Read before you build.

A 16Span plan is a planning aid: framing, a 3D model, a materials list, a code check and build steps, drafted by AI from what you describe or sketch.

It is not an engineered, architectural or stamped drawing, and no licensed professional has reviewed it. Every exported blueprint sheet says so, so the people you hand it to know too.

AI makes mistakes, and it can sound sure when it is wrong. A plan can have the wrong member sizes, spans or counts, miss a requirement, or misread your sketch or description.

Check every dimension, size and quantity yourself before you rely on it, and make sure the plan matches what you actually want to build.

Joist, beam and cantilever spans are checked against tables based on the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC). For a new design, the AI also looks up local requirements such as frost depth and snow load from published sources. Values it couldn't confirm are marked “Verify”.

The span tables in 16Span have not yet been verified against the published code book.

The code that applies to you may be different. Many cities and states amend the IRC, and Canadian provinces use their own building codes. Your local building department has the final word.

Many projects need a permit and inspections. Some need drawings stamped by an engineer or architect, for example a raised deck, a deck attached to a house, a structure carrying a roof or a hot tub, or a tall retaining wall. Zoning, setbacks and homeowners' association rules can apply too.

Check with your local building department before you buy materials or start work, and hire a licensed professional when your project calls for one or you're unsure.

Before you dig footings or post holes, have buried utilities located: call 811 in the US, or your province's one-call service in Canada (see clickbeforeyoudig.com). It's free, and it's the law in most places. Allow a few business days.

16Span can't see your site. Soil, slope, drainage, wind and snow exposure, nearby trees, and the condition of anything you attach to, such as a house's rim joist or siding, all affect what's safe to build. Have anything you're unsure of checked in person.

You're responsible for building safely: protective gear, safe use of tools, ladders and work at height, and help with heavy lifting.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions for every fastener, connector, post base and decking product. Where they differ from a 16Span plan, the manufacturer's instructions win.

Materials lists and prices are estimates from retailer data. Products can be substituted, and prices can be wrong or out of date. Before you buy, confirm quantities and prices, and that each product suits its use, such as lumber rated for ground contact where it touches soil.

By using a 16Span plan, you accept that what you build, and how, is your decision and your responsibility. This disclaimer is part of the Terms of Service, which limit our liability.