As-Built Documentation

Accurate Existing Conditions

Chicago's older buildings rarely match their original plans—if original plans even exist. Walls have moved, additions were built without permits, and structural modifications hide behind drywall. Starting a renovation without accurate as-built documentation is like navigating without a map: every demolished wall reveals surprises, every measurement proves wrong, and every schedule slides backward. For additions and major renovations, precise existing condition surveys prevent costly discovery during construction.

We survey properties methodically, documenting floor-to-floor heights, structural column locations, bearing wall positions, and MEP rough-in locations. Laser measurement tools ensure dimensional accuracy that hand-measuring can't achieve. The resulting as-built drawings become the reliable foundation for design development—revealing opportunities like unused attic space while exposing constraints like undersized beams that require reinforcement.

Beyond construction planning, as-built documentation serves ongoing property management needs. When mechanical systems need service in five years, accurate plans show exactly where lines run. When future owners consider modifications, they inherit documentation that prevents repeating the survey process. Good records save money across a building's lifetime.