Course Overview
The AutoCAD Technical Detailing course is an intensive, hands-on training program designed to equip participants with the practical drafting skills required in the construction industry. The course focuses on developing accurate architectural, structural, and site layout drawings used throughout the planning, design, approval, and construction phases of building projects. Participants will learn how to create professional technical drawings, organize construction documentation, and prepare contractor-ready drawing packages using AutoCAD.
Throughout the four weeks, participants will work on real-world building projects while mastering industry drafting standards, drawing management, layer organization, annotation, plotting, and multidisciplinary coordination. The training emphasizes practical application through guided exercises, workshop sessions, and project-based learning. By the end of the course, participants will have completed a comprehensive building drawing portfolio demonstrating their ability to produce construction drawings suitable for residential and commercial projects.
Duration: 4 Weeks (20 Training Days)
Tuition: KES 50,000/=
Course Requirements
Participants should have:
- Basic computer literacy and file management skills.
- Familiarity with the Microsoft Windows operating system.
- An interest in architecture, engineering, construction, or technical drafting.
- No prior AutoCAD experience is required, although basic knowledge is an added advantage.
- A laptop capable of running AutoCAD (latest or recent version recommended).
- AutoCAD software installed before the start of the training.
- A notebook, calculator, and USB storage device or cloud storage for project files.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Navigate and customize the AutoCAD workspace for professional drafting.
- Apply construction drafting standards and technical drawing conventions.
- Produce accurate architectural floor plans for residential and commercial buildings.
- Develop foundation, roof, elevation, and sectional drawings.
- Create detailed site plans and building layouts.
- Prepare structural layout drawings and construction details.
- Draft electrical, plumbing, and drainage layouts.
- Organize drawings using layers, blocks, external references, and annotation tools.
- Produce contractor-ready working drawings suitable for construction.
- Generate professional plotting layouts and printable drawing sheets.
- Coordinate architectural, structural, and services drawings within a single project.
- Interpret and modify existing construction drawings.
- Develop complete construction documentation packages for client and contractor use.
Course Modules
Module 1: Introduction to AutoCAD and Technical Drafting
- Introduction to Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
- AutoCAD interface and workspace customization
- File management and project organization
- Drawing units, limits, and coordinate systems
- Drawing accuracy and precision techniques
- Construction drawing standards
- Introduction to architectural drafting conventions
Practical Exercise
Set up a professional AutoCAD workspace and create basic geometric drawings using precision drafting tools.
Module 2: Drawing and Editing Commands
- Drawing commands
- Modify commands
- Object snaps and tracking
- Selection methods
- Hatch creation
- Gradients and fills
- Polylines and splines
- Blocks and reusable drawing components
Practical Exercise
Produce a complete room layout using drawing and editing commands.
Module 3: Layers, Annotation and Dimensioning
- Layer creation and management
- Layer properties and standards
- Text styles
- Leaders and multileaders
- Dimension styles
- Annotation scaling
- Construction notes
Practical Exercise
Create a professionally annotated architectural floor plan.
Module 4: Architectural Floor Plans
- Residential building layouts
- Commercial building layouts
- Walls and partitions
- Doors and windows
- Staircases
- Room labeling
- Space planning principles
Practical Exercise
Draft a complete residential floor plan.
Module 5: Building Elevations and Sections
- Front, rear, and side elevations
- Cross sections
- Longitudinal sections
- Building heights
- Floor levels
- Roof profiles
- Material representation
Practical Exercise
Prepare elevations and sectional drawings for the floor plan developed in Module 4.
Module 6: Roof Plans and Ceiling Layouts
- Roof types
- Roof framing layouts
- Ceiling plans
- Roof drainage
- Fascia and gutter details
- Roof dimensions
- Roof annotations
Practical Exercise
Create a complete roof layout with ceiling plan.
Module 7: Foundation and Structural Layouts
- Foundation plans
- Footing layouts
- Column positioning
- Beam layouts
- Slab layouts
- Reinforcement drawing basics
- Structural symbols
Practical Exercise
Develop a foundation and structural layout for a residential building.
Module 8: Site Planning and Setting Out
- Site plans
- Plot boundaries
- Building orientation
- Setbacks
- Access roads
- Parking layouts
- Landscaping elements
- Setting-out dimensions
Practical Exercise
Prepare a complete site layout for a proposed development.
Module 9: Electrical Layout Drawings
- Electrical symbols
- Lighting layouts
- Socket outlets
- Distribution boards
- Switching arrangements
- Cable routing
- Circuit identification
Practical Exercise
Draft a complete electrical installation layout.
Module 10: Plumbing and Drainage Layouts
- Plumbing symbols
- Water supply layouts
- Wastewater systems
- Septic tank layouts
- Manholes
- Drainage systems
- Stormwater management
Practical Exercise
Produce plumbing and drainage drawings for a residential building.
Module 11: Construction Details
- Door details
- Window details
- Stair details
- Foundation details
- Wall sections
- Roof connection details
- Floor finish details
Practical Exercise
Prepare enlarged construction detail drawings.
Module 12: Advanced AutoCAD Productivity Tools
- Dynamic blocks
- External references (XREFs)
- Attribute blocks
- Tool palettes
- Design Center
- Templates
- Sheet sets
Practical Exercise
Develop reusable project templates for construction documentation.
Module 13: Working with Existing Drawings
- Importing drawings
- Editing consultant drawings
- Drawing revisions
- Version control
- CAD standards
- Error detection
- Drawing comparison
Practical Exercise
Revise and update an existing architectural drawing.
Module 14: Plotting and Construction Documentation
- Paper space
- Layouts
- Viewports
- Plot styles
- Line weights
- PDF publishing
- Printing construction drawings
Practical Exercise
Prepare a complete plotting package for contractor submission.
Module 15: Quantity Measurement from Drawings
- Area calculations
- Linear measurements
- Quantity extraction
- Material take-offs
- Schedules
- Drawing reports
- Construction documentation
Practical Exercise
Extract quantities from completed architectural drawings.
Module 16: Multi-Disciplinary Drawing Coordination
- Architectural coordination
- Structural coordination
- MEP coordination
- Clash identification
- Revision workflows
- Consultant coordination
- Construction issue drawings
Practical Exercise
Coordinate architectural, structural, and MEP drawings into a unified drawing package.
Module 17: Commercial Building Project
- Office layouts
- Retail buildings
- Warehouse layouts
- Public buildings
- Accessibility standards
- Service areas
- Circulation planning
Practical Exercise
Develop working drawings for a commercial building.
Module 18: Residential Building Project
- Bungalow layouts
- Maisonette layouts
- Apartment layouts
- Multi-unit housing
- Utility planning
- Space optimization
- Client requirements
Practical Exercise
Produce a complete residential building drawing package.
Module 19: Capstone Project Development
- Project planning
- Drawing package organization
- Quality assurance
- Drawing review
- Corrections
- Final documentation
- Professional presentation
Practical Exercise
Complete a full construction drawing package for an assigned building project.
Module 20: Final Project Presentation and Assessment
- Drawing presentation techniques
- Contractor documentation review
- Plotting and submission
- Portfolio preparation
- Professional drafting standards
- Final project evaluation
- Career readiness in CAD drafting
Practical Exercise
Present and defend a complete contractor-ready drawing package, incorporating architectural, structural, site, electrical, and plumbing layouts, for assessment against industry drafting standards.