some revisions. I didn't have to do very much designing.
Having a good template helps a lot, along with anno sets.
I also have adopted my own version of Scott's SAM for the plan and the layout. I make sure that the front left corner of the house is at 0,0 so that when I associate the new plan with the layout, the viewports need very little adjusting.
I started using anno sets around the beginning of the year. I still can't believe how much time they save.
The MRLS is fantastic also. (Thanks again Scott!)

[Francois]

I just finished this 2100 sq ft plan today. It was 6 pages with 1 page of details. I finished it in about 7 hours. This was an old plan that the builder had built several years ago and wanted it redrawn with some revisions. I didn't have to do very much designing.
Having a good template helps a lot, along with anno sets.
I also have adopted my own version of Scott's SAM for the plan and the layout. I make sure that the front left corner of the house is at 0,0 so that when I associate the new plan with the layout, the viewports need very little adjusting.
I started using anno sets around the beginning of the year. I still can't believe how much time they save.
The MRLS is fantastic also. (Thanks again Scott!)

yes, the anno sets and lots of details, legends and notes you gathered in your library will save you big time.

[David J. Potter]

I have done home plans in many parts of the USA as well as abroad, I have done plans for such in Texas in as little as 8-10 hours (six pages) and I recently finished plans for a house in Portland, Ore. that took almost 60 hours and thirty pages.
The wild variable is NOT Chief Architect or Chief Users, but rather what is locally required and defined as "plans" by local building permit authorities. You even get a lot of difference between one plan checker and another within the same municipality.
You must always serve your clients with a hat-tip to those who oversee and permit building projects.

DJP

[Sageland]

I agree with David. The building departments are very easy to satisfy compared with what most of you guys have to deal with.

[Architex]

I have done home plans in many parts of the USA as well as abroad, I have done plans for such in Texas in as little as 8-10 hours (six pages) and I recently finished plans for a house in Portland, Ore. that took almost 60 hours and thirty pages.
The wild variable is NOT Chief Architect or Chief Users, but rather what is locally required and defined as "plans" by local building permit authorities. You even get a lot of difference between one plan checker and another within the same municipality.
You must always serve your clients with a hat-tip to those who oversee and permit building projects.

DJP

Ding Ding Ding,

David wins the grand prize. I think the question should be more like, "How long does it take you to draw a floor plan, cabs, elevations, electrical, and roof?" Or whatever combo is needed in your city. And even then my floor plan, elevation, electrical, cabs, roof (whatever) might have a lot more notes for the builder/client than the city requires. With that said it takes me about 15-20 hours to do a normal set for Dallas (and surrounding suburbs). I am a slow pony with CA. If it was Acad it would be around 8-10 hours. But I am learning everyday so that time should come down.

[perryh]

I simply can't tell you, every job I do is different, and what snacks are up that day.

[portrait]

Is the time for sketching and designing included in this 20 to 60 hours working process?
Maybe it's about Autocad, but i don't remember any projects that i could complete in less than a month.

[gawdzira]

I am with Ozgur. Even for small remodels I usually have at least 10 hours of design work. For me it is very hard to generalize due to the fact that designing and drafting overlap. Recently I tried to establish that no project is worth bidding unless there is at least 24 billable hours in the cost (around $1500). I have done a very small job in 10 hours. That was 2 sheets and did not include elevations. That project was an interior remodel of a bathroom:
*******
Site measure 1.5-2 hours
As built drawing - 1.5 hours
Concept design and discuss with client 2 hours
Construction docs finalize with details and research 3 hours
Printing and submitting to Building department 1 hour
*********
A 2500 s.f. home for a full set of con docs if it was locked down in the design would take me at least 40 hours.
A1 Project info and site plan
A2 Proposed Plans (maybe A2.1 also)
A3 Elevations (maybe A3.1)
A4 Roof plan, Sections
A5 Electrical plans
A6 Reflected Ceiling Plan
A7 Details
A8 Details
A9 Landscape and grading
Structural I hand off to an engineer
Actually I think I am up to 60 hours if it was a full set. When I do custom details I figure on about 20-30 minutes per detail. Some go faster if I have something already close but some of that time is spent sketching.

[lbuttery]

there is also the communication time that needs to be considered

each email from the client must be reviewed, analyzed, then replied

each email to the client must be written,analyzed,reviewed

same with phone calls etc

a lot of time can be spent on communication

I worked with a lot of fellow chiefers
each time they sent a plan I had to review it, analyize it, find issues,
document those issues, then communicate those issues
offer solution A or solution B, gives pros/cons for each alternative
or document the issue so the chiefer client could then fix on their own

Lew