How do you create accurate construction documents?

1 Know the scope and purpose

Before you start drafting, you need to understand the scope and purpose of your construction documents. What are the goals and objectives of the project? Who are the intended users and stakeholders? What are the site conditions and constraints? What are the regulatory and contractual requirements? How will the documents be used by the contractor, the client, and the authorities? These questions will help you define the level of detail, the format, the organization, and the content of your documents.

2 Follow the standards and conventions

There are various standards and conventions that govern the production and presentation of construction documents in landscape architecture. These include the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Guidelines for Construction Documentation, the National CAD Standard (NCS), the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) MasterFormat, and the Landscape Architecture Graphic Standards. These resources provide guidance on the best practices, terminology, symbols, notation, layout, and coordination of your documents. Following them will ensure consistency, clarity, accuracy, and professionalism in your work.

3 Use appropriate tools and techniques

Depending on the size and complexity of your project, you may need to use different tools and techniques to create your construction documents. These may include hand drawing, computer-aided design (CAD), building information modeling (BIM), geographic information systems (GIS), and digital rendering. Each tool and technique has its own advantages and limitations, so you need to choose the ones that suit your needs and preferences. You also need to keep your files organized, backed up, and updated regularly to avoid errors and confusion.

4 Coordinate with other disciplines

Landscape architecture projects often involve collaboration with other disciplines, such as architecture, engineering, surveying, ecology, and archaeology. Therefore, you need to coordinate your construction documents with the other disciplines' documents to ensure compatibility, alignment, and integration. You can use tools such as BIM, GIS, or cloud-based platforms to facilitate communication and data exchange. You also need to review and revise your documents as the project progresses and changes occur.

5 Check for quality and accuracy

Before you finalize and submit your construction documents, you need to check them for quality and accuracy. You can use checklists, peer reviews, quality control procedures, and proofreading tools to identify and correct any errors, omissions, inconsistencies, or ambiguities in your documents. You also need to comply with the ethical and legal standards of your profession and respect the intellectual property rights of others. By doing so, you will reduce the risk of liability, disputes, delays, and extra costs.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?