A draftsman is a person who has had training in technical drawing.

Technical drawing includes both hand drafted and computer generated drawings. Computer generated (CAD) drawings are now commonplace. Drafting involves learning standards, symbols and codes which can be understood by architects, builders, plumbers, planners, Council inspectors and authorities.

Having a draftsman draw up your plans will ensure that they are legible and accurate.

If you have decided to draw up the initial plans yourself, it is still advisable to hire a draftsperson to draw up your final plans for the Development Application to Council.

Pros

• You have almost total control of the design

• Opportunity to express your creative side

• With enough hard work and research you will be able to achieve exactly what you want.

Cons

• There is a lot of research to be done.

• You may have to hire a third party to go over the Building Code of Australia (BCA) requirements with you before you hand in the Development Application (DA) and this will cost money.

• You are responsible for initiating all the necessary reports that need to be done as well as going through the plans and identifying all the structural requirements including any Engineering reports and drawings.

• There is a lot of responsibility attached to the plans of a house. This means more time and stress long after the draftsman has finished drawing up your plans.

Things to keep in mind

• Only attempt this if you are already able to read house plans proficiently and have some drawing skills.

• Remember that other peoples plans are copyright and an infringement brings very severe penalties, around $20,000-$60,000 or more per offence.

• You might need home planning and construction books and magazines. These can be found in your local newsagent, bookshop or local Council Library.

• This process will take a long time so make sure you allow for many weeks and possibly months of planning.