[EXISTING CONDITIONS]

Existing Conditions & As-Built Surveys by 3D Laser Scanning

Q: What does an existing conditions survey capture?

Walls, doors, windows and openings; ceiling heights and above-ceiling areas when accessible; columns, beams and structural members; ductwork, pipe, conduit and electrical equipment; floor elevations and slopes; process equipment, pipe racks and tie-in points; and exterior elevations and roof equipment when in scope.

Q: What deliverables do I receive?

Registered point clouds (.E57, .RCP/.RCS, .LAS) with 360-degree panoramas, 2D drawings in DWG (plans, reflected ceiling plans, sections, elevations), 3D models in Revit or AutoCAD/Plant 3D, and deviation reports available on request.

Q: What does an existing conditions survey cost?

Most projects run $0.25 to $0.50 per square foot for a registered point cloud, with a $5,000 minimum project. 2D drawings and 3D models are priced separately.

When the drawings on file don't match the building or the plant, design starts on assumptions. An existing conditions survey gives your team field-verified dimensions — walls, doors, ceiling heights, columns, pipe, equipment and MEP — captured by 3D laser scanning and delivered as a registered point cloud, 2D as-built drawings in DWG or a Revit model. We document industrial and commercial facilities from Houston across Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, before you finalize construction documents.

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ABOUT SERVICE

[SCOPE OF SERVICE]

What does an existing conditions survey include?

Field-Verified Dimensions

•  Walls, doors, ceiling heights, columns and openings, captured in one mobilization.
•  Pipe, equipment, structure and MEP in industrial areas.
•  Above-ceiling areas when access is available.

Registered Point Cloud

•  Individual scans registered into a single colorized point cloud.
•  Navigable 360° panoramas for remote site walks.
•  Delivered in .E57, .RCP/.RCS or .LAS.

2D As-Built Drawings

• Floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, sections and elevations in DWG.
• Drafted from the point cloud, not from tape measurements.

3D As-Built Models

• Revit or AutoCAD/Plant 3D models at the LOD your team specifies.
• Model tolerance agreed to scope and documented in the deliverable.

Survey Control & Tolerance

• Tripod-based or mobile capture, selected to the tolerance your project requires.
• Mobile data tied to survey control when absolute accuracy matters.

Records for the Next Project

• A point cloud your team can reuse for future renovations and capital projects.
• One dataset shared by design, construction and facility teams.

[BENEFITS]

Why survey existing conditions before design?

See Pricing

COST GUIDE

Design on real conditions

Your team designs against measured geometry, not drawings that are decades out of date.

Fewer RFIs and change orders

Conflicts with existing walls, structure and MEP show up in design, not in the field.

One mobilization

Capture everything in one site visit instead of repeat trips with a tape measure.

Complete coverage

Full 3D capture of the space, not only the dimensions someone thought to measure.

Minimal disruption

Occupied offices and operating plants stay in service; scanning is quiet and non-contact.

Clear tolerance

Fraction-of-an-inch point clouds, with the instrument matched to the tolerance you specify.

[technology]

How does the survey work?

Scope is agreed before mobilization, so the deliverable matches what your design team will actually use.

Capture

Tripod-based or mobile scanners, selected to your tolerance and site conditions, capture the space in one mobilization.

Register

Individual scans are registered into one point cloud and checked against registration tolerance.

Control

When coordinates matter, the scan is tied to survey control; licensed boundary work is coordinated separately.

Drafting & Modeling

Drawings and models follow the LOD, layers and Revit version your team specifies.

Deliverables

Point cloud, DWG drawings and models delivered; a deviation report is available on request.

[DELIVERABLES]

Typical deliverables

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Registered point cloud (.RCP/.RCS, .E57, .LAS) with 360° panoramas

As-built 2D CAD (floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, sections, elevations)

Scan-to-BIM models (Revit/IFC) for structural, MEP, and architectural — coordinated through our modeling partners

Deviation/fit-up reports, available on request, for dimensional control and QA/QC

Point cloud archive for future renovations, retrofits, and operations

Point cloud of packaging-plant equipment captured with a 3D laser scanner

[USE CASES]

Who orders an existing conditions survey?

Design firms preparing construction documents for a tenant improvement

EPC and piping teams documenting brownfield tie-ins and revamps

Owners and facility managers replacing missing or outdated as-builts

General contractors validating existing conditions before bid and buyout

Architects documenting renovations, additions and adaptive reuse before permitting

Engineering firms — tunnels and infrastructure: centerline, FFE, utilities and points of penetration

3D point cloud of a packaging plant production line from laser scanning

[3D LASER SCANNING]

Field-verified conditions — mobilized from Houston across Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma

Ideal for: industrial plants and process units,
offices, retail and healthcare interiors,
and infrastructure across the Gulf Coast.

[about SERVICE]

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the questions design, procurement and facility teams ask before ordering an existing conditions survey.

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Is an existing conditions survey the same as a land survey?

No. An existing conditions survey documents the building or facility as it stands today — dimensions, structure, MEP and equipment — for design. It is not a boundary or land survey. If your project needs coordinates certified by a licensed land surveyor (RPLS), that work is coordinated separately and the scan is tied to their survey control.

What does an existing conditions survey capture?

•  Walls, doors, windows and openings
•  Ceiling heights, and above-ceiling areas when accessible
•  Columns, beams and structural members
•  Ductwork, pipe, conduit and electrical equipment
•  Floor elevations and slopes
•  Process equipment, pipe racks and tie-in points
•  Exterior elevations and roof equipment when in scope

How accurate is an existing conditions survey?

Tripod-based scanners such as the Leica RTC360 are manufacturer-rated under 1/8 in at 33 ft; mobile (SLAM) capture typically runs about 1/4 to 3/4 in, tightened with survey control. Model tolerance is agreed to scope before mobilization and documented in the deliverable.

How long does an existing conditions survey take?

Field capture is usually one mobilization; a tripod-based crew typically covers 15,000–30,000 sq ft per day in open areas. The registered point cloud follows within days, and 2D drawings take roughly two days of drafting per field day
; 3D models take about five.

What deliverables do I receive?

•  Point clouds (E57, RCP, LAS, etc.)
•  2D drawings (plans, sections, elevations)
•  3D CAD or BIM models (Revit, AutoCAD, IFC, etc.)
•  Deviation reports, available on request, comparing construction vs. design

Do I need special software to view the scans?

No. We can provide files compatible with free viewers (Autodesk ReCap, CloudCompare, etc.), so you don’t need expensive software to review your project.

Can you survey an occupied building or an operating plant?

Yes. Scanning is non-contact and quiet, so offices, clinics and operating units typically stay in service. We plan capture around your access windows and site safety requirements.

Why order a survey instead of using the drawings on file?

•  Reduces costly change orders
•  Prevents design clashes before construction
•  Eliminates repeat site visits
•  Gives design, construction and the owner the same baseline

What does an existing conditions survey cost?

Most projects run $0.25–$0.50 per square foot for a registered point cloud, with a $5,000 minimum project; 2D drawings and 3D models are priced separately. Our 3D laser scanning cost guide breaks down scenarios — or request a quote with your square footage, site type and deliverable.

Is laser scanning safe?

Yes. Terrestrial scanners use eye-safe, Class 1 lasers, making the process completely safe for people and equipment.

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