49,441 views ·
188 replies
49k views
188 replies
How to make construction drawings?
Most ads are looking for engineers with several years of experience. I don't know how the hell I should have that as a recent graduate haha.richardtenggren said:
My feeling is that they always look for recent graduates with 10 years of experience type
If it's large projects, it's easier to involve beginners who can grow into their roles. Unfortunately, it becomes harder in small projects or perhaps small projects you run alone if you can't be nearly self-sufficient. However, it is very experience-giving to run your own small projects.![]()
But otherwise, many companies typically hire 1-2 recent graduates per year. The company I did my thesis with did that.
B byggingenjören97 said:Wow! Tack för tipsen!!
Har lånat flera böcker från biblioteket nu och redan lärt mig en del om ytterväggarOch jag har bara skrapat ytan av det hela! Som du säger så tar lärandet aldrig slut. Jag ska faktiskt gå och hämta fukthandboken nu som jag har reserverat
Väntar på att AMA Hus ska bli ledig för att lånas. Ska definitivt ta mig ett kik på olika leverantörers hemsidor
Jag var nyligen på intervju för ett nystartat företag med bara 4 anställda, så det känns rimligt att jag kommer få större ansvar och mindre hjälp där än på ett större företag. Så vill inte sitta där och ba "hur gör man?" eller "vad är en ångspärr?" om jag skulle få jobbet. Så under tiden jag väntar på ett svar, så tänkte jag att det inte kan skada med att studera och läsa lite på egen hand för att vara lite mer förbereddJag har jobbat jättemycket med Revit på Chalmers. Jag var till och med en övningsledare där jag hjälpte studenter med programmet. Så jag är ganska bekväm med den digitala sidan av det hela
Nu vill jag gräva mig in i detaljritningar och byggnadsfysiken bakom det
Tar du också fram konstruktionsritningar som en del av ditt arbete eller hur ser arbetsuppgifterna ut för dig?
![]()
Absolut, jag tar fram konstruktionsritningar. Konstruktionsritningar är allt som en konstruktör gör och det innefattar t.ex Allmänna föreskrifter för konstruktionen du ritar, grunddetaljer, schakt-, pål- och grundplaner, stomplaner och stomdetaljer, takplaner och takdetaljer och sen ett antal andra ritningar också (bland annat olika uppställningsritningar).B byggingenjören97 said:Wow! Tack för tipsen!!
Har lånat flera böcker från biblioteket nu och redan lärt mig en del om ytterväggarOch jag har bara skrapat ytan av det hela! Som du säger så tar lärandet aldrig slut. Jag ska faktiskt gå och hämta fukthandboken nu som jag har reserverat
Väntar på att AMA Hus ska bli ledig för att lånas. Ska definitivt ta mig ett kik på olika leverantörers hemsidor
Jag var nyligen på intervju för ett nystartat företag med bara 4 anställda, så det känns rimligt att jag kommer få större ansvar och mindre hjälp där än på ett större företag. Så vill inte sitta där och ba "hur gör man?" eller "vad är en ångspärr?" om jag skulle få jobbet. Så under tiden jag väntar på ett svar, så tänkte jag att det inte kan skada med att studera och läsa lite på egen hand för att vara lite mer förbereddJag har jobbat jättemycket med Revit på Chalmers. Jag var till och med en övningsledare där jag hjälpte studenter med programmet. Så jag är ganska bekväm med den digitala sidan av det hela
Nu vill jag gräva mig in i detaljritningar och byggnadsfysiken bakom det
Tar du också fram konstruktionsritningar som en del av ditt arbete eller hur ser arbetsuppgifterna ut för dig?
![]()
Som uppdragsansvarig ser jag till att jobbet blir gjort
Projektgrupper formeras olika beroende på hur stora projekten är, allt ifrån att man gör allt själv till att man är hur många som helst i projektet. Att lämna dig som nyexad ensam i ett projekt skulle vara tjänstefel så det lär knappast hända. Som jag nämnde tidigare, skynda långsamt, det är ett stooort ansvar förknippat med yrket å det kan verka flashigt att fort komma fram men det kan vara ganska ensamt och blåsigt längst fram så om du först ser till att skaffa dig kunskaperna innan du hamnar i den rollen kommer du att stå mycket stadigare. Och sen, lova inget du inte kan hålla och är 200 % säker på att det är rätt, är du inte säker, ta med dig frågan be att få säkra det å att få återkomna direkt sen, funkar i alla lägen OCH är framför allt hållbart i längden vilket det andra inte är även om det kan verka coolt att svara på stående fot.
I am so incredibly grateful for your advice and for taking the time to share this. Thank you!P Paco64 said:Absolutely, I create construction drawings. Construction drawings encompass everything a designer does, including general construction directives, foundation details, excavation, piling, and foundation plans, structural plans and details, roof plans and details, and several other drawings (including various setup drawings). As project manager, I ensure the work gets done. As a new graduate, I would personally start by giving you the task of drawing the structure in Revit and then dimensioning it. To draw certain parts of the structure, you'll need to discuss the design with the person drawing the details, and in your initial projects, I wouldn't let you do that, but I would emphasize that it's crucial to ask about EVERYTHING you don't understand. I always tell my younger colleagues not to draw a single line, whether on a plan or detail, without understanding its purpose. The reason is, if you don't know what function something has, you'll end up drawing it on the next detail (or plan) as well, and there it might not be needed... Project groups are formed differently depending on the size of the projects, ranging from doing everything yourself to working with a large team. Leaving you as a new graduate alone in a project would be professional misconduct, so that is unlikely to happen. As I mentioned earlier, take it slow, there is a huge responsibility associated with the profession, and it might seem flashy to move forward quickly, but it can be quite lonely and challenging at the forefront. If you first ensure you acquire the necessary knowledge before ending up in that role, you'll be much more stable. And then, promise nothing you can't deliver and are 200% sure it's correct; if you're uncertain, take the question back, ask to verify it, and follow up directly, works in all situations AND is sustainable in the long run, which the other is not, even if it might seem cool to answer on the spot.
When you say designer, are you referring to university engineers or civil engineers? Because from my limited experience, university engineers become CAD draughtsmen while civil engineers become calculation engineers who calculate loads, etc. Quite a big difference. What are the typical tasks for university engineers based on your experience? If a university engineer wants to do more calculations and aim for a role that civil engineers often occupy, what is your tip for that person? Because I've often heard that university engineers become CAD slaves.
You gave really awesome tips for someone who has just stepped into the industry! What advice do you have for someone who hasn't yet but is on their way?
Last edited:
The contractor should have been right since there are standard requirements that there should be casting openings in the reinforcement at certain intervals. Then one could argue that the contractor should have "flagged" this already when they received the drawing, but some contractors instead see an opportunity to send an extra invoice to get more money out of their construction... instead of pointing out the "error" before it’s too late. But some contractors work to "make money" instead of being "practical" and pointing out any deficiencies they find.P patrikd84 said:How did it turn out? Did the contractor get it wrong or right?
I personally regroup the reinforcement if it becomes too tight and show it with some detail, so that there are casting openings at regular intervals.
Realizing the importance of everything that needs to happen before everything looks like it does on the drawing was something I missed in education, I quickly realized that when I got out. Important to have this in mind early on for a better end product.
I mean both, regardless of whether you are a university graduate or a civil engineer, you are a designer.B byggingenjören97 said:I am so incredibly grateful for your advice that you take your time to share this. Thank you!
When you say designer, do you mean university engineers or civil engineers? From my little experience, university engineers become CAD-drafters while civil engineers become calculation engineers who calculate loads, etc. Quite a big difference. What do the job tasks usually look like for university engineers according to your experience? If a university engineer wants to calculate a bit more and aim for a role that civil engineers usually hold, what's your tip for that person? Because I have often heard that university engineers become CAD-slaves.
You gave really awesome tips for someone who has just set foot into the industry! What tips do you have for someone who hasn't done that yet but is on the way?I am a newly graduated university engineer and I find it so incredibly interesting and fun to create drawings. Do you have any tips on how I can learn a few things on my own while I'm just sitting at home waiting to land my first job?
I understand that it's impossible to learn things on your own to a level that an engineer with 15 years' experience has. I mean more if I can somehow prepare myself for working life. Even if it's just a little. How can I impress my employer? I am already very familiar with Revit
Can I, like, look into AMA to get familiar with it, look at some drawings online to get familiar with the structure while also reading a bit of building physics or strength of materials? What are your tips regarding that? What skills can I hone that can help me later? I'm just sitting at home doing nothing right now, so I might as well use the free time for something beneficial that can help me later
![]()
Your perception that university engineers are drafters and civil engineers are "gods" may certainly be true for a number of companies, but it's not my experience. I have seen building/university engineers outshine civil engineers every day of the week AND vice versa; as I mentioned earlier, it's about engagement! You educate yourself in school for a few years but then train in the working life every day for another 35-40 years... If you settle and are content with being a civil engineer, you'll have a tough time. My personal belief is that everyone should start with drafting to understand how things work, exactly what you're starting with now, NO ONE gets it from the beginning.
I have worked with pure calculation designers who are so theoretical that they don't see reality, and it rarely works well as you need to understand what you're doing. It's not just numbers, figures, and formulas; it must result in a construction in the end.
I myself work a lot with houses, offices, schools, and construction project budgets of around 3-6 million, and of this money, roughly 5-15% is spent on calculations. The rest is spent mainly on drafting and detailing at various levels. What you describe as CAD-slaves hardly exists anymore; we can't afford it. A CAD-slave is someone who draws the lines others tell them to draw without thinking themselves.
If you're eager to calculate more, that's a very positive thing and, in practice, there's nothing to stop you from doing it as long as you land at the right company. In my projects, I have several university engineers with exactly your ambitions to want to design more, and we ensure that the younger person, for example, the university engineer, sits down with the "calculation responsible" (who, in several of my projects, is a university engineer with a burning interest in calculations and is self-taught) and selects a suitable part to begin with. You might, for example, start by doing a load calculation on a part of a building, creating a calculation model in 3D-FEM, or from loads the calculation responsible has provided, designing the foundation slabs, all under the supervision of the calculation responsible who still bears ultimate responsibility for the result.
But as I said, take it slow; there will be millions of new things to take in, and you have 35 years to do it! Become good at what you do, then take small steps forward instead of rushing ahead, it will give you a better end result with fewer mistakes!!
For more self-study, when you've tired of installation instructions, moisture handbook, and AMA, etc., you can always check with Chalmers what exercise books they have for calculations and skim a bit there. Trying to learn how to navigate the Eurocode isn't a bad idea either; THAT takes a while
Thank you so much for your advice! I am eternally grateful! Why can't I ever find an employer like youP Paco64 said:I am referring to both, regardless if you are an educated university engineer or civil engineer, you are a designer. Your view that university engineers are drawing slaves and civil engineers are "gods" may certainly be true with a number of companies, but that's not my experience. I have seen construction/university engineers outdo civil engineers all day long AND vice versa, as I wrote earlier it is about commitment! You educate yourself in school for a few years but then educate yourself at work every day for another 35-40 years... If you settle down and are satisfied with being a civil engineer, you'll have it tough. My personal belief is that everyone should start with drawing to gain an understanding of how things work, exactly what you're starting with now, NO ONE knows it from the beginning. I have worked with pure calculation designers who are so theoretical that they do not see reality, and this rarely works well without understanding what you're doing. It's not just numbers and formulas; it must result in a construction work in the end. I myself work a lot with housing, offices, and schools and project budgets for construction around 3-6 million, and of this money roughly 5-15% is on calculations, the rest is on other things, mainly drawing and solution details at different levels. What you describe as CAD slaves hardly exist anymore; it is not affordable. A CAD slave is someone who draws the lines they are told to without thinking for themselves. If you are eager to calculate more, it is a very positive thing, and practically nothing will stop you from doing so as long as you end up at the right company. In my projects, I have several university engineers with exactly your ambition to want to design more, and what we do is the younger person, for example, the university engineer, sits down with the "calculation manager" (who actually in several of my projects is a university engineer with a burning interest in calculations who is self-taught) and selects a suitable part to begin with. One can, for example, start with making a load calculation on a part of a building, create a calculation model in 3D-FEM, or based on loads that the calculation manager has produced, dimension the foundations, and all under the supervision of the calculation manager who is ultimately responsible for the result. But as I said, go slow, there will be millions of new things to take in, and you have 35 years to get there! Be good at what you do, then take small steps forward instead of rushing ahead; it will give you a better end result with fewer errors!! For more self-studies when you are tired of installation instructions, moisture manuals, and AMA, etc., you can always check with Chalmers which exercise books they have for calculations and skim through them. Trying to learn to navigate the Eurocode is also not a bad idea, IT takes a while.
@byggingenjören97 I am a civil engineer from KTH where I studied building construction. Feel free to ask me if you have any other questions.
I actually think that @Paco64 explains it very well!! Kudos!
Everyone starts by drawing and it's good to try different things so it doesn't become monotonous. I chose to go towards the structural design direction and became skilled at it because I found it enjoyable, so don't worry and start by combing from one side and work your way to the other and you will quickly realize what you find fun
Don't be shy to ask questions!
I actually think that @Paco64 explains it very well!! Kudos!
Everyone starts by drawing and it's good to try different things so it doesn't become monotonous. I chose to go towards the structural design direction and became skilled at it because I found it enjoyable, so don't worry and start by combing from one side and work your way to the other and you will quickly realize what you find fun
Don't be shy to ask questions!
A general thought from a Mechanical Engineering graduate.
In academia, you get to learn various courses, such as technical drawing, mechanics, strength of materials, etc. Individually, these courses become manageable and reasonable. But the difficulty arises when you need to connect the dots and use relevant knowledge from different courses and areas. You usually learn this in the last two years of an MSc. in Engineering program. Which you may have missed, but this doesn't guarantee that everything is easy just because you've studied for two more years. In reality, there's an enormous number of variables to consider and information that "doesn't exist" as it did when completing a school assignment. And this is where experience, etc., comes in. It's an experience that you don't learn in school (right or wrong) but that you acquire through professional life.
So, I can sum up my thought by saying to keep your hopes up; you're very green and unknowledgeable at the beginning in all areas. Whether it is a Bachelor of Engineering or an MSc. in Engineering and regardless of the field. Being open and honest about what you know and what you want to learn is the only way to truly become skilled! So keep on fighting.
In academia, you get to learn various courses, such as technical drawing, mechanics, strength of materials, etc. Individually, these courses become manageable and reasonable. But the difficulty arises when you need to connect the dots and use relevant knowledge from different courses and areas. You usually learn this in the last two years of an MSc. in Engineering program. Which you may have missed, but this doesn't guarantee that everything is easy just because you've studied for two more years. In reality, there's an enormous number of variables to consider and information that "doesn't exist" as it did when completing a school assignment. And this is where experience, etc., comes in. It's an experience that you don't learn in school (right or wrong) but that you acquire through professional life.
So, I can sum up my thought by saying to keep your hopes up; you're very green and unknowledgeable at the beginning in all areas. Whether it is a Bachelor of Engineering or an MSc. in Engineering and regardless of the field. Being open and honest about what you know and what you want to learn is the only way to truly become skilled! So keep on fighting.
How has it gone for byggingenjören97? Have you gotten a foothold as a designer yet? I'm curious about that role myself, but unlike you, I would have been fine with being a "CAD-slave" as some call it. Are there such jobs? Are there very advanced calculations you have to handle like during education? Or is it enough to rely on tables and simpler calculations, where the civil engineer handles the more difficult ones?
Trust me, "CAD slave", especially if you focus on Revit, you can really reach quite high as it feels like it's in short supply. Yes, there really are such jobs. What are you studying today?C C45/55 said:How have things gone for you, byggingenjören97? Have you managed to get a foot in the door as a designer yet? I'm curious about that role myself, but unlike you, I would have been content being a "CAD slave" as some call it. Are there such jobs? Are the calculations very advanced, like during the education? Or is it enough to rely on tables and simpler calculations, where the civil engineer handles the more difficult ones?
The calculations are not really advanced, much is controlled via software and it's a lot about being able to evaluate and see if it seems reasonable. The more advanced ones come if there are more "special solutions" which usually go to the more knowledgeable unless you want to take on the calculations with support from the specialist. When I started working (I am educated as a civil engineer), I began drawing in Revit to gain an understanding of what it looks like while also calculating small simple things like columns, beams, loads, etc.
Thanks for your input! It gives me a little hope to maybe find something that suits me. However, I have studied a simple vocational college course with basic knowledge about concrete structures and how to draw them roughly, given that the groundwork and details already exist. Calculating columns, beams, and relief sounds difficult to me heheD Dashio said:Believe me "Cad Slav", especially if you focus on Revit, you can really reach quite high since it seems to be in short supply.
Yes, those jobs really exist. What are you studying today?
It's not really advanced calculations, much is controlled via software, and a lot is about being able to evaluate and see if it is reasonable. The more advanced ones come if there are more "special solutions" which often go to the more knowledgeable unless you want to take on the calculations with support from the specialist. When I started working (I am a trained civil engineer), I started by drawing in Revit to create an understanding of how it looks while also calculating small simple things like columns, beams, relief, etc.![]()
Sorry for the poor feedback. Christmas got in the wayC C45/55 said:Thanks for your input! Gives me a little hope to maybe find something that suits me. However, I have studied a simple YH education with basic knowledge about concrete constructions and how to draw on this approximately, if the materials and details already exist. Calculating pillars, beams, and load relief sounds difficult for me hehe
Yes, in my firm there are people who have studied BIM construction project management and draw in Revit, so don't give up yet
Everything is difficult and unknown until someone explains it from the start
Hello. Time has passed - this is somewhat of a long shot, but better to ask than not to...
I need help with the construction of the villa I am going to build. Anyone there who has tips on a constructor, or who might be interested in a project?
Dilemma: The builders/constructors I've talked to claim that I probably need to have an intermediate floor in concrete. This would create several problems in relation to the rest of the construction, so I need to investigate if it can be solved with a wood/steel intermediate floor.
Two floors, terrace, about 12-6.6m between outer walls - cast slab, masonry ground floor and wooden construction for the upper floor. Unfortunately, no wall where the staircase (staircase hole) connects the floors, and a wish for waterborne underfloor heating also on the upper floor - preferably in groove boards instead of embedded.
All tips are gratefully received! Peter
I need help with the construction of the villa I am going to build. Anyone there who has tips on a constructor, or who might be interested in a project?
Dilemma: The builders/constructors I've talked to claim that I probably need to have an intermediate floor in concrete. This would create several problems in relation to the rest of the construction, so I need to investigate if it can be solved with a wood/steel intermediate floor.
Two floors, terrace, about 12-6.6m between outer walls - cast slab, masonry ground floor and wooden construction for the upper floor. Unfortunately, no wall where the staircase (staircase hole) connects the floors, and a wish for waterborne underfloor heating also on the upper floor - preferably in groove boards instead of embedded.
All tips are gratefully received! Peter