What to Expect During Your 3D Building Scan

What to Expect During Your 3D Building Scan

Today, more and more professionals in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries are turning to 3D reality capture for comprehensive building documentation. If you’ve never seen one of these scans performed, it may sound like a complicated, time-consuming process. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

3D laser scanning for building interior documentation is an efficient, cost-effective, and non-intrusive alternative to traditional documentation methods. Here’s what you can expect during your first building scan.

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What Equipment is Used?

The most effective 3D building scanners are the Faro Focus S and the Leica RTC360. Both are compact, portable devices mounted on tripods. An even smaller, handheld scanner, such as the Faro Freestyle, may also be used to scan hard-to-reach spaces or highly detailed surfaces. Under most circumstances, these scanners are all that’s needed. However, aerial drones with photogrammetry technology are also available to capture images of rooftops and sites with limited foot access.

Is it Disruptive?

3D scanning for building interior documentation is a minimally invasive process that is perfectly suitable for occupied spaces and active construction sites. A small, professional crew will need to scan the exterior and interior perimeter of the building and, if necessary, the roof. The scanners are lightweight, extremely quiet and don’t emit noticeable light levels. The scanning can also be coordinated around your schedule to further minimize its impact.

How Long Does It Take?

Modern 3D laser scanners are high-speed devices capable of capturing up to 2 million data points per second. This means that each individual scan can be completed within a few minutes. However, the total number of scans required will depend on the size and scope of your project. This can range from 30 laser scans for a single-family home to over 300 laser scans for a larger, commercial development.

Is it Safe?

The 3D building scanners are as safe as the barcode scanners in supermarkets. OSHA classifies them as Class 1 lasers, which means that the light waves they emit are not harmful to eyes, skin or building materials. They produce no harmful radiation. They also don’t produce heat, so they pose no fire risks.  

What are the Next Steps?

After your 3D building scans are complete, the data points and colored images will be combined to generate a single, presentation-quality Revit model. This model can be used to document as-built conditions, track changes to the building over time, calculate floor areas and material quantities, and develop detailed fixture/equipment schedules.

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Existing Conditions 3D Laser Scanning Services

Over the past 27 years, Existing Conditions has measured, documented, and modeled over 10,000 buildings spanning over 700 million square feet across the United States, for architects, builders, engineers, developers, and facility managers, establishing ourselves as an industry leader in 3D laser scanning. Building professionals trust us to deliver digital representations of the as-built environment with unparalleled accuracy and efficiency. Our dedicated Project Managers provide fast and accurate 3D laser scanning services and drone imagery services, and expert CAD and BIM technicians create custom, detailed deliverables, including point clouds, as-built drawings, 3D BIM models, MEP documentation, drone surveys. Our greatest reward remains delivering superior-quality scan-to-BIM work and knowing we played a vital role in our clients’ projects.