| Sheet | What it shows | Why you care |
|---|---|---|
| AS101–AS102 | Site plan | Setbacks, lot coverage, where the house sits |
| A001–A002 | Notes & assemblies | The 'recipes' for every wall, floor and roof |
| A101–A104 | Floor plans (basement up) | Room layout, dimensions, door/window tags |
| A201–A204 | Elevations (N/E/S/W) | What each face looks like, cladding, heights |
| A301+ | Sections | The house 'cut open' — ceiling heights live here |
| A601 | Schedules | Every door and window with exact sizes |
| A701+ / S sheets | Structural | Footings, beams, joists — engineer-stamped |
Diamond tags (like W01, FW02 in a rotated square) identify a wall assembly — the layered recipe of that wall, defined on the assemblies sheet. Boxed or oval tags (W01, D04 in a rectangle/oval) mark an individual window or door, matching a row in the schedule. Same letters, different shapes, completely different meanings — even pros mix them up.
1. The egress window. Every bedroom needs a window big enough to escape through (or a door to outside). Look for "egress" notes on the window schedule. 2. Dimensions are to structure, not finished drywall — rooms feel a few inches smaller than the numbers. 3. The dual units: 8" [205] means 8 inches (205 millimetres) — Ontario drawings show both. 4. Fire-rating notes near property lines (Type 'X' drywall) — that's why your side walls may have few or no windows. 5. The permit stamp: a reviewed set carries the city's compliance stamp — that's the document your builder must build from, and changes need city approval.
What does A101 mean on my drawings?
It's the sheet number: 'A' for architectural, first digit for the series (1 = floor plans), so A101 is typically the basement or ground floor plan. A201 starts the elevations, A301 the sections, A601 the schedules.
What are the diamond symbols on the floor plan?
Wall assembly tags. Each diamond (e.g. W01, FW01) points to a defined layer-by-layer wall recipe on the assemblies sheet. Boxed tags, by contrast, mark individual windows and doors listed in the schedules.
What is a door or window schedule?
A table (usually sheet A601) listing every door and window mark with its exact width, height and notes — the shopping list for every opening in the house.
Can I change things after the permit is issued?
Yes, but changes to the reviewed drawings need written approval from the building department — your builder can't just improvise on a stamped set.