As-Built Drawing Services

As-built drawings are dimensioned drawings of the existing physical conditions of a building or space, based on what was measured during the field visit. The same work is also called existing conditions surveys, measured drawings or as-built documentation, depending on the project and how the design team refers to it.

The measurement source is 3D laser scanning. The registered point cloud becomes the reference for every dimension and spatial relationship, and a technician drafts the drawings from it in CAD software. They are not automatically generated by the scanner. Depending on the agreed scope, a package can include:

Drawing type	What it shows	Typical use
Floor plans	Room layout, walls, openings, columns and dimensions at a standard cut height	Renovation design, space planning, existing-conditions records
Reflected ceiling plans	Ceiling structure, diffusers, lighting and other ceiling-level elements when in scope	MEP coordination, ceiling and lighting changes
Elevations	Interior or exterior wall faces with heights, openings and finishes	Storefront, facade, millwork and interior design work
Sections	Floor levels, slab edges where visible, exposed structure and level-to-level relationships	Renovation planning, structural reference
Roof plans	Roof geometry, equipment and penetrations when in scope	Rooftop equipment and roof replacement planning
Area calculations and space summaries	Measured square footage by room or zone	Leasing, asset records, space planning

Not every project needs every view. The right combination, and the level of MEP and structural detail shown, are confirmed before any fieldwork begins. Packages can be organized for design coordination, for teams preparing permit documents, or for facility management use. The measurement standard for area calculations is confirmed before production.

File formats. DWG is the standard format, compatible with AutoCAD and most design, coordination and facility management platforms. PDF is delivered alongside it for review and sharing. RVT and IFC are available when the scope includes a modeled deliverable, which is a separately scoped Scan to BIM service rather than a 2D drawing set. Other formats can be discussed during scoping.

For a closer look at the plan itself, see what an as-built floor plan is, with residential, commercial and industrial versions, and as-built floor plans for commercial and industrial buildings.

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1. Scope confirmation. Before mobilizing, we agree on the areas in scope, the drawing views, the level of detail and the file formats your team uses. Unclear scope at the start is the most common cause of rework and missed areas.
2. Site access coordination. We confirm working hours, safety requirements, occupied-space logistics and any restricted or inaccessible areas. Access constraints affect the field plan, the timeline and what can be included.
3. Field capture. The space is measured with 3D laser scanning. Scanner positions are chosen to cover the agreed scope within the scanner's line of sight.
4. Registration and data review. Scan positions are registered into a unified point cloud. Coverage checks are completed while on site when practical, and registration quality is reviewed during processing before deliverables are issued. Areas outside the scope or inaccessible during the visit are noted here.
5. Drawing production. A technician drafts the agreed views from the point cloud. This involves real interpretation: what to include at the agreed level of detail, how to represent transitions between elements, and how to handle conditions that are partially visible or ambiguous on site.
6. Review and handoff. The drawings are checked against the point cloud for dimensional alignment and completeness, then delivered in the agreed format for your CAD environment.

The quality of the final drawings depends on three things: the coverage captured in the field, the clarity of the agreed scope, and the level of detail specified before production begins. For how this applies on active sites, see as-built scanning for construction.

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• Architecture and interior design: the starting point for renovation design, tenant improvement planning and additions, instead of outdated or incomplete records.
• Commercial real estate and property management: space plans, area calculations and building records for lease documentation, asset records and new tenancies.
• General contracting and construction management: planning demolition scope, coordinating subcontractors and confirming what is in the space before work starts.
• Structural and MEP engineering: dimensioned views of existing structure, mechanical equipment and ceiling spaces for retrofit design.
• Facility management: record drawings for maintenance planning, capital budgeting and equipment replacement.
• Heritage buildings: irregular geometry and thick masonry walls, where hand measurement is impractical or unreliable.
• Institutional and healthcare: occupied facilities with strict access and disruption constraints, where phased scanning, after-hours access and careful coordination are common.

If you are unsure whether you need drawings, a model or just the scan data, the comparison above and our Scan to BIM and CAD drafting pages explain the alternatives. A short scope conversation before committing to a package also helps.

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As-built drawings show visible surfaces, elements and spatial relationships that were accessible and within the agreed scope during the field visit: walls, openings, floors, ceilings, exposed structure and visible MEP elements when in scope. Concealed elements, inaccessible areas, permits, sign-off and land surveying are outside the service, as listed above (see as-built drawings vs as-built surveys vs land surveys); if a concealed element is critical to the project, discuss alternate verification before the scope is confirmed.

Access. Restricted zones, hazardous areas, locked rooms and occupied spaces with limited access windows can only be documented if they can be reached during the visit. Confirming access before mobilization prevents gaps after the fact.

Level of detail. A space plan for a real estate transaction does not need the structural and MEP detail of a drawing set for a mechanical retrofit. Agreeing the level up front prevents both under-delivery and unnecessary work.

Existing drawings. Old drawings or CAD files from the original construction or a previous tenant are useful for scope planning, but they are not assumed accurate until verified against the measured site data.

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