Blueprint
Synonyms: Engineering Drawings، Construction Drawings، Building Plans، Architectural Drawings
Last updated: 2026-09-25
Short Definition
A blueprint, or engineering drawing set, is the collection of technical drawings and documents that describe a building precisely — its plans, elevations, sections, dimensions, structural elements and electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems — and against which construction is carried out once approved.
Overview
Legal Basis
The Saudi Building Code Implementation Law (M/43 dated 26/4/1438H) requires design to be contracted to a designer holding a practice licence (Art. 7) and the designer to comply with the code (Art. 8), and makes code compliance a condition for building and alteration permits (Art. 6). The Engineering Professions Practice Law (M/36 dated 19/4/1438H) requires every accredited engineer to state his name, grade and accreditation number on all engineering work (Art. 8). For off-plan sales, Art. 6(h) of the Off-Plan Law (M/44 of 1445H) requires approved architectural designs and engineering drawings, Art. 32 of its implementing regulations bars changes to approved construction drawings without the approval of REGA and the buyers, and Art. 14 obliges the developer to give the buyer the as-built drawings.
Practical Example
An owner in Madinah received a building permit for a villa whose drawings show four bedrooms and a roof annex. During construction he wanted to convert the annex into a suite with a bathroom. Instead of building it directly, he asked the designing engineering office to prepare revised drawings (fee SAR 6,000) and submit them through Balady's add/modify building components service, with the structural engineer checking roof loads and services. Had he built the change without updating the permit, he would have risked a building-code violation carrying a fine of up to SAR 1 million per violation and complications in obtaining the occupancy certificate.
Common Mistakes
- ✗Building from "copied" drawings or drawings not approved by a licensed office, or drawings lacking the engineer's name, grade and accreditation number.
- ✗Relying on architectural drawings alone without coordinated structural, electrical and mechanical drawings, causing clashes on site.
- ✗Changing the design during construction without updating the permit through Balady.
- ✗Not keeping as-built drawings, which makes later maintenance, sale and valuation harder.
- ✗Buying an off-plan unit without reviewing the approved drawings and the unit specifications attached to the contract.
International Differences
In most countries drawings are approved by the municipality before the permit, with a growing shift to Building Information Modelling (BIM) and e-submission; the United Kingdom, for example, tied government projects to BIM requirements, and in Turkey permit drawings go to the municipality with building inspection firms sharing responsibility. Saudi Arabia is distinctive in having a technical inspection company review designs before the municipality as part of the inherent defects insurance path, and in special limits on changing drawings in off-plan sales.
