Location Plan
The location plan describes the property in relation to the city or municipality where it is located. The major landmarks are sometimes included in the location plan. The location of the property with reference to the block and lots within the subdivision is illustrated in the location plan.

Site Development Plan
The site development plan shows the footprint of the proposed house in relation to the property boundaries. It details the setbacks at all sides of the house. The location of the drainage utilities, water supply system and electrical system entrance point are also detailed in the site development plan.

Floor Plan
Depending on the number of floors, the floor plan shows the layout of the house. The details of the main entry, bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen and garage are laid out in detail in the floor plans. All living spaces are labeled with dimensions including the exact location of the doors and windows. Even the direction of the swing of the doors can be seen in the floor plans.

The second floor plan and the attic plan are similar to the first floor plan only that they describe the details of the living spaces found in the upper floors. For multi-storey buildings, a typical floor plan is used to describe the plan that is followed for most of the upper floors.

Elevation
The elevation describes the exterior view of the house from the front, left side, right side and the rear as if you were looking at the house standing. Elevations also show such details as the type of sidings used, windows, accent stones and finishes, rooflines, slopes, patios and porches.

Perspective
This is what you commonly see on the first page of the set of blueprints. The perspective is a three-dimensional drawing of the house and is used to aid the user to help them better visualize how the completed house should look like. These are also used as marketing materials of real estate developers. Many plans these days offer a computer generated three-dimensional perspective as computer graphics technology has influenced greatly the development of designs in the building industry.

Cross Section
Imagine if you would cut your house like a piece of bread, then a cross section would show you the interior details of the home. These cross sections aid the builder in understanding better how the interior of the structure to be built should look like.

Structural Plan
The structural plan shows you the reinforcing bar details and the thickness of the concrete that has to be used for the structure. For steel and wooden framed structures, the details of the structural member sizes and connections are shown.

This structural plan consists of the foundations for the house, the frames and walls including the ceilings and even the roofing plan. Depending on the materials chosen by the owner and the designer, the structural plan will be used by the contractor in following the specifications that are needed for the safe construction of the home. A structural design conforms to the requirements of the structural and building code and is subject to review and approval by the building official.

Mechanical/ Sanitary Plan
The mechanical and sanitary plans show the layout of the water system of the house. The location of the faucets, water heaters, pumps, storage tanks and even the drainage systems are all detailed in the sanitary plans. The mechanical plans also show how the integrated air conditioning systems are to be built.

Electrical Plans
The electrical plan shows the layout of the wiring system that will be constructed for the house. The locations of the lighting fixtures, outlets and switches are all shown in the electrical plan. Being familiar with the electrical symbols will help you identify the specific locations of the outlets and lights in your house. Upon looking at it, imagine where you will place your furniture and you may wish to add additional outlets to accommodate your additional appliances.

Landscaping Plans
A landscaping plan shows you all the details of the areas surrounding the structure including the types of stones and how they are to be laid out, the kind of lighting, shrubs, plants, trees, flowers, trellises, driveways and even swimming pools. A professional landscape architect usually does a landscaping plan separately.

Understanding Floor Plans
If this is your first time to look at a floor plan, a good way to visualize how your house would look like is to imagine yourself inside a specific area. Ask yourself about the important features that you would want to be included in your home. If you cannot imagine the dimensions, ask your designer or contractor to show you how the room or the living space would measure up when completed.

One person never does the blueprint of a house but it is a combined effort of various professionals who are well versed with their specific fields of expertise. They work together to integrate and deliver to you a well designed home. Being able to understand floor plans is a very effective tool in having a smooth and stress free construction of your home.