Exterior Construction Dimensions

This section explains the exterior dimensions layout that is included in the Construction Starter File.

It will help you to estimate construction costs for garages, decks, porches and exterior work in residential and light commercial buildings.

DIMENSIONS BASICS
When to Use | Entering Data | Vertical Dimensions

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RELATED TOPICS
Assemblies | Cost Items | Calculated Dimensions | Dimensions | Estimates

When to use Exterior Dimensions

The Exterior Dimensions layout lets you enter measurements for garages, decks, porches, sheds, and some dimensions for the overall height of the building.

Use it whenever the project includes exterior work.

Entering Data

Enter the following measurements for garages, decks, porches and sheds:

Length-- Enter the length along one dimension.
Width-- Enter the width along the dimension perpendicular to the length.
Height-- Enter the height of the structure off the ground.
Perimeter-- Goldenseal calculates the total length around the structure. You can change this number.
Area-- Goldenseal calculates the total area of the structure. You can change this number.
Garage Wall Area-- Enter the total horizontal wall area for garages.
Shed Wall Area-- Enter the total horizontal wall area for sheds or other exterior buildings.

Enter the following exterior measurements:

Highest Roof Point-- Enter the height from eaves to the highest roof point.
Top Story Ceiling to Eaves-- Enter the height difference between the top story ceiling and eaves. This number is often zero or a negative number.
Bottom Floor to Top Story Ceiling-- Enter the total height from the bottom floor to the top floor ceiling.
Overall Building Height-- Enter the overall height of the building.
Height of 1st Floor off Ground-- Enter the average height of the first floor from ground level.
Yard Area-- Enter the area of yard treatment.
Lot Area-- Enter the total area of the lot.

Vertical Measurements

The Exterior Dimensions layout includes several vertical measurements for the project. If you have floor plans with section or elevation drawings, you should be able to find these measurements directly.

Highest Roof Point

This is the distance from the highest point of the roof down to the elevation of the top floor ceiling.

If this quantity is locked, it will be ´suggested° based on roof geometry from the Roof Dimensions layout. If you unlock this quantity, enter the measurement from the average top floor ceiling elevation to the highest point of a shed roof, to the ridge of a gable, gambrel or arch roof, or to the center of a hip, mansard or dome roof. On a complex roof, pick the highest point and measure to that.

Top Floor Ceiling to Eaves

This dimension is used to adjust the amount of siding, stucco or other exterior finish, depending on how the project is framed near the top. To calculate it, first measure the elevation difference between the top floor ceiling and top of the exterior wall, just under the eaves.

When the building is built with roof trusses resting on the top plate of the wall framing in the highest story, the exterior wall finish will end at the same height as the ceilings, and the elevation difference will be zero.

If the building has a ´raised° ceiling attached to the underside of the roof framing such as in a Cape Cod or A-Frame, the eaves are lower than the top floor ceiling height, so enter a negative number.

If the building has a parapet wall, the additional siding covering the parapet and roof framing beneath it is already included in the siding area calculations, so enter a zero.

Height of First Floor off Ground

This is the distance from the average first floor elevation down to the average ground level. If the first floor is higher than the ground, it is a positive number. If the first floor is exactly at grade, it is zero. If the first floor is below ground level, it is a negative number.