More Drawings Don’t Always Mean Better Projects
- Roger Hines
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
A conversation with a builder recently got me thinking.
He works with a number of different architectural practices and told me that some projects arrive with huge drawing packages, whilst others are built successfully from a surprisingly small amount of information.
His argument was simple.
The more information a builder receives, the more they have to account for when pricing the work. More details can sometimes mean more questions, more assumptions and ultimately higher costs.
At first, I disagreed.
As designers, we produce information to reduce risk. We want builders to know exactly what is expected. We want clients to understand what they are getting. We want to avoid misunderstandings and unexpected costs.
So surely more information is better?
The longer I thought about it, the more I realised the real question isn’t about the number of drawings at all.
It’s about whether the information being produced is actually useful.
The Real Problem
I’ve seen projects with hundreds of pages of drawings, details and specifications that still run into difficulties on site.
I’ve also seen relatively simple drawing packages that result in smooth, well-managed construction projects.
The difference is rarely the number of drawings.
The difference is usually whether the design team understands how the building will actually be put together.
A drawing might look technically correct on paper, but if it doesn’t consider access, sequencing, buildability, trades, tolerances and construction methods, problems will still arise.
Those problems simply appear later when they are more expensive to solve.
Construction Sequencing Matters
One of the biggest advantages of starting my career on site is that I learned how buildings come together before I learned how to draw them.
When a builder looks at a detail, they aren’t just seeing lines on paper.
They’re thinking:
Which trade does this?
What gets built first?
How do I physically install this?
Can I actually get materials into that space?
What happens if something is slightly out of tolerance?
Those questions are often more important than the drawing itself.
Good design isn’t just about what a building looks like when it’s finished.
It’s about understanding the journey between an empty site and a completed home.
Finding The Balance
Too little information creates uncertainty.
Too much information can create confusion.
The goal should never be to produce the largest drawing package possible.
The goal should be to provide the right information at the right time.
Every drawing should answer one of three questions:
What is being built?
How is it being built?
Why is it being built that way?
If a drawing doesn’t help answer one of those questions, it may not be adding value.
Why This Matters To Clients
Most clients never see the difference.
They simply assume drawings are drawings.
In reality, the quality of information and the understanding behind it can have a significant impact on build costs, programme, site issues and overall project experience.
That’s why I believe the best projects happen when design, landscape and construction are considered together from the outset.
A building shouldn’t just work on paper.
It should work in the real world.
Because ultimately, that’s where it has to be built.
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