ELEVATION PLAN An elevation drawing is an orthographic projection drawing that shows one side of the house. The purpose of an elevation drawing is to show the finished appearance of a given side of the house and furnish vertical height dimensions. Four elevations are customarily drawn, one for each side of the house. An elevation plan ordinarily includes the following: • Identification of the specific side of the house that the elevation represents • Grade lines • Finished floor and ceiling levels • Location of exterior wall corners • Windows and doors • Roof features • Porches, decks and patios • Vertical dimensions of important features • Material symbols Grade Line, Floors & Ceilings • The reference point for most elevations is the grade line. • All features, which are below the grade line, should be drawn with hidden lines. • Examples are: foundation walls, footers & window wells • Drawing a centerline through the house where appropriate indicates the finished floor-to-finished ceiling height. • Common ceiling height in a garage is 8’-0” • Most codes require that the top of the foundation wall be at least 8” above the grade.