# Rounding on Plans



## quantumflux (Jan 4, 2015)

For new construction residential house plans with various angles in the exterior walls, what is the "standard" for what the wall lengths are rounded to, so you don't get a wall with a 33' 5/128" length as an example, due to an angle in another wall? Round to the nearest 1/8"?


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## ScipioAfricanus (Sep 13, 2008)

If you ever get construction plans with a wall call out of 5/128ths I would triple or quadruple my rate because that is such a spuriously accurate number it tells me that the designer is an engineer with a massive ego and nothing you do will ever be good enough for him.



Andy.


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## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

ScipioAfricanus said:


> If you ever get construction plans with a wall call out of 5/128ths I would triple or quadruple my rate because that is such a spuriously accurate number it tells me that the designer is an engineer with a massive ego and nothing you do will ever be good enough for him.
> 
> 
> 
> Andy.


OR .....

They don't don't know how to change the precision of the new fancy make pretty drawings CAD program. 


Framers see chit like that laugh about the "Funny papers" and do what they always do. Snap the lines and make it work.


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## quantumflux (Jan 4, 2015)

I guess my question is:

What is the typical level of precision seen on residential house plans with angled walls? Rounded to nearest 1/2"?

I've only seen lengths rounded to 1/2" increments on plans, even if the actual wall would work out to some smaller fraction due to an angled wall... 

I'm asking as a "sanity check" since someone indicated to me he has seen up to 1/8" for some commercial jobs, but, that seems way too specific.


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## Fouthgeneration (Jan 7, 2014)

"Various" angles? Why so Many? what Angle is drawn besides 30/60 degree angle or 45/135 degree angles?

Unless you're building on high dollar tiny lots why waste $$$ and space on useless spaces that non standard Angles create?

When I see curves and angles on commercial plans, it means the Architect run out of Ideas before budget, and added the maguffin angles to pad his fees.....

The likely hood is such plans have several massive errors that will need several hours if not days of meetings to "fix".

With little chance of getting paid for your labor....:sad:


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## ScipioAfricanus (Sep 13, 2008)

quantumflux said:


> I guess my question is:
> 
> What is the typical level of precision seen on residential house plans with angled walls? Rounded to nearest 1/2"?
> 
> ...


I would say, keeping to 1/8" tolerance in custom construction scenario would count as excellent work. Anything more precise than that I would think is asking too much and a waste of time.
Cabinet work and interior architectural sheet metal work may call for more precision though.

Andy.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

not sure i get your question....

are you asking to what tolerances an individual frames to?

you will be able to answer this question when you start finishing what you have framed....:thumbsup:

a quality framer, residential or commercial will frame to 1/8".

keep in mind bastard walls and roofs may require tighter tolerances or a constant adjustment to maintain the tolerance.

starting off at an 1/8 is great, but maintain it.....

and 1/8 on the ground floor can be a nightmare 3 stories up....


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

I usually get plans with dimensions like that from homeowners or amateur designers they buy design software and they don't know how to set it up and they do layouts and I get plans with dimensions like 
24'6 3/16" and dimension is taken from the wall centers :laughing:

The fraction should be set @1/1 so you get 24'6", etc. If more precise dimensions are needed, depending for what purpose the plans are being used, you set the fraction based on the allowable tolerances.

If it's a kitchen as an example or a built-in, you want to be on the money with a surface to surface wall dimensions, even then the software can be set to 1/4" round-off since in most cases you have scribe molding or some sort of a filler.


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## quantumflux (Jan 4, 2015)

To clarify, my question is specific to the plans themselves, not the accuracy of the framing.

Greg: That's what I've typically seen before as well (1/2" or 1" increments for wall lengths specified in plans), my only confusion was in the case of odd angles (150 degree angle as an example) to make the walls meet it didn't work out "neatly" in half inch increments. 

But, you answered my question - still rounding to the nearest inch (or half inch) is typically seen unless you need something more specific, such as in the case of certain cabinet design.


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

quantumflux said:


> To clarify, my question is specific to the plans themselves, not the accuracy of the framing.
> 
> Greg: That's what I've typically seen before as well (1/2" or 1" increments for wall lengths specified in plans), my only confusion was in the case of odd angles (150 degree angle as an example) to make the walls meet it didn't work out "neatly" in half inch increments.
> 
> But, you answered my question - still rounding to the nearest inch (or half inch) is typically seen unless you need something more specific, such as in the case of certain cabinet design.


On most plans, you will have a notation (I include that on all the plans I prepare) "contractor responsibility to verify all dimensions in the field"etc

If your wall doesn't align, make the necessary adjustment to make the corners meet (you not gonna leave them open)... But if the construction must be done according to the exact dimensions specified on the plan, I would contact the architect or person in charge on the job and get the OK.

Good luck


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## slowsol (Aug 27, 2005)

“Actual dimensions will be + / - 5%”


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

ScipioAfricanus said:


> If you ever get construction plans with a wall call out of 5/128ths I would triple or quadruple my rate because that is such a spuriously accurate number it tells me that the designer is an engineer with a massive ego and nothing you do will ever be good enough for him.
> 
> 
> 
> Andy.




In his book Thomas Jefferson:The Biography of a Builder,the author stated that Jefferson,the proverbial bean counter had some such similar crazy fraction on his plans. He quickly got past that when the masons building the unhewn stone foundation was off by three inches.:laughing:


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