Architectural and Civil Drafters — Tasks

Task statements

• Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.
• Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
• Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
• Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.
• Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
• Obtain and assemble data to complete architectural designs, visiting job sites to compile measurements as necessary.
• Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.
• Represent architect or engineer on construction site, ensuring builder compliance with design specifications and advising on design corrections, under supervision.
• Review rough sketches, drawings, specifications, and other engineering data to ensure that they conform to design concepts.
• Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
• Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
• Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods.
• Supervise or conduct field surveys, inspections, or technical investigations to obtain data required to revise construction drawings.
• Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.
• Correlate, interpret, and modify data obtained from topographical surveys, well logs, and geophysical prospecting reports.
• Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
• Prepare cost estimates, contracts, bidding documents, and technical reports for specific projects under an architect's or engineer's supervision.
• Determine procedures and instructions to be followed, according to design specifications and quantity of required materials.
• Determine quality, cost, strength, and quantity of required materials, and enter figures on materials lists.
• Create freehand drawings and lettering to accompany drawings.
• Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to lists of materials.
• Calculate weights, volumes, and stress factors and their implications for technical aspects of designs.
• Locate and identify symbols on topographical surveys to denote geological and geophysical formations or oil field installations.
• Reproduce drawings on copy machines or trace copies of plans and drawings, using transparent paper or cloth, ink, pencil, and standard drafting instruments.
• Prepare colored drawings of landscape and interior designs for presentation to client.
• Calculate heat loss and gain of buildings and structures to determine required equipment specifications, following standard procedures.