The renovation plans as well as the descriptive specifications accompanying them are designed to describe all the renovation work along with an estimate of the costs, both for materials and for professional fees. If there are elements that cannot be included in the plans or drawings, these shall be incorporated in the project specifications. Any omissions or errors will have the onerous effect of increasing the renovation costs.
The plans provide measurements to scale and graphical representations (illustrations, flow sheets, drawings, hand drawn sketches etc.) as well as the scope of the intended work. A drawing or sketch will suffice to obtain a renovation permit for simple work such as a garage or wing. For larger scale projects, you may need an architect to either approve or draw your plans.
The specifications describe the exact nature of your needs and requirements regarding your renovation project. For example, the quality and type of materials to be used, technical and contractual aspects, the construction finish date, the guarantees, the method of payment etc. In addition, it defines the requirements and responsibilities of each specific trade and identifies in detail the construction work to be done.
Providing clear, precise information in your renovation plans and specifications will greatly help you avoid unexpected surprises and changes as well as unfortunate misunderstandings and costly overruns. Regrettably, these things happen too often during the actual construction phase.
Finally, always consider using existing materials in your home for your future renovation projects.
