How to prepare CAD plans for NBN pit and pipe design
What to send your designer so the design is right first time, and the missing details that most often slow a job down.
Reviewed 14 October 2026
In short: send an AutoCAD DWG of the current subdivision or site plan, at true scale, showing lot boundaries and numbers, roads and kerbs, driveways, existing services and the stage boundary. Add the premises count and your NBN application reference if you have one. A clean, complete DWG is the single biggest factor in a two-week turnaround.
The checklist
- AutoCAD DWG of the latest approved or proposed plan, drawn at 1:1 in metres
- Lot boundaries and lot numbers, matching your stage application
- Road reserves, kerb lines, footpaths and street names
- Proposed driveway and crossover positions
- Existing and proposed poles, streetlights and transformers
- Existing telecommunications pits and the nearest NBN network
- Other services: power, water, sewer, stormwater and gas
- Retaining walls, easements and laneways
- The stage boundary, and any earlier stage designs
- For MDUs: floor plans showing the communications room, risers and each unit
- Dial Before You Dig or survey results, if you have them
Why DWG beats PDF
A pit and pipe design is measured against lot boundaries, kerbs and transformers to the nearest few hundred millimetres. In a DWG every line has a true position, so service drop lengths and pit clearances can be checked exactly. A PDF has to be traced, which takes longer and adds risk. PDF is fine for small sites when it is all you have, and for small developments of up to 20 premises NBN accepts the final design as a PDF.
Tidy the file before you send it
- Bind or include xrefs. A drawing that references other files arrives blank unless the references are bound or sent with it. eTransmit or a zip of the whole folder works.
- Keep the coordinates. Do not move the drawing to the origin. Real-world coordinates help match it to survey data and earlier stages.
- Leave layers on. Frozen or off layers often hold the very kerb or easement lines we need.
- Send the latest revision. Note the revision letter and date in your email so we design to the right plan.
- Include fonts and shape files if the drawing uses custom ones, or the text may not display.
Details that are most often missing
Across more than 300 developments, the same gaps come up again and again:
- Driveways. Pits must stay clear of driveways and proposed driveways. Without positions, a pit can land in the wrong place and need moving later.
- Transformers. Pits must sit at least 15 m from pad-mounted transformers and transformer poles. A new kiosk added after design is a common cause of redesign.
- Lot count changes. The premises count in the design must match the stage application, so tell us as soon as it changes.
- Retaining walls. Service drops under a wall have to go in before the wall is built, so the wall needs to be on the plan.
How to send it
Put a share link to the files (OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox or similar) in the quote form, or ask and we will send you an upload link. Files are kept only as long as the job needs them. See our privacy policy.
CAD plan questions
Can I send a PDF instead of CAD?
Yes for small sites, but a DWG is faster and more accurate because every line has a true position. Our two-week turnaround runs from receiving complete CAD plans.
Do I need NBN's AutoCAD template?
No. Send your plans in any normal DWG and we prepare the NBN design. NBN's drafting tool is optional for small developments of up to 20 premises.
What if my plans are still changing?
Send the latest version and tell us what may change. One client revision is included in the price.