Read Exterior Elevations

A. Finished-Package Specification

Deliverable set: one elevation checklist covering every exterior elevation received (front, rear, left, right, courtyard, garage, and any partial elevations); one vertical dimension-chain worksheet per elevation; one opening cross-check log matching every elevation opening to its plan and schedule entry; one material keynote trace list; one grade-comparison record for every elevation; and one unresolved-items and RFI-question list.

B. Deliverable Schedule (Component Schedule)

Component	Quantity	Source	Required Fields	Preparation / Purpose
Elevation checklist section	1 per elevation	Each received exterior elevation sheet	Heights, openings, materials, grade, roof, penetrations, drainage, detail references	Provides one complete, coordinated record per building face
Vertical dimension-chain worksheet	1 per elevation	Vertical datums, floor elevations, plate heights, ridge heights, grade elevations	Datum, element, elevation value, source sheet	Confirms the vertical chain from grade to ridge is complete and traceable
Opening cross-check log	1	Elevation openings, floor plans, opening schedules	Tag, elevation location, plan location, schedule match status	Confirms every opening is coordinated across views
Material keynote trace list	1	Elevation keynotes, legends, schedules, specifications	Keynote, material description, governing source, transition notes	Confirms every material tag reaches a governing document
Grade-comparison record	1 per elevation	Elevation grade lines, site plan, foundation plan	Elevation grade depiction, site plan value, foundation plan value, match status	Confirms grade relationships are consistent across disciplines
Unresolved-items and RFI-question list	1	Discrepancies found while building the above	Item, description, affected elevation, requested action	Records unresolved items for the document-control process

C. Source Material Takeoff

• Primary source: every current exterior elevation sheet in the received package, together with the Chapter 1 navigation package confirming their revision status.
• Coordination sources: the Chapter 2 site-control sheet, the Chapter 4 floor-plan layout summary, the current roof plan, building sections, structural framing plans, door and window schedules, and finish schedules.
• Reference tools: one engineer's or architect's scale, one straightedge, and a consistent set of markup colors.
• Recording medium: one document-control log or spreadsheet capable of holding all six deliverable components listed in Section B.

D. Acceptance Standards

Check	Standard
Elevation coverage	Every received exterior elevation, including partial elevations, has its own checklist section
Orientation accuracy	Every elevation name is confirmed against actual orientation or stated project naming convention, not assumed from title alone
Vertical chain completeness	Every checklist section traces a complete chain from grade or foundation to floors, plates, roof, and ridge, with no missing link recorded as resolved
Roof geometry match	Every roof form and slope shown on an elevation is confirmed against the roof plan and building sections, or logged as unmatched
Opening coordination	Every opening tag on every elevation is matched to its floor-plan location and schedule entry, or logged as unmatched
Material trace completeness	Every material keynote reaches a legend, schedule, or specification section, or is logged as undefined
Grade consistency	Every elevation's depicted grade relationship is compared against the site and foundation plans and recorded as matched or conflicting

E. Preparation — Confirm Elevation Identity and Coordination Sources

1. Confirm each elevation sheet, revision, scale, direction, orientation, and relationship to the site and floor plans. Cross-check every elevation sheet number and revision against the Chapter 1 navigation package before recording any content.
2. Identify front, rear, left, right, courtyard, garage, and partial elevations. List every elevation received and its stated view name in the elevation checklist.
3. Verify elevation names correspond to actual orientation or project naming. Compare each elevation's stated direction against the north arrow and building orientation on the site plan.

F. Vertical Controls and Heights

1. Locate vertical datums, finished-floor elevations, top-of-foundation, plate heights, ceiling heights, ridge heights, eave heights, and grade elevations. Record each value found on the elevation in the vertical dimension-chain worksheet.
2. Distinguish absolute elevations from dimensions relative to a project datum. Label each recorded value as absolute or relative in the worksheet.
3. Trace the vertical dimension chain from grade or foundation to floors, plates, roofs, and ridges. Confirm each successive value connects to the one before it without a gap.

G. Roof Geometry

1. Identify roof forms, slopes, ridges, hips, valleys, gables, sheds, overhangs, dormers, and parapets. Record each roof feature shown on the elevation in the checklist's roof-geometry field.
2. Match roof slopes and forms to the roof plan and building sections. Confirm every roof feature identified on the elevation appears consistently on the roof plan and in the sections.

H. Openings

1. Locate doors, windows, louvers, vents, garage doors, service doors, and other openings. Record each opening tag and its approximate elevation position in the opening cross-check log.
2. Match opening tags and sizes to plans and schedules. Confirm each tag appears on the floor plan and in the opening schedule with a consistent size and type.
3. Check head heights, sill heights, alignments, grouping, and relationships to trim and exterior materials. Record any dimensioned head or sill height in the vertical dimension-chain worksheet.

I. Materials and Finishes

1. Identify siding, veneer, panel, stucco, masonry, roofing, soffit, fascia, trim, and foundation finish callouts. Record each material tag found on the elevation in the material keynote trace list.
2. Follow keynotes and material tags to legends, schedules, details, and specifications. Confirm every keynote reaches a governing legend, schedule, or specification section.
3. Identify material transitions, horizontal bands, water tables, belt courses, control joints, and termination points. Record each transition location and its governing detail reference.

J. Exterior Features and Grade

1. Locate exterior stairs, landings, decks, porches, railings, guards, handrails, ramps, and retaining walls. Record each feature and its governing detail reference in the checklist.
2. Identify grade lines, finished grade, existing grade, sloped grade, window wells, areaways, and foundation exposure. Record each grade element depicted on the elevation.
3. Compare grade relationships with the site and foundation plans. Record the match status for each grade element in the grade-comparison record.

K. Penetrations and Drainage

1. Locate chimneys, vents, exhausts, meters, lights, receptacles, hose bibbs, downspouts, scuppers, and other penetrations or accessories. Record each item and its approximate elevation location.
2. Identify roof and wall drainage paths shown or implied by gutters, downspouts, crickets, saddles, and flashing references. Record the drainage path and its governing detail reference.

L. Detail References and Cross-Checks

1. Locate section and detail callouts for eaves, rakes, openings, decks, porches, material transitions, and foundations. Record each callout and its destination sheet.
2. Follow representative references and verify they apply to the elevation condition. Confirm at least one traced reference per elevation reaches a destination that matches the condition shown.
3. Compare wall lengths and opening locations with floor plans. Confirm elevation opening spacing is consistent with the corresponding floor-plan wall length.
4. Compare heights and roof geometry with sections and structural plans. Confirm plate and ridge heights recorded in Section F match the building sections.
5. Compare material tags with finish schedules and specifications. Confirm every material recorded in Section I matches its finish schedule or specification entry.
6. Identify inconsistent opening positions, missing heights, unmatched materials, unclear grade, or unresolved roof geometry. Log each discrepancy found in Steps 20 through 24 on the unresolved-items list.

M. Field Verification and Checklist Assembly

1. Mark field-verification points for existing grade, existing structures, utility penetrations, and renovation interfaces. Flag each item requiring field confirmation before it is treated as resolved.
2. Create one checklist section for each elevation with heights, openings, materials, grade, roof, penetrations, drainage, and detail references. Consolidate the findings of Sections F through L into one section per elevation.
3. Attach photographs or visual extracts only as authorized and label them with source sheet and revision. Confirm any attached image carries its source sheet number and current revision.

N. Checklist Closeout

1. Prepare RFI-style questions for conflicting elevations, roof forms, material limits, grade relationships, or missing details. Draft one neutral question per unresolved item on the list.
2. Review the checklist for all elevations, current revisions, complete references, and field-verification notes. Confirm every deliverable component in Section B is complete before closing the chapter.