Save time and improve your
construction detailing
Understanding Architectural Details
–
Residential Construction ebook
New Edition updated in line with latest Building Regulation updates
What is included?
The Key Principles
-
Functional Requirements
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Detailing Principles
-
Materials
Foundations
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strip foundations
-
pad foundations
-
pile foundations
-
raft foundations
Masonry Construction
-
ground bearing floors
-
suspended floors
-
walls (including cladding options)
- roofs (flat and pitched)
- doors and windows
Timber Frame Construction
-
ground bearing floors
-
suspended floors
-
walls (including cladding options)
- roofs (flat and pitched)
- doors and windows
Steel Frame Construction
-
floors
-
walls
-
roofs
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS)
-
floors
- walls (with cladding options)
- doors and windows
- roofs
Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF)
-
floors
- walls
- doors and windows
- roofs
Green Roof Construction
-
intensive
- extensive
New to the 4th Edition
All the details have been updated in line with the new Building Regulations changes issued in June 2022, along with the addition of new details. The introductory text and diagrams have been completely updated and renewed. A huge update to this key resource for any student or architect!
Download over 120 2d CAD files and over 120 3D SketchUp models!
How this book will help you
- Gain a better understanding of residential construction
- Understand the principles of construction detailing
- Understand the functional requirements of a building in relation to the building regulations
- Learn about the different materials available and their benefits
- Improve your technical ability
- Increase your skill set to make you more employable
- Save a huge amount of time searching for details, over 120 details in one place
- Edit and develop the cad files into your own detail library
- Explore the 3d sketchup files to improve your understanding of the construction



Bundle 1
(Book in pdf format)
- Over 120 2d details
- Over 120 3d details
Bundle 3
- (Book in pdf format)
- Over 120 2d details
- Over 120 3d details
- PLUS – All the 2D details featured in the book (in dwg format) for you to explore
- PLUS – All the SketchUp models (.skp) as seen in the book for you to explore
Bundle 2
(Book in pdf format)
- Over 120 2d details
- Over 120 3d details
- PLUS – All the 2D details featured in the book (in dwg format) for you to explore
The Three Book Package
Understanding Architectural Details – Residential in PDF format
- Understanding Architectural Details – Basements in PDF format
- Understanding Architectural Details – Commercial in PDF format
- All the 2D details in CAD format as dwg files
- All the 3D details in SKP format for SketchUp
- Plus UAD Commercial Wall Details bonus book and digital files
- UK construction standards and methods
- Details drawn in metric units
The Full Five Book Package
- Understanding Architectural Details – Residential in PDF format
- Understanding Architectural Details – Basements in PDF format
- Understanding Architectural Details – Commercial in PDF format
- Understanding Passivhaus 2nd Edition – in PDF format
- Details:Calculated – in PDF format
- Understanding Loft Conversions 2nd Edition – in PDF format
- All the 2D details in CAD format as dwg files
- All the 3D details in SKP format for SketchUp
- All the Flixo files from Details:Calculated
- Plus UAD Commercial Wall Details bonus book and digital files
- UK construction standards and methods
- Details drawn in metric units
Who is it for?
students | graduates | professionals | tutors | professors



Hi, I’m Emma…
This is why I wrote the book
The Understanding Architectural Details books are featured in

Exactly what you need
Congratulations on an excellent publication. Both they and the text are invaluable as a guide and reference source for student, self practitioners and experienced detailer alike. With every change in regs details once relied upon are outdated and it is very helpful to have a source of known-to-be-compliant details indexed for easy retrieval and therefore easily found and consistent.
The graphic standard is, especially for the 3D generated images, exemplary and the dwgs are clear and uncluttered. Being able to manipulate, rotate, zoom, copy and deconstruct these models will be a valuable teaching aid that any office could use for its student and junior employees.
As a former Technical Design Director of a major housing practice now turned teacher I can thoroughly recommend all First in Architecture’s publications. The return in investment in terms of time saved and the sense of security in knowing that these details are reliable and to current standards will be noticed resulting in hours of increasing sleep in a matter of days.