Prepare Your Plans – An Overview
This page provides an overview of the various plans often required to pursue your project.
The main goal in drawing your plans is to show all of the existing conditions and elements, as well as all the proposed conditions and elements. Specifically, plans must be clearly drawn, scaled and dimensioned, and accurately describe all of your proposed work.
See the checklist for your project type for more of the details you will need.
Plan Review
Development in the City of Vancouver requires conformance with all adopted building codes, all land use regulations, and the City’s design and construction standards. Technical Staff review plans and documents against these codes and design requirements.
- Building Codes and Regulations with Design Criteria and Energy Codes
- Vancouver Municipal Code – Title 20 (Land Use and Development)
- Vancouver Municipal Code – Title 17 (Building and Construction)
HOAs: Properties within a homeowners association (HOA) may have their own rules (CC&R’s) for residents to follow. Those rules are a private agreement and cannot override City of Vancouver requirements. The City does not review, enforce, or interpret HOA rules.
Open the dropdown to read a brief description of the plan type.
Foundation Plan
Shows the layout, dimensions and details of the continuous concrete slabs, footings, reinforcing steel and the strength of the concrete used.
Floor Plan
An overhead view of the floor or basement with the roof or floors above it removed.
- Provide the floor plan for each level of the building.
- All rooms need to be labeled for the existing and proposed use.
Exterior Elevation Drawings
Building elevation drawings are exterior views of the building from all sides. Any project that will change the exterior of a building or construct a new building must have elevation drawings.
Drawings should be labeled Front or Back and the compass direction they are facing, for example Front/South or Back/North.
Framing Plans
Framing plans are a scaled overhead view of the vertical and horizontal structural elements that, by repetitive use, create a load-bearing platform or wall. They can include floor framing, wall framing or roof framing.
Section Drawings
Section drawings are sometimes call “cross sections.” They are the view you would get if you made a vertical cut through the building from the bottom of the foundation footing to the top of the roof.
They are a very useful way of displaying structural load transfers and information about construction materials that are necessary for the permit review process.
Structural Engineering
Includes engineered drawings, details, layouts, calculations, lateral analysis and gravity load design. Engineering calculations must be based on design loads (design criteria) and noted on structural plans.
When a project does not comply with the prescriptive structural provisions, structural engineering is required by the International Residential Code (IRC).
Details and calculations may also be required based on site locations, soil conditions, scope of work and the proposed design.
Depending on site location, soil conditions, presence of fill or tree removal, a soils report from a Geo-tech engineer may be required.
Following are some examples of when engineering is required:
- Decks over 9′ from grade to underside of beams
- Decks supporting hot tubs and cantilevered decks
- Dormers and second floor additions
- Insulated Concrete Form (ICFs) wall construction
- Moving or removing walls, beams or headers
- Pole buildings
- Retaining walls over 4′ in height or subject to a surcharge
- Second story decks – new or replacement
- Structural Insulated Panel (SIPs) wall and roof construction