What are the Benefits of As-Built Drawings and Models for Architects?

What are the Benefits of As-Built Drawings and Models for Architects?

Whether you’re designing residential or commercial property renovations, restoring a historic building, developing functional and efficient layouts, or transforming buildings for adaptive reuse, having accurate as-built drawings and models are essential for any architect.

When you start a project, it’s imperative that your team is working from the same set of assumptions about the building. Relying on hand-drawn measurements, old drawings, or using a tape measure simply doesn’t cut it.

So, how do you go about getting an accurate set of as-builts? And how do you get those as-builts in a quick and efficient way? The best solution is to have an expert 3D laser scan your building.

Whether the deliverable is a point cloud of existing site conditions, a Revit 3D model, or 2D CAD drawings, an accurate set of as-builts drastically reduces the risk of errors, meaning your architectural proposal is accurate from the start.

By working with a team of experts to create a set of measured architectural drawings and models, your team can focus its time on what it does best.

And by collaborating with a professional 3D laser scanning company, such as Existing Conditions, you're setting up your own firm for success by leveraging the experience, equipment, and expertise of a nationally renowned team of experts.

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Start Accurate. Stay Accurate.

As the saying goes, failure to plan is planning to fail.

Attempting to renovate or reposition a building with incomplete or inaccurate as-builts is a fast-track way to introduce unnecessary problems into your project. Don't invite needless risk into your deals. Start accurate and stay accurate by using the best possible starting point, 3D laser scan point clouds, drawings, and models.

Every building you work on needs a solid foundation. The as-builts you're basing your decisions on need to have a reliable foundation as well. A detailed existing conditions survey can help you fine-tune your efforts across all members of the broader project team, so your projects are significantly more likely to be completed on cost and on schedule.

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Digitize Your Building.

When a property changes hands, it's common to see a physical set of old drawings change hands from the old owner to the new.

It's unfortunate, but many architects base their renovations and designs off these outdated drawings. Most of these firms think that they must choose between inaccurate drawings or no drawings at all. However, there are several ways that architects can get an accurate digital version of the built environment, often created to their exact architectural specifications.

3D building information modeling (BIM) that leverages laser scanning technology can create detailed, accurate existing conditions models that an architect can utilize for design planning.

Working from a complete set of digital plans can make it easy for architects to base their design proposal off the truth, instead of inaccurate old drawings. By collaborating in a virtual environment, architects can easily coordinate with the whole project team to develop a building successfully.

Having an accurate digital model of the building you're working on gets everyone on the same page and provides a mutual understanding. Existing Conditions 3D laser scanning services provides situational awareness of the built world without you ever having to step foot on site. Firms that "get it right the first time" by working off accurate drawings can more easily grow.

By building a reputation as an architectural firm that is dependable and accurate, you can more seamlessly expand market share, grow into new verticals such as commercial real estate, and increase dominance in your existing markets.

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A Digital Model is an Asset.

As an architect, you know how valuable a hand drawing or model can be. Drawing by hand can help take an idea and begin to transform it into an architectural statement.

A core part of being an architect is making the immaterial more concrete. For instance, building a small study model by hand or working through an idea in your sketchbook are both fundamental architectural skills.

But when it comes time to realize your vision and turn those drawings into a building, precision is a prerequisite for success. That's why having a precise set of as-built drawings and models is so important when working with buildings.

They can assist in providing you with a clear understanding of your building’s physical characteristics – precise dimensions of windows, placement of fixtures, ceiling heights, beam depths, and much more.

Once you’ve got a clear picture of the building, you can confidently turn your attention to optimizing your architectural intervention in that space.

If all your measurements are reliable and located in a digital space, such as a Revit model, you don’t have to waste time on reworking a design that was based on false assumptions.

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Better Decisions.

By hiring a professional firm to 3D laser scan your building and create a digital twin of the built environment, you can:

• Trust the accuracy of your design.
• Avoid unnecessary site visits for your team.
• Verify measurements remotely from your workspace.
• Enhance your design by gaining deeper insights into the building.
• Rely on experts who specialize in this process.

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Better Outcomes.

Existing conditions surveys enable architects to replace assumptions with measurements. This allows architects to make smart decisions based on accurate data. By leveraging an interactive 3D model of a space, you can even “walk” stakeholders through your proposal in real-time to give them a more accurate picture of your project than just a 2D or verbal presentation.

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Empowering Architects.

Accuracy is critical for architects. While assumptions and gray areas certainly can serve to help test ideas and develop architectural concepts, when it comes time to build, you need to be confident in your work.

Unfortunately, when architects don't have an accurate starting point, it can lead to costly, even disastrous, outcomes — to your project and to your reputation.

Starting with an existing conditions survey of a building via 3D laser scanning, your team will be able to pull the data they need, when they need it, without having to worry if the dimensions and measurements are accurate.

By letting someone else take the reins and provide you with existing conditions documentation, it will free up time to let you do what you do best: be an architect. Accurate drawings and models can minimize your risk and keep all the project team members on the same page, working together as one unit.

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Existing Conditions 3D Laser Scanning Services

Over the past 27 years, we have measured, documented, and modeled over 10,000 buildings spanning over 700 million square feet across the United States, 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 expert CAD and BIM technicians create custom, detailed deliverables. Our greatest reward remains delivering superior-quality scan-to-BIM work and knowing we played a vital role in our clients’ architecture projects.