As Built Pricing

How Much Do As Built Services Cost? 

Pricing will always depend on what market your property falls under but generally price in the United States is between $2 per 1 Square Foot to $5 per 1 Square Foot ($2 - $5 per SF). 

Why Are As Built Drawings Expensive? 

As built documentation is a lengthy process that involves several hours of site measurements & several days of office work. 

On the field or property visit, it involves taking measurements,  taking photos, videos, or scans depending on the workflow & the scope of work involved. 

In the office, it takes several days to weeks to complete an as built drawing set. 

It always depend on the scope of work involved and the level of detail required. 

What affects pricing of an as built set? 

The following is an extensive list of reasons that determine as built pricing:

1. Size of property / project:
   
   Residential properties often tend to be smaller than warehouse spaces and sometimes bigger than shops & store fronts. Depending on a property size, an as built provider will require a single site visit or multiple site visits to complete documentation. 
   
   

2. Type of property:
   
   Properties are not all the same, warehouses tend to be much larger spaces VS residential properties but have much less detailing & a more basic floor plan layout.
   
   Industrial spaces tend to be the most detailed and bigger in size compared to other types of properties.
   
   

3. Turnaround or service time:
   
   A standard turnaround for an as built set can be 2-4 weeks (depending on all other factors). Some as built service provider offer an expedited service for a premium. 
   
   

4. Distance from service provider:
   
   It is often more cost-effective to hire a local company close to your project address instead of flying (potentially) your choice of an as built provider. 
   
   

5. Scope of work involved:
   
   Some projects require basic 2D floor plans with just the walls, doors, and windows - while more involved projects can require the documentation of [floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, electrical plans, MEP plans, roof plans, exterior elevations, interior elevations, cross sections]
   
   

6. Level of detail (LOD) required:
   
   This can boil down to having simple 2D drawings VS having 3D detailing drawings. You can also think of a simple floor plan representing just walls, doors, windows or a higher level floor plan that details & notes materials, finishes, casework, and stairs details. 
   
   
   

7. Different file formats:
   
   2D CAD drawings will always be cheaper to order compared to 3D files created from 3D software such as Rhino, SketchUp, or 3DsMax. An even higher level of file format is a BIM format created using BIM software such as Revit & ArchiCAD.
   
   Revit & ArchiCAD file format tend to have a higher price tag compared to basic 3D files or 2D drawings.
   
   

8. Site photos & videos:
   
   Anyone requesting as built drawings will always need site photos or videos, or both. Including that in the scope will often incur additional costs .
   
   

9. 3D Virtual tours:
   
   Virtual tours have picked momentum in the last decade and became mainstream with the help of the current industry leader "Matterport"
   
   Virtual tours are slowly replacing site photos & videos and becoming a standard in the as built documentation industry.
   
   Ordering a virtual tour will have an additional cost and certainly higher than getting site photos & videos since it requires specialized hardware & software to produce & process.
   
   

10. Drone scans or Aerial Scans:
    
    Drone photography have been available in the last decade or two. Just as 3D virtual tours generated using cameras on ground, specialized drones have the ability to create aerial scans and tours giving a broader perspective of site conditions & providing excellent documentation.
    
    

11. Point Cloud:
    
    A point cloud scan is the process of acquiring a point cloud data set using specialized equipment such as 3D scanners or LiDAR systems. Point cloud scanning involves capturing a large number of points in 3D space that represent the surface geometry of an object or scene.
    
    Once the point cloud is captured, it can be used for various applications such as 3D modeling, reverse engineering, quality control, inspection, and virtual reality. Point cloud scanning is an important technology in fields such as architecture, construction, engineering, manufacturing, and entertainment.
    
    Similar to virtual tours, a point cloud scan allows the user to navigate a space and explore it in and out.
    
    While virtual tours are a collection of 360 photographs stitched together, a point cloud is "Literally" as the term stands, a cloud of millions of points that put together allow you to view a space.