6. Locate Hidden Systems
The next step is to add the various hidden systems to your drawing. Taking your rough sketch, add sinks, stoves, built-in lighting, heat and cold air ductwork or radiators, chimneys, water supply lines and drains and any other existing fixed systems. Locate wall outlets and light switches, with a light line indicating what fixtures they turn on and off. Add any other switches or control pads for alarm systems, thermostats, garbage disposals, etc. Don’t forget that dishwashers and refrigerators with ice makers have water lines attached. If you have any appliances that require 220 electric or natural gas lines, add them.
By now your rough sketch is getting pretty complicated. You’ve probably spent some time in the basement or in other rooms trying to figure out what pipe or wire goes where and why. As complicated as this may seem now, it is much easier to build your new kitchen without expensive surprises if you take the time to locate as many hidden elements as possible now. You won’t get them all but each one you uncover now can be dealt with on paper rather than when work is in progress.
Transfer the hidden systems to your measured drawing. It helps to use colored pencils with various colors for various systems, i.e. Blue for cold water, red for hot, brown for drains, yellow for electrical, etc. Get out the tape measure and try to approximate the actual locations of each element.
