Frame Drawings

General arrangement vs fabrication drawings

A general arrangement (GA) drawing shows the whole job on one sheet - every member, level and grid line - so everyone can see how it fits together and sign it off.

Fabrication (shop) drawings come next: each member drawn individually with the exact detail the shop needs to make it.

You approve the GA first; fabrication drawings then follow from it. Both are produced from the engineer's design.

General arrangement (GA) drawings

Structural sizing, spans and load calculations must be carried out by a qualified structural engineer. These pages help you plan the drawings you need - they are information only and are not structural engineering advice.