If you have not yet read the previous 6 or 7 blogs – it would be helpful at this point to back up a bit and read them in order, or at least enough so you get a good idea of what is included on a good set of building plans.

We deal with all 50 states, and even those counties and states where they like to make their own requirements or states where building departments are known to “be somewhat challenging” (can you say California?) we get nice comments from Building Officials.  Just recently I spoke with a B.O. from a county with stricter requirements in Ohio, and the nice lady engineer told me she was “impressed with the detailed drawings we provided for a pole building.”

Providing very specific drawings with lots of details and easy to follow instructions is a “no brainer” for me.  The better our drawings, the happier our clients are with their finished building.  It just doesn’t get any better for me than this!

Ok – so siding cutting sheets (steel, wood, osb or otherwise) – what do you need to know about them?  These are very easy sheets to follow, but if you don’t pay attention to how the panels are laid out, you may run short!

A plan for siding cutting is not required by any building department.  However, about ten years ago, we’d both email and mail a copy of the wood siding cutting or steel cutting sheet on a 9×11.5” piece of paper separate from the plans.  But there were a number of clients who’d call…. not when they were ready to cut their steel or wood siding, but when they’d already started to cut it and amazingly they were “short”!  I’d go back and recount every sheet and rarely would it appear there was a shortage on the Material Takeoff.  Could it be they cut a panel “wrong” or used the wrong length in the wrong place?  Providing a sheet where all the endwall and sidewall panels are shown and laid out, including around and above doors pretty much solved this issue.

And yes, there is some cutting to the panels, including if you have chosen steel siding.  If you set a post a few inches “off” on a pole building, it’s often not a problem to shift things a bit to make things all work. Or how about if you decide during framing an entry door or window should be moved a foot or two?  If we had all of the panels precut for angles, you would be one very sad customer when I outline the additional costs to send out “new” panels of steel to cover the changes.

Screw requirements for steel siding are also listed on this sheet, so there is no question as to where you are to put the screws, based on the location of the panels.

Whether you like “dog ears” or not (the angles at the upper corners of residential overhead doors) we provide the lumber to put them on.  We also include enough steel to cover these spaces if you choose the “square cut” look for your corners.  This gives you the flexibility to decide at time of assembly.

Click here to see a sample siding cutting sheet:

https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/sample-plans.htm

And see you all back tomorrow when I discuss Lofts & Stairs!