Concept Drafts › Concept Drafts resource center
Learn to plan any build
Guides, learning paths and free calculators for every stage, from the first idea to the day you start building.
Featured
How to write a great concept draft request
The five things to put in one sentence so your first draft is close to what you want.
How to read a concept draft
What each section of a draft tells you, and what to do with it.
How to budget a build
Turn a parts list into a realistic total, with the costs people forget.
Permits 101 for things you build
What usually needs a permit or registration, and how to find out for your build.
Learning paths for every stage
Four short paths, each a guided sequence you can read in under half an hour.
Start here
What a concept draft is, how to ask for one and how to read it.
4 guides →Planning and budget
Turn a draft into a budget, quotes and a parts order you can trust.
4 guides →Rules, safety and professionals
Permits, inspections, safe power and the people who sign off.
4 guides →From draft to build
Prototype, measure, build in phases and keep the plan current.
4 guides →Hand-picked to read next
Free calculators
Battery run time and range calculator
How long a battery runs a motor or load, and how far you'll go at a given speed.
Solar panel and battery size calculator
How many panels and how much battery you need for your daily energy use.
Board feet and lumber cost calculator
Board feet and cost for hardwood or lumber, with a waste allowance.
Concrete for a slab or footing calculator
Cubic yards of concrete and the number of bags for a slab, pad or footing.
DC wire size (voltage drop) calculator
The smallest copper wire size that keeps voltage drop under your limit on a DC run.
Build budget with contingency calculator
A realistic total for any build: parts, labor, permits, a contingency and tax.
Real drafts to learn from
24-foot electric boat
10 people, 2-hour lake tours, fast marina charging and a sun canopy.
10 seats · Lake tours · Electric
16-foot taco trailer
A full kitchen for taco service: prep, cooking, washing and the window.
16 ft · Full kitchen · Health code
Battery coffee cart
Espresso cart for farmers markets, on batteries, towed by a small car.
Espresso · Batteries · Towable
24-foot off-grid tiny house
A home for two on a trailer, with solar power and water storage.
24 ft · 2 people · Off-gridSolar workshop shed
10 by 12 workshop with 5 kW of panels and battery storage.
10 x 12 ft · 5 kW · Batteries
Oak standing desk
60 by 30 inch solid oak desk with a motor lift and two drawers.
60 x 30 in · Motor lift · Oak
Crop-check farm drone
Camera drone that checks crop health on 200 acres, 30 minutes a flight.
200 acres · 30 min · Camera
6-seat resort cart
Street-legal electric cart for guests and luggage, 40 miles of range.
6 seats · 40 mi · Street legal
Electric pontoon boat
12 people, 3 hours of cruising for a lake rental business, about $45,000.
12 seats · 3 h cruise · Rental
16-foot fishing skiff
Aluminum hull, 30 hp outboard, rod storage and a live well, about $14,000.
16 ft · 30 hp · Live wellStart with an idea. Finish with a plan.
Describe it in one sentence. Specs, drawings, parts with prices and the rules to check, in about a minute.
For planning only: have a qualified professional check any design before you build or use it.