Most people associate floor plans with the top-down room layout. But two other drawing types matter just as much in construction and property documentation: elevation drawings and site plans.
Both can be digitized from existing sketches or old paper drawings. Same process, same formats, same turnaround as floor plan digitization.
Key Facts
– An elevation drawing shows a building from the side — a freestanding house typically has four (front, rear, left, right)
– A site plan shows the entire property from above — building position, plot boundaries, paths, outbuildings
– Both are usually required for building permits and renovation applications (Planning Portal — UK example)
– Elevation drawings document the exterior façade; site plans document the relationship between building and plot
– Standard delivery: 1–3 business days; output in JPG, PDF, and DWG
– Floor plans, elevations, and site plans can be submitted together as a single Replanera order
Elevation Drawings
What an elevation drawing shows
An elevation drawing shows a building from the side — front, rear, left, or right. Instead of looking down at rooms from above, it looks straight at the building and shows:
- Window and door heights and positions
- The roofline and its slope
- Exterior façade detail
- The relationship between floor levels
A freestanding house typically has four elevation drawings — one for each side.
When you need elevation drawings
Construction and renovation projects. Adding a window, extending the building, changing the roofline — contractors and architects need elevation drawings to understand what’s being altered.
Building permit applications. Most jurisdictions require elevation drawings when applying for permits covering external changes.
Property documentation. For older buildings, original elevation drawings are often lost or in poor condition. A digitized version creates a current, usable record.
Heritage properties. Buildings under conservation status often require documented elevation drawings as part of maintenance or restoration permits.
What we convert from
- Hand-drawn sketches with approximate dimensions noted
- Phone photos of existing paper drawings
- Scanned PDFs of original architectural drawings
- Photographs of the building itself, with dimensions provided
Output: JPG, PDF, and DWG. Delivery: 1–3 business days.
Key Facts
– An elevation drawing shows a building from the side — a freestanding house typically has four (front, rear, left, right)
– A site plan shows the entire property from above — building position, plot boundaries, paths, outbuildings
– Both are usually required for building permits and renovation applications (Planning Portal — UK example)
– Elevation drawings document the exterior façade; site plans document the relationship between building and plot
– Standard delivery: 1–3 business days; output in JPG, PDF, and DWG
– Floor plans, elevations, and site plans can be submitted together as a single Replanera order
Site Plans
What a site plan shows
A site plan shows the property from above — but at a larger scale than a floor plan. Instead of showing rooms, it shows:
- The boundaries of the land plot
- The position of the building on the plot
- Driveways, paths, and access points
- Gardens, outbuildings, and outdoor structures
- The relationship between the building and the plot boundaries
When you need a site plan
Planning and permit applications. A site plan is almost always required when applying for planning permission — to show where on the plot the work will be.
Property sales on larger plots. When selling a house with significant land, a site plan helps buyers understand the full extent of what they’re buying.
Property development. Developers need site plans to plan how a plot will be used: where buildings go, how access works, how landscaping fits.
Key Facts
– An elevation drawing shows a building from the side — a freestanding house typically has four (front, rear, left, right)
– A site plan shows the entire property from above — building position, plot boundaries, paths, outbuildings
– Both are usually required for building permits and renovation applications (Planning Portal — UK example)
– Elevation drawings document the exterior façade; site plans document the relationship between building and plot
– Standard delivery: 1–3 business days; output in JPG, PDF, and DWG
– Floor plans, elevations, and site plans can be submitted together as a single Replanera order
How to Order
The process is the same as floor plan digitization:
- Prepare your existing drawing or sketch — a phone photo works in most cases
- Upload via the price calculator or email projects@replanera.com
- Note any requirements: output format preferences, the type of plan needed
- Receive your digital file in 1–3 business days, with free revisions included
Floor plans, elevation drawings, and site plans can be submitted together as a single order.
Key Facts
– An elevation drawing shows a building from the side — a freestanding house typically has four (front, rear, left, right)
– A site plan shows the entire property from above — building position, plot boundaries, paths, outbuildings
– Both are usually required for building permits and renovation applications (Planning Portal — UK example)
– Elevation drawings document the exterior façade; site plans document the relationship between building and plot
– Standard delivery: 1–3 business days; output in JPG, PDF, and DWG
– Floor plans, elevations, and site plans can be submitted together as a single Replanera order
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can you produce both existing and proposed elevation drawings?
A: Yes. If you have an existing elevation drawing and a sketch of the proposed change, we produce both versions.
Q: I only have a photograph of the building exterior. Can you produce an elevation from that?
A: In some cases, yes — particularly for simple façades. You’ll need to provide key dimensions: total height, floor-to-floor height, window positions. Contact us to discuss.
Q: Can you add scale bars and north arrows to site plans?
A: Yes. Standard site plan elements — north arrow, scale bar, boundary dimension lines — can be included on request.
Q: I need elevation drawings for all four sides. Is that one order?
A: Each elevation is priced separately based on complexity. Submit all four together and we coordinate delivery as a complete set.
Need elevation drawings or a site plan digitized? Contact us here or get a price via the calculator.
Related: From a Hand-Drawn Sketch to a Professional Digital Floor Plan | PDF to DWG Conversion for Construction Projects
