Art

Behind the Minimum

The floor plan shows the rooms. Coordination shows everything that must fit around them. What Structure and MEP Need in a Compact House A bedroom may meet the minimum area. A hallway may meet the minimum width. A stair may fit perfectly on the floor plan. None of that guarantees the house can be framed, serviced or maintained. Structure, plumbing, ductwork and electrical equipment all need space too. When that space is not reserved early, it is usually taken from a room later. The previous post asked: How small can the space be? This one asks: What still has to fit around it? The Coordination Check at a Glance A compact floor plan becomes buildable only after the load path, floor openings, pipes, ducts, electrical zones and equipment access have been coordinated. Space Structural question MEP question Common late surprise Bedroom Where do the joists, bearing walls and window header go? Where do registers, outlets, switches and alarms go? The only useful furnitur...