The Importance of As-Built Drawings in Construction

Construction projects require a lot of planning and modification to be successful. This could entail everything from the dimensions of a wall to the placement of windows, doors, and other essential structural features. For contractors to plan out and modify these things properly, they must have a detailed record of a project’s scope and work.

This is where as-built drawings come into play. What exactly are as-built drawings? What makes them so important in construction? Uncover the answers to these questions in this brief guide.

What Are As-Built Drawings?

It’s crucial to understand what as-built drawings are before delving into why they’re important to construction. As-built drawings are the modified blueprints of infrastructure or other projects. Before the construction process begins, an illustration conveying structure specifications, measurements, and other details must be drafted and approved.

This initial drawing is what contractors and subcontractors will reference as they build. However, as a project progresses, things will change, and challenges will arise. As a result, workers will modify the initial blueprint to demonstrate the build as it’s happening.

Once the project is complete, contractors will submit revised blueprints. These exact copies of a structure are as-built drawings and are crucial to achieving a construction build.

What Do As-Built Drawings Include?

Understanding what as-built drawings are is only part of the equation. To fully understand why they’re an essential aspect of the construction process, it’s imperative to know what’s included in as-built drawings. Numerous things need to be accounted for in as-built drawings, such as:

• Detailed notes regarding modifications
• Modifications made in response to inspections
• Amendments concerning the type, size, and location of materials used
• Location changes made to features like doors, windows, and plumbing
• Final, precise structure dimensions and design changes

Any obstructions, solutions, and work done outside the original scope of the project must also be included in as-built drawings upon their final submission.

Why Are They Important to Construction?

Now that we understand what they are and what’s included, we can discuss why as-built drawings are so essential to successful construction projects. It’s not difficult to see why as-built drawings are crucial to a build after the fact. They give contractors and other parties a detailed itinerary of the structure.

This ensures safe, high-quality modifications can be made to the building in the future. As-built drawings also serve an important purpose during the initial construction process. These illustrations can help get subcontractors and other crew members onboarded and caught up with a project.

This allows for a quick and thorough understanding of the structure being built. It can be an immense help in identifying and fixing any potential structural issues early on. As-built drawings also give key stakeholders a detailed record of all work and modifications made to a structure’s original design.

In short, as-built drawings are crucial to any successful construction project. For this reason, it’s wise to invest in top-tier as-built drawing services to handle your structure’s modified illustrations. If you’re in the market for these services, give Dreiym Engineering LLC a call. We’ll answer your questions and ensure your project blueprints receive adequate attention.