Discover the importance of setting and testing scales in architectural drawings, even when the scale is noted on the design. Learn how to validate the scale, what could potentially interfere with a scale, and how to check it using the longest defined or known measurement.
Key Insights
- When dealing with architectural drawings, it's essential to validate the scale, even when it's indicated on the drawing. The scale may be altered if a design is saved digitally to a smaller size sheet, affecting printouts or digital takeoffs.
- Testing the scale involves using provided dimensions or dimensions derived from other sheets as necessary. If the scale is off by 50% or 200% more, there is likely a scale issue.
- If a scale is missing due to incomplete drawings, dimensions from similar sheets can be used as references for the same features. It's crucial to confirm not only the accuracy of the scale but also the elevation for a comprehensive takeoff.
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Now we're going to talk about setting and testing all required scales. It's important to note that regardless of the scale that's noted on the drawings, you still have to validate it and make sure that it is true. If a drawing is designed in a 24 inch by 36 inch sheet, it could easily be saved digitally to a smaller size sheet or a half size sheet.
This automatically changes your scale if you were to print them out based on that or if you're going to do a digital takeoff based on that. The scales could be very easily interfered with or interrupted or be false depending on how it's saved and how it's reutilized for a digital takeoff. I do this by looking at any dimensions that might be provided or coming up with a dimension that I have found off of another sheet if necessary and scaling it out based on the scale identified.
If it's off by 50% or 200% more, then we know that we have a scale issue. Always test the scale with an actual measurement of the longest defined or known measurement. This is important.
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It's going to be on the test. When a scale may be missing due to incomplete drawings, refer to similar sheets to reference the dimensions for the same features. So just understand now that we know the scale is accurate, is the elevation as accurate as you need it to be to provide a full takeoff?
