NCIDQ cheat sheet

Scale ratios: 1/8 inch = 1 foot is 1:96; 1/4 inch = 1 foot is 1:48; 1/2 inch = 1 foot is 1:24; 3/4 inch = 1 foot is 1:16; 1 inch = 1 foot is 1:12.

Sheet series prefixes: A architectural, I interiors, S structural, M mechanical, E electrical, P plumbing, FP fire protection; the 100-series carries plans and the 400/500-series carries details and schedules.

Line weight hierarchy: heaviest lines for elements cut by the section plane and for solid poché, medium for surfaces beyond the cut, lightest for dimensions, notes, and reference grids.

A reflected ceiling plan is drawn as viewed from above and projected down, so it mirrors the floor plan; grid lines, columns, and partitions must register exactly with the floor plan.

Typical interiors set sequence: cover and general notes, code/life safety plan, demolition plan, partition plan, finish plan, RCP, power and communications plan, interior elevations, details, schedules.

Room finish schedule: rows are rooms and columns are floor, base, wall, and ceiling finish codes; each code resolves to a finish legend listing product, color, and standard.

Revision conventions: a scalloped cloud encloses changed work, a numbered delta triangle sits beside it, and the revision block records number, date, and description.

Interior elevations show vertical surfaces keyed to the plan with elevation tags; sections cut through the space and reveal construction assemblies and heights.

MasterFormat divisions most used in interiors: 01 General Requirements, 06 Wood/Plastics/Composites, 08 Openings, 09 Finishes, 10 Specialties, 11 Equipment, 12 Furnishings.

Every specification section is three parts: Part 1 General (references, submittals, quality assurance), Part 2 Products (materials, components), Part 3 Execution (installation, field quality control).

Specification methods: prescriptive, performance, proprietary, and reference-standard; a proprietary specification must name an acceptable basis-of-design product so substitutions can be evaluated.

Fire-rated gypsum assemblies are listed systems (for example UL U419) tested to ASTM E119/UL 263; any penetration requires a listed firestop system matching the assembly.

Gypsum board: 1/2 inch on typical partitions, 5/8 inch Type X in rated assemblies, 5/8 inch on ceilings with framing at 24 inches on center, moisture-resistant board at wet areas.

Concrete is specified by 28-day compressive strength; slump is measured per ASTM C143; moisture in slabs is tested by ASTM F2170 in-situ humidity probes before resilient flooring goes down.

AWI woodwork grades run Economy, Custom, and Premium, controlling tolerances, veneer matching, and finish quality for casework and architectural millwork.

Paint and coating thickness is specified as dry film thickness in mils, with surface preparation and number of coats stated in Part 3.

Acoustic ratings to cite: STC per ASTM E90 for airborne isolation, IIC for impact isolation of floor-ceiling assemblies, NRC per ASTM C423 for absorption.

Rule-of-thumb cooling: about 400 cfm per ton of cooling; supply air around 55 degrees F, room design around 75 degrees F; duct sizing at roughly 0.1 inch water gauge per 100 feet of duct.

ASHRAE 62.1 sets minimum ventilation as cfm per person plus cfm per square foot by occupancy category; ASHRAE 55 governs thermal comfort conditions.

ASHRAE 90.1 and the IECC cap lighting power density in watts per square foot by space type, and mandate controls such as occupancy sensors and daylight dimming in many space types.

Plumbing: fixture values come from drainage and supply fixture-unit tables; horizontal drainage piping 2-1/2 inches and smaller slopes at 1/4 inch per foot, 3 inches and larger at 1/8 inch per foot.

Electrical load rules: a duplex receptacle counts as 180 VA, and continuous loads are sized at 125 percent of the connected load.

NFPA 13 sprinkler coverage for light hazard is 225 square feet maximum per head with 15 feet maximum spacing; ordinary hazard is 130 square feet per head.

Acoustic design targets: NC 25-30 for private offices and conference rooms, NC 35-40 for open offices; STC 50 gives good speech privacy between offices.

Indoor air quality: specify low-emitting materials against CDPH Standard Method Section 01350, GREENGUARD, or Green Seal, and plan a flush-out or air testing before occupancy.

Occupancy groups: A assembly, B business, E educational, F factory, H high hazard, I institutional, M mercantile, R residential, S storage, U utility.

Occupant load equals floor area divided by the load factor: business 100 gross, mercantile 60 gross, classrooms 20 net, assembly unconcentrated 15 net, concentrated 7 net, residential 200 gross.

Two means of egress are required once the occupant load reaches 50, and in other cases where the common path of egress travel or travel distance limits are exceeded.

Egress width uses the capacity factors in the code: approximately 0.2 inch per occupant for stairs and 0.15 inch per occupant for other egress components.

Travel distance limits come from the code table by occupancy, typically 200 to 250 feet, with increases allowed in sprinklered buildings; common path is 75 feet, or 100 feet in sprinklered Group B.

Dead-end corridors are limited to 20 feet generally and 50 feet in sprinklered Group B occupancies; headroom along the means of egress is 6 feet 8 inches minimum.

Accessibility essentials: 36-inch minimum clear route, 60-inch turning space, ramp slope no steeper than 1:12 with 30-inch maximum rise per run, handrails 34 to 38 inches, guards 42 inches.

The means of egress has three parts that must be continuous: exit access, the exit itself (enclosed stair or exit passageway), and exit discharge to the public way.

Building type I-A through V-B sets required structural fire resistance, while occupancy separations are set by the occupancy separation table; both are checked before finish selection.

Programming follows analysis then synthesis: establish goals, collect facts, test concepts, and determine needs before any space planning begins.

Diagram progression: adjacency matrix, then bubble diagram, then block or zoning plan, then a stacking diagram when the program spans multiple floors.

Efficiency equals net assignable area divided by gross area; offices typically target 75 to 85 percent, with circulation commonly consuming 20 to 30 percent of gross area.

Planning allowances vary by client standard: private office roughly 100 to 150 net square feet, open workstation roughly 48 to 64 net square feet, conference roughly 15 to 20 net square feet per seat.

Anthropometric checks: 60-inch diameter turning circle, 30 by 48 inch clear floor space for wheelchair transfer, and reach limits governing storage and control heights.

Sustainability frameworks to map to the program: LEED for building performance, WELL for occupant health, Passive House for load reduction; early energy modeling informs massing and glazing.

Phase deliverables: pre-design, schematic design (concept plus order-of-magnitude cost), design development (developed plans and outline specifications), construction documents, contract administration.

Cost estimating accuracy improves with phase: square-foot benchmarks at schematic design, quantity takeoffs at design development and construction documents.

A post-occupancy evaluation tests delivered performance against the original program using surveys, observation, and measured data.

Core AIA documents: B101 owner-architect agreement, A101 owner-contractor agreement, A201 general conditions, G702 and G703 for payment applications.

Standard of care is the skill and care of similarly situated design professionals; it is a negligence standard, never a warranty that the design is perfect or fit for a particular purpose.

Submittals (shop drawings, product data, samples) are reviewed for conformance with the design concept and the information in the contract documents; review turnaround is commonly 7 to 14 days.

Communication instruments: RFI is a contractor question, ASI is the architect's written clarification or minor change, CCD directs a change before pricing, and a change order modifies contract sum or time.

Payment: the contractor submits G702 with G703 monthly, the architect certifies, and retainage typically runs 5 to 10 percent until substantial completion.

Bidding: addenda go to all bidders before bid opening; alternates, unit prices, and allowances are priced separately; bid bonds commonly equal 5 to 10 percent of the bid.

Substantial completion starts warranties, permits retainage reduction, and generates the punch list; final completion releases final payment and requires lien waivers.

Contract types: stipulated sum, guaranteed maximum price, and cost plus a fee; insurance lines include commercial general liability, professional liability, builder's risk, and workers' compensation.

The certificate of occupancy is issued by the authority having jurisdiction after required inspections, and it governs legal use of the space.

Scale ratios: 1/8 inch = 1 foot is 1:96; 1/4 inch = 1 foot is 1:48; 1/2 inch = 1 foot is 1:24; 3/4 inch = 1 foot is 1:16; 1 inch = 1 foot is 1:12.

Sheet series prefixes: A architectural, I interiors, S structural, M mechanical, E electrical, P plumbing, FP fire protection; the 100-series carries plans and the 400/500-series carries details and schedules.

Line weight hierarchy: heaviest lines for elements cut by the section plane and for solid poché, medium for surfaces beyond the cut, lightest for dimensions, notes, and reference grids.

A reflected ceiling plan is drawn as viewed from above and projected down, so it mirrors the floor plan; grid lines, columns, and partitions must register exactly with the floor plan.

Typical interiors set sequence: cover and general notes, code/life safety plan, demolition plan, partition plan, finish plan, RCP, power and communications plan, interior elevations, details, schedules.

Room finish schedule: rows are rooms and columns are floor, base, wall, and ceiling finish codes; each code resolves to a finish legend listing product, color, and standard.

Revision conventions: a scalloped cloud encloses changed work, a numbered delta triangle sits beside it, and the revision block records number, date, and description.

Interior elevations show vertical surfaces keyed to the plan with elevation tags; sections cut through the space and reveal construction assemblies and heights.

MasterFormat divisions most used in interiors: 01 General Requirements, 06 Wood/Plastics/Composites, 08 Openings, 09 Finishes, 10 Specialties, 11 Equipment, 12 Furnishings.

Every specification section is three parts: Part 1 General (references, submittals, quality assurance), Part 2 Products (materials, components), Part 3 Execution (installation, field quality control).

Specification methods: prescriptive, performance, proprietary, and reference-standard; a proprietary specification must name an acceptable basis-of-design product so substitutions can be evaluated.

Fire-rated gypsum assemblies are listed systems (for example UL U419) tested to ASTM E119/UL 263; any penetration requires a listed firestop system matching the assembly.

Gypsum board: 1/2 inch on typical partitions, 5/8 inch Type X in rated assemblies, 5/8 inch on ceilings with framing at 24 inches on center, moisture-resistant board at wet areas.

Concrete is specified by 28-day compressive strength; slump is measured per ASTM C143; moisture in slabs is tested by ASTM F2170 in-situ humidity probes before resilient flooring goes down.

AWI woodwork grades run Economy, Custom, and Premium, controlling tolerances, veneer matching, and finish quality for casework and architectural millwork.

Paint and coating thickness is specified as dry film thickness in mils, with surface preparation and number of coats stated in Part 3.

Acoustic ratings to cite: STC per ASTM E90 for airborne isolation, IIC for impact isolation of floor-ceiling assemblies, NRC per ASTM C423 for absorption.

Rule-of-thumb cooling: about 400 cfm per ton of cooling; supply air around 55 degrees F, room design around 75 degrees F; duct sizing at roughly 0.1 inch water gauge per 100 feet of duct.

ASHRAE 62.1 sets minimum ventilation as cfm per person plus cfm per square foot by occupancy category; ASHRAE 55 governs thermal comfort conditions.

ASHRAE 90.1 and the IECC cap lighting power density in watts per square foot by space type, and mandate controls such as occupancy sensors and daylight dimming in many space types.

Plumbing: fixture values come from drainage and supply fixture-unit tables; horizontal drainage piping 2-1/2 inches and smaller slopes at 1/4 inch per foot, 3 inches and larger at 1/8 inch per foot.

Electrical load rules: a duplex receptacle counts as 180 VA, and continuous loads are sized at 125 percent of the connected load.

NFPA 13 sprinkler coverage for light hazard is 225 square feet maximum per head with 15 feet maximum spacing; ordinary hazard is 130 square feet per head.

Acoustic design targets: NC 25-30 for private offices and conference rooms, NC 35-40 for open offices; STC 50 gives good speech privacy between offices.

Indoor air quality: specify low-emitting materials against CDPH Standard Method Section 01350, GREENGUARD, or Green Seal, and plan a flush-out or air testing before occupancy.

Occupancy groups: A assembly, B business, E educational, F factory, H high hazard, I institutional, M mercantile, R residential, S storage, U utility.

Occupant load equals floor area divided by the load factor: business 100 gross, mercantile 60 gross, classrooms 20 net, assembly unconcentrated 15 net, concentrated 7 net, residential 200 gross.

Two means of egress are required once the occupant load reaches 50, and in other cases where the common path of egress travel or travel distance limits are exceeded.

Egress width uses the capacity factors in the code: approximately 0.2 inch per occupant for stairs and 0.15 inch per occupant for other egress components.

Travel distance limits come from the code table by occupancy, typically 200 to 250 feet, with increases allowed in sprinklered buildings; common path is 75 feet, or 100 feet in sprinklered Group B.

Dead-end corridors are limited to 20 feet generally and 50 feet in sprinklered Group B occupancies; headroom along the means of egress is 6 feet 8 inches minimum.

Accessibility essentials: 36-inch minimum clear route, 60-inch turning space, ramp slope no steeper than 1:12 with 30-inch maximum rise per run, handrails 34 to 38 inches, guards 42 inches.

The means of egress has three parts that must be continuous: exit access, the exit itself (enclosed stair or exit passageway), and exit discharge to the public way.

Building type I-A through V-B sets required structural fire resistance, while occupancy separations are set by the occupancy separation table; both are checked before finish selection.

Programming follows analysis then synthesis: establish goals, collect facts, test concepts, and determine needs before any space planning begins.

Diagram progression: adjacency matrix, then bubble diagram, then block or zoning plan, then a stacking diagram when the program spans multiple floors.

Efficiency equals net assignable area divided by gross area; offices typically target 75 to 85 percent, with circulation commonly consuming 20 to 30 percent of gross area.

Planning allowances vary by client standard: private office roughly 100 to 150 net square feet, open workstation roughly 48 to 64 net square feet, conference roughly 15 to 20 net square feet per seat.

Anthropometric checks: 60-inch diameter turning circle, 30 by 48 inch clear floor space for wheelchair transfer, and reach limits governing storage and control heights.

Sustainability frameworks to map to the program: LEED for building performance, WELL for occupant health, Passive House for load reduction; early energy modeling informs massing and glazing.

Phase deliverables: pre-design, schematic design (concept plus order-of-magnitude cost), design development (developed plans and outline specifications), construction documents, contract administration.

Cost estimating accuracy improves with phase: square-foot benchmarks at schematic design, quantity takeoffs at design development and construction documents.

A post-occupancy evaluation tests delivered performance against the original program using surveys, observation, and measured data.

Core AIA documents: B101 owner-architect agreement, A101 owner-contractor agreement, A201 general conditions, G702 and G703 for payment applications.

Standard of care is the skill and care of similarly situated design professionals; it is a negligence standard, never a warranty that the design is perfect or fit for a particular purpose.

Submittals (shop drawings, product data, samples) are reviewed for conformance with the design concept and the information in the contract documents; review turnaround is commonly 7 to 14 days.

Communication instruments: RFI is a contractor question, ASI is the architect's written clarification or minor change, CCD directs a change before pricing, and a change order modifies contract sum or time.

Payment: the contractor submits G702 with G703 monthly, the architect certifies, and retainage typically runs 5 to 10 percent until substantial completion.

Bidding: addenda go to all bidders before bid opening; alternates, unit prices, and allowances are priced separately; bid bonds commonly equal 5 to 10 percent of the bid.

Substantial completion starts warranties, permits retainage reduction, and generates the punch list; final completion releases final payment and requires lien waivers.

Contract types: stipulated sum, guaranteed maximum price, and cost plus a fee; insurance lines include commercial general liability, professional liability, builder's risk, and workers' compensation.

The certificate of occupancy is issued by the authority having jurisdiction after required inspections, and it governs legal use of the space.