What are As-Built Drawings and why it is important for the construction industry?
As-Built Drawings helps the owner, surveyors and facility managers to enclose the project’s components such as location, dimensions and other related measurements. It also includes additional details that are vital for the project such as a specification of walls, doors, HVAC systems, electrical fixtures and more.
As-built drawings are completed and submitted by a contractor once the project is completed. Drawings are revised from original design drawings to reflect any changes in the on-site such as component relocations for coordination, rerouting of distribution systems, etc. As-built Drawing services specify all the structures and elements within the scope of the building project; all the modification and adjustments should be included along with a record of approvals.
It is essential for the owners as it can be used in the future for existing restructures or grasping any change in the built model. It is crucial as it furnishes the representation of the entire project on completion. These are the revised drawings which are submitted after a construction project is completed. It includes all the revision and changes from the pilot drawing of the complete project.
Architects and the designers create the original drawing plans which serve as the base for as-built drawings. These people are the most qualified persons to make as-built. The most crucial challenge faced by these peoples is the changes track. Final as-built drawings are the responsibility of the contractor.
Why As-built Drawing is essential and who get benefitted from it?
Construction projects are not the exact and precise as a model is made in the initial stages of it being constructed or planned. Changes made in the model helps the contractors to gather information for installations of components differently from the original design, which makes the contractors have a record of changes made in the plan or drawings.
As-built drawings have two substantial principal purposes, which is essential documentation in any construction projects.
- From the drawings data, we can make future changes which serve as the renovation of existing structures or modification in buildings. It is easier and efficient for the contractors to retrieve as-built documents for accessing information on drainage systems, ducts, etc.
- It is practical tools for the facility managers to define critical items and objects accurately.
Conclusion
As-Built drawings in both the article state it can be used by facility managers, owners, surveyors and contractors for accumulating any changes in the constructed model of the building and keep track of revised changes into the documentation. It is prepared by the architects and the designers that are used by contractors to build the model and use the as-built drawing of it for future reconstruction or new construction projects.
With construction management software, mobile technology and BIM workflow, the as-built drawings are more precised, accurate and cost-effective for the owners to understand and keep track of any changes made by anyone in the construction process.