As-Built Drawing Services

As-built drawings are dimensioned drawings that document the existing physical conditions of a building or space as they are measured. They show what is actually there, not what was originally designed or what old drawings say should be there. Depending on the project, they may also be called existing conditions drawings, measured drawings, or as-built documentation. The term varies, but the purpose is the same: an accurate drawn record of conditions as found.

As-built drawings document the interior and exterior physical conditions of a building: walls, openings, structure, MEP routing, finishes, floor levels, and spatial dimensions. A land survey documents exterior property boundaries, lot lines, grades, and legal property information. These are different scopes of work involving different professionals and different deliverables. Laser scanning commonly supports as-built documentation for buildings and interior spaces. Boundary surveys, cadastral records, and land-related legal documentation are a separate professional scope.

The views included depend on the agreed scope. Common options are floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, elevations, sections, roof plans, and area summaries. Not every project requires every view type. The scope is confirmed before any fieldwork begins so the field plan and drafting brief are aligned with what the project actually needs.

DWG and PDF are the standard delivery formats. DWG is compatible with AutoCAD and most design and coordination platforms. PDF is provided for review and reference. RVT and IFC are available when the scope includes modeled output, which is a Scan-to-BIM scope item rather than a 2D drawing deliverable. Confirm the required format during scoping based on what software your team uses downstream.

The space is first captured using 3D laser scanning, which produces a dense point cloud: a measurable 3D reference of visible surfaces within the scanner's line of sight and the agreed scope. A technician then uses that point cloud as the dimensional reference to draft the required views in CAD software. The drawings are not automatically generated by the scanner. The drafting step involves interpretation: what to include, what level of detail to represent, and how to handle site conditions that are partially visible or ambiguous. The drawings are reviewed against the point cloud before delivery.

Several factors influence project cost: Site size: Larger or multi-floor spaces require more field time and more drafting time. Number and complexity of views: A full drawing package with multiple view types requires more production time than a floor-plan-only scope. Level of detail: Higher detail levels require more careful field coverage and more time in drafting. Access constraints: Occupied spaces, after-hours requirements, or restricted areas affect both the field plan and the timeline. Existing documentation: Sites with no existing drawings may require additional scope planning effort. Mobilization: Site location, travel, and access scheduling affect the total project cost. We do not publish standard pricing because project conditions vary too much to make a price list useful. Contact us with your project details and we will discuss what the scope realistically involves.

Some renovation, addition, or change-of-use projects involve documentation of existing conditions as part of a permit process. Whether as-built drawings satisfy a specific permit submission requirement depends on the municipality, the project type, the scope of the drawings, and what the authority having jurisdiction requires. We recommend confirming drawing requirements with the relevant municipal authority before finalizing the scope. On-Site Measurements does not provide permit consulting, engineering sign-off, or architectural stamping services.