Draw your building permit drawings yourself

Create a building permit drawing right here on the website in a few steps #

Drawblueprint is a simple tool for anyone who needs to produce a simple building document, such as a site plan or an elevation drawing.

1. Upload map data — Upload a PDF or PNG to use as a base.
2. Fill in the details — The drawing details you enter appear on the drawing in a correct title block.
3. Draw what you need — Draw using the tool.
4. Export a finished drawing — Download the drawing as a PDF, ready to send off.

Why draw the permit drawings yourself? #

Most building projects require drawings for the permit application. Traditionally you have had to hire an architect or a consultant to produce those documents. But for simpler projects such as a carport, a shed, a deck or a small extension, it can feel unnecessarily expensive to pay a professional fee for a handful of lines.

Drawing them yourself has several advantages:

• Cost saving — You avoid consultant fees, which often run into hundreds or thousands
• Flexibility — Draw whenever it suits you, without waiting for someone else's calendar
• Control — You are in charge of the process and can make changes easily
• Speed — With the right tool you can have drawings in a few hours instead of a few weeks

Which drawings does a building permit need? #

The documents most commonly required for a building permit application are:

Site plan #

A site plan shows your property from above, with the existing and planned buildings. It has to show the distance to the property boundaries and to other buildings. The scale is usually 1:400 or 1:500.

Elevation drawing #

An elevation drawing shows the outside of the building from each direction. It has to show the existing and planned ground lines as well as heights. The scale is usually 1:100.

Floor plan #

A floor plan shows the building from above, with the room layout and dimensions. For simpler projects such as a carport, a floor plan is often not required.

Requirements vary between countries and municipalities. Always check with your local building authority to find out exactly which documents are required for your specific project.

What do you need in order to draw it yourself? #

A map base #

For the site plan you need an official map of your property. A screenshot from Google Maps is not good enough — the map has to show the property boundaries accurately and at a known scale. In many places you can order one online from the local authority. For a new build, a surveyed map produced specifically for the project is often required, while a basic property map is usually enough for smaller projects.

The correct scale #

Permit drawings have to be at a correct, stated scale. Site plans are commonly 1:400 or 1:500, while elevation drawings are usually 1:100. Working out the scale by hand for every line is fiddly, but digital tools handle it automatically.

Correct information #

The drawing needs a title block with the property details, what the drawing shows, the scale and who drew it. It also needs a north arrow, dimensions and any other information your building authority asks for.

Different ways to draw it yourself #

Pen and paper #

Pen and paper has the advantage that most people are familiar with the tools. You might think graph paper is preferable, but authorities often ask for plain white paper. So get a ruler, a mechanical pencil, an eraser and good paper in A3 format, and then you are ready to start. Finally, mind the scale; you need to work out the correct scale for every line you draw. At a scale of 1:400, one cm on the paper corresponds to 400 cm in reality.

A professional CAD program #

A professional CAD program has its advantages for professionals. For beginners there are plenty of courses available. After a couple of days of training, anyone comfortable with computers is ready to put together their first permit drawing. The drawback is that these programs are often expensive and complicated for a one-off user. See our guide to drawing software for a comparison of the options.

Drawblueprint.com #

Drawblueprint.com is a simple program that is easy to get started with. You can import your map data, draw what you need and fill in the right details. The tool keeps you at the correct scale and helps you with the right symbols and formats for building documents.

Drawblueprint.com — draw simple building documents yourself #

With Drawblueprint, you can draw simple building permit documents yourself. Drawblueprint is a tool that's easier to use than CAD and more powerful than drawing programs that aren't adapted for building documents.

In Drawblueprint, you draw at the correct scale and get help using the right symbols and notations on your drawing.

To use Drawblueprint, go to https://app.drawblueprint.com/sign-up and follow the instructions. Drawblueprint is free to try.

Read more about drawblueprint.com.