Blueprint Reading: Construction Drawings for the Building Trade

I am a contractor. I have done rehabs and flips for years. I am about to step into the house building world. This book was definately a great purchase. When I get into something new, I never know what I don't know. Now I do. Great read.

wife loves it says its teaching her more than what the class is going over.

so far its going pretty well from the reading, I like the outline of the book its clear and concise. first 2 chapters may spend a little time on what blue printing is made on what types of paper and other cad related issues but from chapter 3 on out about lines dimensions and truly understanding how to read blue prints, I recommend this book. not fully finished so I will be giving a closing review.

I am very new to architecture, frankly I use it to build model houses, but I thought it time for me to move forward and to start studying the application that I do to actual homes. This book is extremely good for beginner to intermediate level folks delving into Blue print reading

Great book. Very instructive. Just purchased it and yet I find a lot of interesting thing even though I haven't read it properly.

Great book for beginners. Also, includes a chapter about running construction company. I was personally looking for reference book. Does anyone recommend one? Thank you!

Blueprint Reading is a tough book to review positively. A very careful review of the table of contents might spare you the frustration of the first five and last three chapters. However, if you are truly new to construction drawings the table of contents might not hold much meaning. I would imagine the target audience for this book is someone who's come to the world of construction and is not a PE (Professional Engineer), Architect, or contractor. Otherwise you would have this knowledge by education and or experience. What such a person would want, primarily, is a clear and concise methodology for reading and understanding construction drawings. Perhaps secondarily, some insight into how to create such drawings. Now, of course there's a degree of overlap. To read them you must know how and why certain things are done. However, consider the title of this book. Blueprint Reading. In 13 years of working with machine shops and now 3 years in construction I've never heard the term blueprint. Not once. Blueprint Reading by Kuba is sort of an academic look at the subject, starting with the history of plans, how they were made, all the different kinds of edged tools employed, inks, papers, and standards. All of these things are irrelevant today. Totally irrelevant. Plans are designed on computer and printed on plotters. That's it. Similarly, all the information about line weights, standards regarding line weights, etc. that is contained in the first five chapters really belongs in an appendix under "extra detail for the curious." Chapter 7 is about industrial drawings, really machine shop drawings. Chapter 10 is about specifications which is no doubt an important part of the package but isn't strictly related to the drawings. In fact only chapters 6, 8, and 9 are really about construction drawings. Chapter 11 is about building codes, again important but not related to reading drawings. And finally chapter 12 is about starting a construction business, with budgets and the like. Chapter 12 is really the editors fault, as a good editor should have said, "this book is losing focus, let's cut chapter 12." Despite the aforementioned issues with content and focus I found the book to be very well written. The subject matter was covered comprehensively and its level was consistent with a novice starting from scratch. All the explanations were clear and concise, I never had to read anything twice. In short, Blueprint Reading is a good book and is well written. But it's focus is poor and given the title may not be what you're expecting.

I order this book for my boyfriend to help with welding. He had nothing to say but positive things about the book. It help him alot in what he needed to do. Thank you it was a very helpful edition for him.

100 %,many thanks

Perfect, delivered on time.

Whether you need/want to know how to read blueprints, this book will help get you there. Very helpful for homeowners and budding contractors.

Brought this book for studying , but the pages in the book are impossible to read , like a blobs of ink , been ripped off .

I liked it. Thanks for shipping it quickly.