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As-builts are the documented record of what a construction project looks like at the end — not what the original design drawings specified, but what actually got built. They capture every change made during construction: routing of pipes, electrical runs, structural modifications, dimensional variances, equipment locations, and anything else that differs from the original plans.
This guide covers what as-builts are, the six types contractors deliver, who's responsible for creating them, and how modern phone-based capture is replacing the traditional drafting-and-redlining workflow.
An as-built is any record — drawing, document, model, or scan — that shows the final physical state of a construction project as it was actually built, including all deviations from the original design plans.
The term comes from "drawings of the project as built," shortened over decades to just "as-builts" or "as-built drawings." On a construction project, the original design drawings are the contract documents — they specify what should be built. The as-builts are what got built.
The two are rarely identical. Construction is full of small and large deviations:
Every one of those changes needs to be reflected in the as-builts. If they aren't, the next contractor who works on the building has incorrect documentation and the owner has no accurate record of what's actually in the walls.
As-builts are typically required by the owner as a closeout deliverable. They serve three purposes:
Facility management. When the building is operated, maintained, or modified later, the as-builts show what's actually there. Without them, every maintenance task starts with discovery.
Future renovation and retrofit. When the building is renovated later, the architect or contractor needs to know the real conditions before designing changes. As-builts are the starting point.
Legal and insurance documentation. If something fails — a roof leak, a structural issue, a fire — the as-builts establish what was installed and where. Without them, liability disputes get expensive.
1. As-built drawings — Traditional 2D drawings (plans, sections, elevations) updated to reflect actual construction. Architects and engineers receive marked-up redlines from the contractor and produce the final as-built drawing set. This is the most common deliverable on commercial projects.
2. As-built documentation — The broader category of any document recording final conditions. Includes drawings plus specifications, equipment lists, submittal records, inspection certificates, warranty documents, and operation and maintenance (O&M) manuals.
3. As-built records — A more general term often used interchangeably with documentation, but typically refers to a comprehensive package including drawings, photos, scans, and supporting documents handed over at project closeout.
4. As-built 3D models — On BIM (Building Information Modeling) projects, the model itself is updated to reflect actual construction. The as-built model is the deliverable, with all systems, equipment, and structural elements adjusted to match reality.
5. As-built point clouds and 3D scans — Captured via LiDAR scanners (phone-based or terrestrial) or photogrammetry from video. Produces a measurable digital twin of the actual space. Increasingly common for renovation pre-planning and facilities management.
6. As-built photographs — GPS-tagged, timestamped photo records of conditions throughout construction. Useful for hidden work (in-wall, below-grade, above-ceiling) that won't be visible after completion. Some owners require photo-documented as-built records for any work that gets covered.
Responsibility varies by contract and project type:
The breakdown of who does what is specified in the contract documents — usually in the General Conditions and the specifications.
The traditional workflow:
This process works but is error-prone. Items get missed. Redlines are illegible or incomplete. The architect produces drawings that don't match field reality because they were translating from incomplete notes weeks or months after the fact.
The modern phone-based workflow:
The phone-based approach doesn't replace the marked-up drawings — those are still needed for the formal contractual deliverable. But it produces a richer, more verifiable record that protects everyone involved.
Manifold combines three capture methods in a single app:
Orbit Measure — Walk a space for 10–60 seconds with any iOS or Android phone. The video uploads to Manifold's servers and returns a measurable 3D model accurate to within half an inch. No LiDAR required. Works on any phone the crew already carries.
Floor Plan Scan — On iPhone 12 Pro or newer (with LiDAR), generates a structured 2D floor plan with labeled walls and dimensions automatically. Walk the room once, get a clean floor plan for the as-built deliverable.
GPS-tagged photo timeline — Every photo taken in the app is automatically GPS-tagged, timestamped, and sorted into the right project. Hidden work gets photographed during installation and is permanently available in the project record for the as-built deliverable.
Pricing is $24/user/month for the Photo+Scan plan (includes both Orbit Measure and Floor Plan Scan). No seat minimums. 14-day free trial, no credit card.
Try Manifold free or book a demo.
As-builts are documented records — drawings, scans, photos, or models — that show the final physical state of a construction project as it was actually built, including all deviations from the original design plans. They're typically delivered to the owner at project closeout as part of the contractual handover.
Construction drawings (also called working drawings or design drawings) are the original plans produced before construction begins — they specify what should be built. As-built drawings are the same drawings updated to reflect what actually got built, including every deviation, modification, and change made during construction.
The general contractor is typically responsible for tracking changes during construction by maintaining a marked-up working set of drawings. The architect or engineer usually produces the final clean as-built drawing set based on the contractor's redlines. Subcontractors maintain as-builts within their own scope.
The six common types are: as-built drawings (traditional 2D), as-built documentation (broader document set), as-built records (comprehensive closeout package), as-built 3D models (BIM updates), as-built point clouds and 3D scans (LiDAR or photogrammetry), and as-built photographs (GPS-tagged photo records).
A point cloud is a 3D data set captured by LiDAR scanners or generated from photogrammetry — millions of points in 3D space representing the surfaces of a building. An as-built point cloud is the captured state of the building after construction is complete, used for facility management, future renovation planning, and producing measurable digital records.
The terms are often used interchangeably, but record drawings are typically the formal final-deliverable version produced by the architect, while as-built drawings refer to the working set marked up by the contractor during construction. In practice, most contracts use "as-built" to refer to the final delivered set.
A typical room scan with Orbit Measure takes 10–60 seconds of walking with the phone. Floor Plan Scan on iPhone Pro takes about the same. A full small-residential as-built capture (5–8 rooms) can be done in under 30 minutes on site, with the measurable 3D model and floor plan available within minutes of upload.
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