Building Surveys | Deliverables
Demystifying As-Built Drawings
What You Should Know
The definition of “as-built drawings” isn’t universal, and varies by industry.
Real Estate Management & Marketing: In this context, as-builts are primarily thought of as accurate, up-to-date floor plans. They provide essential spatial information for property evaluation and marketing.
New Construction: For those in new construction, as-built drawings are the record drawings that are updated throughout a project’s lifecycle. They document every change and modification.
Building Maintenance & Redevelopment: If you’re involved in building maintenance or redevelopment, as-builts should reflect the current, “as-is” condition of the building. They’re crucial for understanding existing conditions before any work begins.
As-Builts in Real Estate: High Level Planning
In real estate, as-built drawings serve to answer two fundamental questions about a property:
The overall layout. This information is vital for assessing the suitability of a property. For example, in the context of an industrial real estate as-built drawing, critical spatial information like the number, size, and type of overhead doors (ie: drive-in or loading with levellers), column layouts, and clear ceiling heights are presented on the drawing. The drawing will show the floor area of the warehouse and office spaces, locations and capacity of electrical panels, and other high level details to determine suitability.
The precise measured area. This information is vital for assessing the suitability and cost of a property. The measured area should include both the “usable” or “occupant” area of the property, as well as the grossed-up “rentable” area (the number that includes the occupant area plus their pro-rata share of any common area) where appropriate.
As-Builts as Project Record Drawings: The Standard Definition
When we talk about as-builts as project record drawings, we’re referring to the most commonly accepted definition. Typically, the project architect is responsible for creating and maintaining these drawings. Contractors submit “redline” drawings, which are mark-ups detailing any deviations from the original construction plans. The architect then incorporates these changes into a master drawing – the as-builts.
Ideally, these as-built drawings are consistently updated throughout the construction project, verified, and then handed over to the building owner or manager for ongoing use.
Challenges in Maintaining Accurate As-Built Drawings
Without a solid drawing management system in place, as-built drawings will degrade over time. Common reasons for this include:
- Improper filing or storage of drawings
- Changes in building ownership
- Undocumented building modifications
Multi-tenanted buildings are particularly vulnerable to this, as they often undergo frequent alterations. With that being the case, our next definition of as-builts are often necessary for successful building maintenance and redevelopment.
As-Builts as Surveyed Drawings
For any building modifications or renovations, having access to high-quality, preferably digital, as-built drawings is crucial for pre-construction planning.
If existing drawings are unavailable or outdated, a detailed post-construction survey can be conducted. This survey can produce a comprehensive set of drawings or even a digital building model (aka a “digital twin”), providing accurate geometry and information about the building’s components.
This ensures that:
All project consultants, including mechanical and structural engineers, interior designers, fabricators, fire safety consultants, and the like, have access to the same, reliable, site-verified information.
Architects and designers have the data to produce clear, detailed permit and construction plans.
Summary
As-Builts drawings can be very light or very detailed. The data they contain can be captured during construction, or down the road. This data may be light, or very detailed. They can also be tailored to specific downstream needs, such as building maintenance or redevelopment, or simply for leasing and marketing a property.