How the plans are made
Every Field Built plan is drawn by our design software from one exact 3D lumber model of the build.
The model holds every board, sheet and panel as a real piece of material: its actual size (a 2x6 is 1-1/2 x 5-1/2 in.), where it sits, which step it goes in, and how its ends are cut. Nothing in the plan is drawn by hand on top of that model.
One source for everything
The cut list, the shopping list, the dimensioned drawings, the step pictures and the measurements written into each step are all read off the same model. That's why they agree with each other, and why a different size isn't a stretched copy: the studs on the sloped walls, the brace angles, the rafter bird's mouths and the siding notches are worked out again for each size.
Checks that run on every plan
- No two boards occupy the same space
- Every part in the model shows up in the cut list, and every cut list line has a letter that matches the drawings
- The boards on the shopping list cover every piece in the cut list, with saw kerfs counted
- Joist, stud and rafter spacing stay inside what the plan calls for
What you see on this site
The pictures are renders of those 3D models, not photos of finished builds. The page images are real pages from the plan PDFs.
What these plans are not
They're not engineered or stamped drawings. Wind, snow, soil and the quality of the build all matter. If your county wants a permit or engineered drawings, follow your county. See the disclaimer.