CAI-NJ May 2021

Scan Your Plans! By Charles Witczak, PE Witczak Engineering

assist in developing correct plans for each municipality. What am I looking at? “Plan view” is the most common ori- entation of structures on a plan, and essentially depicts the given structure as though one is looking down on it from above. “Cross-Section” view is also used, and this orientation depicts a structure as though one is looking at it from the side — also referred to as “elevations” on architectural plans. When looking at a construction plan, one cannot be certain that everything was ultimately built exactly as it was shown. Best case scenar- io is to get an as-built map. In the absence of an as-built set of plans, a surveyor can be retained to inspect and remeasure the site to make sure everything is built properly with the right dimensions. Plans are legally required to show the initial date they were created along with the date of each plan revision. Specifications Plans also dictate the exact materi- als and methods in which something should be built. Specifications are vital, because if a specific material is swapped out for something else, it could bring potential catastrophe to the building and site. Specifications are sometimes free-standing docu- ments that give written descriptions of the required features of an item. It is more common to find this information included in the plan sets as “construc- tion details,” which are a pictorial representation of the item to be built. If the correct material is not used, it could result in failure of a structure, physical injuries or a lawsuit. CONT I NU E S ON PAGE 58

I t will greatly benefit the community association to have scanned and electronic versions of construction and “as-built” plans. As time passes, original paper plans for projects will often become lost because the larger size sheets cannot be easily stored in conventional filing cabinets. Older paper plans will degrade and fall apart. Your community engineer will have the equipment to scan or copy the larger sized sheets typically used for construction plans and turn them into digital copies that can be stored on your network or cloud.

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Having extra copies of designs and plans available can be used as a base for upcoming construction projects or other activities. These maps provide future value to plan onsite events. They can also be a great asset for development projects such as: adding more parking spaces, a new clubhouse and/or other amenities.

“Having plans for a quick reference can add to your familiarity with the community and help in answering questions.”

Having plans for a quick reference can add to your familiarity with the community and help in answering questions. This will give your board greater confidence in the management of their communities. The quicker you can determine the scope of a project through the use of available plan information, the quicker and more efficiently the work can get done. n

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