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An as-built is a record of how a building or system was actually constructed, as opposed to how it was originally designed. As-built records capture deviations between the design intent and the final installed state — material substitutions, dimensional changes, rerouted utilities, or any other modification made during construction.
This guide covers what an as-built is, the six types of as-built records used in the AEC (architecture, engineering, construction) industry, who is responsible for producing them, and how contractors document as-builts in 2026 using photo and 3D scanning tools.
An as-built — sometimes written as "as-built drawing," "as-built record," or simply "as-builts" — is the canonical record of a project's final installed condition. It exists for one reason: what was built almost never matches what was originally drawn. Field conditions, change orders, material substitutions, and on-the-fly engineering decisions all introduce deviations. An as-built record captures those deviations so that future maintenance, renovations, inspections, or sale of the property can proceed on accurate information.
If a designer's drawings show "design intent," as-built drawings show "installed reality."
A complete as-built record typically includes:
Architectural as-builts capture the final layout and structure of the building shell. They include built dimensions, room sizes, door and window locations, ceiling heights, and any modifications made to the original architectural design during construction. These are the most commonly requested as-builts and the foundation for any future renovation work.
Engineering as-builts document the modifications made to engineering systems within the project — structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), or fire protection. Because these systems often get rerouted around field conditions, engineering as-builts are critical for service calls and future expansion. See our guide on electrical as-built documentation and HVAC as-built documentation.
Civil as-builts apply to infrastructure projects — roads, bridges, utility networks, site grading, and stormwater systems. They document final alignments, dimensions, elevations, and material types as installed. Required by most municipalities for permit closeout on commercial projects.
Telecom as-builts focus on the network infrastructure within a project — cable pathways, equipment rack locations, conduit routing, and termination points. These are produced by the low-voltage trade and are critical for future moves, adds, and changes in the building.
Land survey as-builts are produced by licensed surveyors and document property boundaries, building footprints, easements, and site features as they were finally constructed. Required for closing out land development projects and for property transactions.
Plumbing and mechanical as-builts document the final routing of water supply, waste, vent, gas, and HVAC ductwork as installed. Often the most-deviated systems on a project because of unforeseen field conditions. See our guide on plumbing as-built documentation.
Responsibility for as-builts varies by project type and contract:
For a detailed breakdown, see who creates as-built drawings.
Construction drawings (also called "design drawings" or "contract drawings") show what was supposed to be built. As-built drawings show what was actually built. The difference matters because every renovation, system upgrade, or property transaction depends on accurate information about the current state of the building — not the design intent from years ago. See as-built drawings vs construction drawings for a full comparison.
Producing as-builts used to require manual redlining of paper drawings, then a draftsperson digitizing them weeks later. Two technologies have changed how this works:
GPS-tagged, timestamped photos of installed conditions — especially in walls, ceilings, and floors before they're closed up — form the photographic backbone of a modern as-built record. Manifold's photo documentation captures the full timeline of a project automatically: every photo geotagged to its location and timestamped, exportable as part of the closeout PDF.
Phone-based 3D scanning (using Orbit Measure) produces measurable digital twins of finished spaces in 60 seconds, with no specialist hardware. The resulting model is accurate to within a half-inch and can be re-measured later — useful when a question comes up six months after closeout. Floor Plan Scan (iPhone LiDAR) produces 2D floor plans with labeled dimensions automatically.
Together, photo timeline + 3D capture + dimensioned floor plans form a complete as-built record that takes minutes per space rather than days.
Most municipalities and owners have specific as-built requirements that vary by project type. For a checklist of what to include, see as-built drawing requirements and the as-built drawings checklist.
Photo plan — $16/user/month: GPS photo timelines, photo-required punch lists, checklists, PDF reports. Sufficient for photographic as-built documentation. No seat minimums.
Photo+Scan plan — $24/user/month: Everything in Photo plus Orbit Measure 3D scanning and Floor Plan Scan. The plan most contractors choose when they need spatial as-built records.
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