Best Blueprint Reading Classes in Chicago

What is Blueprint Reading?

Success in fields like architecture, construction, interior design, and contracting requires a diverse range of skills. For example, blueprint reading helps experts in these markets plan their projects and ensure they’re adequately completed. But what is blueprint reading? First, it’s essential to define a blueprint. First developed in the 19th century, blueprints are overhead, two-dimensional plans highlighting a project’s specific needs to direct the building process. 

In this way, blueprint reading helps builders, architects, and contractors quickly grasp a project’s overall scope. For example, general contractors may read blueprints when crafting a building’s physical structure, including its walls, foundation, and floors. Electricians, on the other hand, will read a blueprint when laying electrical wires and installing other vital elements. As a result, knowing this skill can help Chicago construction experts expand their potential career options.

Blueprint Reading Classes Near Me

Windy City residents serious about learning this skill are in luck because there are plenty of blueprint reading classes in Chicago that could work perfectly for their needs! The following two schools and three courses offer online education for Chicago residents that can help them master blueprint reading and walk away confident in their overall skills and abilities.

Learn Blueprint Reading

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VDCI

VDCI is an acclaimed and highly popular online training team that provides fairly priced self-directed courses in construction trades. Their learning hub includes finely tuned classes designed for the average learner! While each session is self-directed, students can reach out to a professor or mentor to get the support they need to master blueprint reading and other skills.

Blueprint Reading Course - Residential Construction

Blueprint Reading Course - Residential Construction costs $280 and should take around 10 hours to complete. It comes with four hours of on-demand videos that help learners sharpen their skills in various ways. During their sessions, students will study various drawing types, examine construction documents, learn about residential blueprint symbols, and much more. 

Blueprint Reading & Construction Estimating Course Bundle

Blueprint Reading & Construction Estimating Course Bundle is the next course in VDCI’s intensive blueprint reading training curriculum. Costing $837 and taking around 50 hours to finish, this course shifts learners into the commercial realm, where they’ll learn about the differences in various business properties and even practice reading 3D models generated.

Contractor Exam Schools

Contractor Exam Schools offers training programs in various contracting subjects, focused primarily on the building trades. While they provide in-person education primarily in California, their online training options are available in Chicago. They’re known for fast-paced courses that use the Mizener Method to work through a detailed step-by-step process for each lesson plan.

Introduction to Blueprint Reading

Introduction to Blueprint Reading costs around $600 and last about 10 days. In this 32-hour seminar, students will learn about the fundamentals of blueprint reading, practice in residential and light industrial projects, understand drawings and specifications, master measuring tools, and get the inside scoop on pricing and estimates for most types of complex building projects.

What Can You Do with Blueprint Reading Training?

Understanding what you can do with blueprint reading skills can help Chicago-area experts and amateurs alike better plan their unique bootcamp experience. While anyone in the construction industry should understand how to read blueprints, even an average person can use this skill in many ways. For example, they can download, print, and read home renovation blueprints to grasp their costs fully and better plan everything with their contractors and subcontractors.

However, blueprint reading also helps with planning landscaping and gardening projects! After all, these sprawling installations often require things like irrigation and drainage systems. Blueprint reading helps homeowners plan these projects more successfully. For instance, they can use these detailed plans to properly lay out drainage fields before adding trees, bushes, and shrubs to their property. Doing so helps considerably speed up their installation process. 

Finally, Windy City homeowners with building skills can use blueprints to craft decks, sheds, treehouses, and garages. Rather than winging it without a plan, blueprints make it easier for them to produce strong, consistent, and long-lasting structures. Even better, hobbyists can use blueprint reading when building things like desks, couches, bookshelves, chairs, and other complex furniture. In this way, blueprint reading solidifies their overall building process. 

What Will I Learn in a Blueprint Reading Class?

Knowing what they’ll learn in their courses is just as crucial for students to grasp as how to learn blueprint reading in general. For example, understanding what concepts they’ll study before signing up for a Chicago-area class can help learners decide whether this subject suits them. Typically, the most successful students in these programs have some building experience. That said, even true beginners will master a myriad of powerful concepts, including:

• General Design Concepts: Blueprint reading bootcamps often start by teaching critically important design theories and concepts, such as structural load and proper building laws. These foundational skills help reinforce a learner’s overall knowledge.
• Various Plan Types: Most blueprints utilize multiple layouts, such as floor, electrical, and plot plans, to create a comprehensive examination of a building project. During their course, students may also study multi-view, elevation, and isometric project drawings.
• Concept Drawings: Otherwise known as sketches, concept drawings are a valuable way for architects and others to illustrate design ideas. Blueprint reading courses cover this topic to help budding contractors read these sometimes hasty sketches more easily.
• Technical Drawing: Technical drawings often include complex details, such as units of measurement, perspective, and notation systems, that help builders successfully finish their projects. In blueprint reading bootcamps, students will learn these important skills.
• Decision-Making: When examining detailed building plans, contractors must make critical decisions based on the provided information. Thankfully, mastering blueprint reading helps learners feel more comfortable choosing project elements wisely.

What Kinds of Training Options are Available to Learn Blueprint Reading?

Chicago residents interested in taking blueprint reading lessons can choose between a few options split between in-person and online courses. In-person classes occur in a physical classroom and offer computers, software programs, and other tools that help learners study. They’ll get the chance to interact with their professors and fellow students to build their knowledge and walk away confident in their abilities to read blueprints professionally. 

As far as internet-based programs go, live online classes might be the most popular. They include real-time education from a professor who can correct their mistakes, offer them guidance, and improve their abilities. Learners can also interact with fellow students to build relationships in focused study groups. This method mirrors in-person programs very closely and is often an easier option for people who prefer learning with large groups of fellow students. 

Those who want an experience they can control more easily might prefer on-demand courses. These programs are similar to the asynchronous programs created by Udemy and Coursera. Students watch videos, do exercises, and complete projects at their own pace. Some might burn through their course in a few days, while others need a few months. That personalized approach gives these classes a bit more leeway compared to live online sessions. 

Finally, self-directed classes work similarly to on-demand but provide extra support from instructors or mentors. Rather than doing their videos without help, they can contact their teacher, discuss any confusion, and figure out what’s wrong. For Chicago students who need a more hands-on approach but who still want to learn online at their own pace, self-directed sessions provide an outstanding balance that can help them master blueprint reading quickly.

Choosing the Right Training Method for You

Each of the Windy City blueprint reading training course types mentioned above provides many significant advantages that make them worth taking. However, there are naturally a few downsides to them as well. As a result, any serious Chicago contracting professional who wants to master this skill to improve their career needs to check out the list below to learn more:

• In-Person: Taking blueprint reading classes in person in Chicago offers advantages like lots of time with the professor, access to learning materials (computers and software), and interaction time with fellow students. Unfortunately, they usually cost more and require personal attendance, meaning Chicago residents must fight through traffic.
• Live Online:Real-time internet classes emulate an in-person session without requiring travel, meaning learners can study from their bedroom or while lounging on the couch! They also get help directly from their professor to improve their skills. However, learners must attend at specific times and can fall behind easily if they miss a session.
• On-Demand: People with a hectic schedule typically love on-demand classes because they can fit them into their lives whenever they want. They’re also usually relatively inexpensive compared to in-person and live online sessions. Unfortunately, they lack teacher support, which might be hard for some learners to handle in their training.
• Self-Directed: These courses combine the benefits of on-demand classes (i.e., watching videos when they want) with the advantages of live online programs (i.e., professor support). Their big downside is that they’re neither “fish nor fowl,” i.e., some might find them more restrictive than on-demand and less supporting than live online.

Reading through these bullet points should help Chicago students better understand what programs make the most sense for them. Thankfully, there are in-person and online classes available for everybody in the city! However, anyone serious about their education must know what they’re getting into, including how hard it is to learn and how long it takes to learn this skill.

How Hard is it to Learn Blueprint Reading?

The first time Chicago learners look at a set of blueprints, they will probably feel completely overwhelmed. There are so many symbols and elements in a typical building plan that knowing how to grasp what they’re looking at takes time. The great thing about this process is that each newly learned skill will make understanding a blueprint far easier. That said, fundamental understanding is not the same as professional competence: practice makes perfect, as always.

What are the most challenging parts of learning Blueprint Reading?

Blueprints contain multiple symbols that indicate things like electrical elements, stairs, walls, and other essential items. Understanding these offers a significant challenge to many new learners because they’re often rather abstract. Once learned, though, blueprint reading should become far more straightforward to master. Other difficulties that learners might experience include understanding construction concepts like wall layout, load-bearing elements, and foundations. 

How Long Does it Take to Learn Blueprint Reading?

The average time it takes to learn blueprint reading will vary on a person-by-person basis. For example, a beginner will require weeks and months of training just to grasp the basics. Also, they might need to study construction fundamentals to solidify their skills. That said, Windy City contractors with years of experience may learn it quickly. Generally speaking, professional expertise might require 5-6 months of training, though bootcamps can speed up this process.

Can I Learn Blueprint Reading Free Online?

While the best free blueprint reading resources and tutorials can help supplement an education, they’re not a replacement for a well-designed class. Sure, free seminars and YouTube videos can help answer some basic questions and problem-solve, but they’re not comprehensive enough for mastery. That doesn’t mean learners should avoid them! Instead, they should use these tools properly, such as searching for specific blueprint symbols on YouTube if confused.

What Should I Learn Alongside Blueprint Reading?

Before signing up for a Chicago-area class, it’s good to know some blueprint reading prerequisites or subjects students might want to study alongside it. These concepts help expand their knowledge, improve their ability to find a job, and make reading blueprints even easier. Just as importantly, these techniques provide real practical benefits that expand a learner’s scope significantly. Here are a few other topics they should learn when studying blueprints:

• Adobe Creative Cloud programs, such as Photoshop, to help expand their skills 
• Construction and manufacturing technology, including components and materials 
• Basic math skills (including multiplication) to stay sharp on this topic 
• Measurement systems, including the differences between Standard and Metric 
• Building materials, such as wood, concrete, plastic, steel, and other items 
• Drafting, particularly computer-assisted drafting (CAD) processes and programs

In other words, it’s crucial for learners to fully understand the building market before learning blueprint reading for professional purposes. Amateurs interested in personal projects should still know some fundamental concepts to streamline their learning experience. While some blueprint reading courses cover all these topics, others offer a more focused setting. Therefore, serious learners should read the program description carefully to find one that suits their career needs. 

Industries that Use Blueprint Reading

Chicago has one of the largest markets in the country and, by extension, the world. With plenty of blue and white-collar positions available, finding a job in Chi-Town is never too challenging. Thankfully, its diverse industries include several that require blueprint reading skills. Here are a few that learners can consider trying out after completing their intensive bootcamp training:

• Architecture: The Windy City’s architecture market includes companies like Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM), Studio Gang, Perkins & Will, Wheeler Kearns Architects, and more. Knowing how to read blueprints is a bare necessity for working in this market.
• Construction: Construction companies in Chicago, such as LaMantia Design & Remodeling, Bulley & Andrews, and UJAMAA Construction, need people who deeply understand blueprints to help plan projects safely and successfully. 
• Interior Design: Interior design firms also require intensive blueprint reading skills to ensure they provide the work their customers need. Companies like Rebel House, Nicholas Moriarty Interiors, Outline Interiors, and Sarah Montgomery are all available.
• Civil Service: Chicago’s diverse civil service market, including utility companies focused on electrical, heating, and internet support, uses blueprints regularly. As a result, learning this skill can help learners transition into these often rewarding careers.

Blueprint Reading Job Titles and Salaries

The Windy City offers many excellent jobs related to blueprint reading that can help transform an individual’s life for the better. After completing a bootcamp (and studying contracting and building concepts in more extensive courses), learners in Chicago might easily find these jobs:

• Drafter: A Drafter may spend their career crafting detailed blueprints for architects and others. Expect a national average salary of $70,000 and $71,000 in Chicago.
• Construction Project Manager: A career as a Construction Project Manager requires understanding blueprints. They make $94,000 nationally and $107,000 in Chi-Town
• Interior Designer: As an Interior Designer, learners use blueprints when planning projects. In Chicago, they earn $69,000 on average, $1,000 over the national median.
• Architect: An Architect must read blueprints almost daily when designing buildings. They make $108,000 nationally and $120,000 in Chicago, on average.

Blueprint Reading Corporate Training

Chicago companies that need hands-on blueprint training courses for their whole team should consider booking corporate digital skills training with VDCI. This trusted and acclaimed training team offers extensive and high-quality courses that cover blueprint reading. With skilled teachers and discounted bulk vouchers, VDCI does education right. 

As a result, design, construction, contracting, or architecture firms needing to teach their whole team blueprint reading or polish their crew’s skills should seriously consider working with VDCI. They can email them directly at partnerships@vdci.edu to set up their appointment, learn more about pricing, and book their class with a skilled and patient teacher.