As-Built Drawings for Tenant Improvements

You’re designing a tenant improvement. The landlord hands you a set of drawings dated 2003. Three prior tenants have come and gone, each pulling their own TI permits - or not. That PDF is not a base plan. It’s a liability. Here is how we turn the space as it actually exists into a permit-ready drawing set, from the first scan station to the city building department portal.

Why Tenant Improvement Projects Live or Die on Existing-Conditions Accuracy

The core problem is deceptively simple: the drawings a landlord provides are almost always the original construction documents. They show what the contractor was supposed to build in year one. They do not show the dropped ceiling that got lowered 14 inches in 2009, the rerouted 3-inch conduit trunk that now runs through your proposed bar wall, or the VAV box that was relocated when the previous tenant converted a conference room into a server closet.

Undocumented existing conditions are one of the most consistently cited drivers of TI change orders. That pattern shows up three ways:

1. Permit rejection. The plan checker compares your proposed design against what the drawings say exists. If the existing floor plan doesn’t match reality, the checker issues a correction letter before reviewing anything else. You can lose a month or more before review restarts.
2. Contractor RFIs mid-build. A framer hits a beam that isn’t on plan. An electrician finds a conduit run occupying the exact chase the engineer routed a new branch circuit through. Each RFI burns budget - a field change on undocumented MEP routinely costs thousands of dollars, and deep conflicts run well into five figures.
3. Certificate of occupancy withheld. The inspector shows up and the as-built condition doesn’t match the permitted drawings. The CO stalls while you resubmit corrected documentation, with your tenant paying rent on a space they can’t occupy.

This guide walks the complete sequence: scope call to site scan to registered point cloud to CAD drafting to permit-ready deliverable, with real specs, real timelines, and real cost ranges.

What “As-Built Drawings” Actually Means in a TI Context

The terminology gets misused constantly, so let’s define it before we go further. The short version for TI work:

• As-built drawings (pre-construction) document existing conditions before the new TI design starts. These are the base plan the architect designs from and the plan checker reviews.
• Record drawings (post-construction) document what was actually built after the TI is complete. Sometimes also called as-builts, they are submitted to close the permit.
• Shop drawings are contractor-prepared fabrication or installation details. Not a permit deliverable.

For a TI permit, the scope we capture spans three disciplines:

• Architectural: Floor plan with dimensioned wall locations, partition heights, door/window schedules, reflected ceiling plan with grid and tile size, storefront or demising wall conditions.
• MEP: Electrical panel location, breaker schedules, available capacity; mechanical duct layout, VAV box and diffuser locations, HVAC zone boundaries; plumbing stub-out locations, pipe sizes, fixture rough-in heights and drain locations.
• Structural: Beam and column grid (dimensioned and tied to lease line), slab thickness where accessible, any existing penetrations through structural members.

Deliverable Formats and LOD Requirements

City building departments have specific requirements. Most accept electronic plan-check submissions and require a 24”x36” title block, a PDF with all sheets, and - for complex projects - the underlying .dwg or .rvt source. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, so confirm the exact submission format with your local AHJ before you submit.

For most retail and office TIs under 5,000 sq ft, LOD 200 architectural plus LOD 300 MEP is the practical target. Investing in a full LOD 350 scan-to-BIM model makes sense when you’re coordinating new mechanical above a 10,000 sq ft open floor plan or when the landlord requires BIM handover.

The Tenant Improvement Permit Process - Where As-Builts Fit In

The TI permit sequence, in order:

1. Pre-application meeting (optional but recommended for complex projects)
2. Existing conditions survey - this is where we come in, before a single design line is drawn
3. Architect prepares design drawings from the verified base plan
4. Plan check submittal to AHJ
5. Corrections (first-round correction letters are common; accurate as-builts reduce cycles)
6. Permit issuance
7. Construction with inspections
8. Final as-built / record drawings - second point where accurate documentation is required
9. Certificate of occupancy issued

As-built documentation is required at step 2 (to give the design team an accurate base) and at step 8 (to close the permit). Both matter, and both use the same laser scan data - we can structure the initial deliverable so the record drawings at the end are an update, not a re-survey.

Plan-check reality check: Most AHJs have shifted commercial TI submittals to electronic plan check. Plan check turnaround varies by project complexity and submission volume - straightforward TIs can move more quickly, while complex projects or high-volume periods can extend the cycle substantially. Each correction cycle adds further weeks of delay. Accurate existing conditions drawings are the single highest-leverage action to reduce correction cycles.

Hand-Measure vs. Laser Scan: A Direct Comparison

MEP As-Built Drawings: The Most Commonly Missing Piece

Ask any TI architect what kills their schedule, and MEP above the ceiling is at the top of the list. Manually documenting HVAC runs, electrical conduit, and plumbing in an occupied or recently vacated commercial space is slow, incomplete, and error-prone - not because surveyors are careless, but because the geometry is three-dimensional, partially hidden, and historically underdocumented.

What MEP As-Builts Must Show for a TI Permit

At minimum, a complete MEP as-built for a TI permit package includes:

• Electrical panel schedule: breaker assignments, circuit sizes, available capacity in amps
• HVAC duct layout: trunk and branch sizes, VAV box locations and CFM ratings, diffuser and return locations with neck sizes
• Plumbing: stub-out locations, pipe sizes (1.5”, 2”, 4”), fixture rough-in heights, floor drain locations, cleanout access points
• Sprinkler: head locations and coverage pattern (for fire-rated partition design coordination)
• Gas: line routing, meter location, existing appliance connections (critical for food-service TIs)

How We Capture Above-Ceiling MEP

We coordinate with the building’s facilities manager before mobilizing. Standard protocol for a retail or restaurant space:

1. Identify ceiling tile grid - confirm access panel locations and tiles that can be removed without damaging sprinkler heads or pendant fixtures
2. Pull tiles on a planned grid pattern (typically every 10-12 feet) to expose the plenum
3. Set scan density to 6mm at 10m - that resolution picks up 3-inch conduit, 10-inch duct trunk, VAV box geometry, and pipe hangers clearly in the point cloud
4. Photograph each exposed plenum section with reference tags tied to the scan coordinate system
5. Replace tiles before leaving

Color point cloud photography makes pipe identification - copper supply vs. black iron gas vs. PVC drain - significantly faster in the office. Our scanner’s self-leveling head and extended 80m range handles taller industrial ceilings and long-span retail spaces efficiently.

What laser scanning cannot see: closed walls, conduit buried in concrete slab, active utilities inside structural members. When we have reason to suspect utilities in those locations - older construction, prior renovation documentation that doesn’t add up, or an engineer’s concern - we flag it and recommend GPR (ground-penetrating radar) investigation or selective destructive probing. We do not represent the scan as capturing what the scanner cannot physically see.

How We Capture Existing Conditions for a TI: The Field-to-Drawing Workflow

Here is exactly what happens from the moment you send us a lease outline to the moment your architect has a permit-ready base plan.

1. Scope Call (30 minutes)
2. Site Mobilization
3. Above-Ceiling Documentation
4. Registration
5. CAD Drafting in AutoCAD or Revit
6. QA Check

Step 1: Scope Call (30 minutes)

We confirm: square footage, floor count, ceiling height and type (ACT vs. drywall vs. exposed), level of MEP detail required, AHJ jurisdiction (your local city or county building department), permit deadline, and the architect’s CAD or Revit template requirements. Template requirements matter - delivering in the wrong title block or file version costs a revision cycle before the project even starts.

Step 2: Site Mobilization

We set up scan stations on a grid scaled to the space complexity: one station per 300-500 sq ft for typical retail and office, closer spacing in dense MEP areas or irregular geometries. A 2,000 sq ft inline retail space typically takes 5-7 scan stations once storefront and above-ceiling setups are counted. We set spherical targets at each setup for registration - these are the physical reference points that tie every scan into a single coordinate system.

Step 3: Above-Ceiling Documentation

Coordinated with the building engineer, we pull ceiling tiles on the planned grid, scan the exposed plenum, and photograph MEP with tagged reference points. All tags are logged against the point cloud coordinate system so an element photographed in the plenum can typically be located to within about 25mm on the plan.

Step 4: Registration

Back at the office (or on-site if the project schedule is tight), we register the scan cloud in Autodesk ReCap or Trimble Perspective. Target-based registration typically holds station residuals in the low single digits of millimeters across a retail or office space, and we re-scan any station that falls outside the project tolerance before leaving site. We verify residuals before the crew leaves the site - if a scan station shows drift, we re-scan before teardown.

Step 5: CAD Drafting in AutoCAD or Revit

We trace the floor plan from the registered point cloud: wall centerlines, then wall thicknesses (verified in the cloud - they vary), door and window rough openings, column grid. MEP plan views are generated from horizontal section cuts through the point cloud at the appropriate heights - typically 4 feet AFF for electrical, at the duct elevation for mechanical. We draft duct sizes, equipment tags, and pipe diameters from the cloud geometry.

Step 6: QA Check

Before delivery, dimension spot-checks are run against field tape measurements taken during the scan session (we always pull a dozen reference dimensions by hand). Column grid is verified against the lease outline. The file is reviewed against the architect’s template checklist. We deliver in the client-specified format with a transmittal that lists every sheet, its scale, and the coordinate system used.

Estimated Project Timelines

Planning estimates - timelines are confirmed for your specific space on the scope call.

For site prep - what you need to arrange before our crew arrives - see our laser scanning site prep checklist.

Deliverable Specifications by TI Project Type

Different TI types have different permit documentation requirements. Here is what we typically deliver by use type, and what the AHJ expects.

By Use Type

Retail fit-out (inline, strip mall, mall kiosk)
Floor plan at 1/4” = 1’, reflected ceiling plan, storefront elevation, electrical panel location and circuit list, ADA path-of-travel note. Point accuracy: 3.5 mm at 20 m, typical for survey-grade terrestrial scanners. This is the most common scope we handle.

Restaurant TI
Everything in retail, plus: plumbing isometric for grease trap connection and floor drain locations, gas line routing plan, hood exhaust duct path and makeup air connection.

Office TI (Class A building)
Full floor plan with column grid dimensioned to survey-grade tolerance and tied to building grid, demising wall heights, existing HVAC zone map, lighting circuit plan, IT/data closet location. Landlord often requires coordination with building BIM - we match their coordinate system.

Medical/dental office
ADA-compliant door widths (32” clear minimum) and turning radii (60” diameter) documented, plumbing locations for dental unit connections and sterilizer drain, lead-lined wall notation and dimensions if existing, medical gas stub locations.

AHJ Deliverable Requirements

Formats vary by jurisdiction, but the pattern is consistent: large-city departments run electronic plan-check portals and want a full PDF set plus the .dwg source; smaller municipalities often accept PDF alone with .dwg on request; and a licensed PE or architect must be involved wherever structural or MEP scope appears. Confirm the exact requirement with your AHJ before submittal - we build the deliverable to match it.

File Formats Delivered

Every WeAre Capture deliverable package includes: .dwg (AutoCAD 2018 compatible), .rvt (Revit 2022+) if BIM scope, a dimensioned PDF plan set at 1/4” = 1’ standard, and .e57 point cloud file on request. The .e57 is useful if your architect wants to load the raw cloud into Revit for additional verification.

Cost and Timeline Reality Check for TI As-Built Drawings

Market rates for this scope of work typically fall in these bands, though your fixed-price quote will depend on space complexity, MEP scope, and deliverable format.

What Drives Cost Up

• Multi-story space requiring stair/elevator documentation
• Dense MEP above ceiling requiring multiple tile-pull sessions
• Tight permit deadline triggering rush pricing
• Significant discrepancies in landlord base drawings requiring extensive verification passes
• AHJ requires Revit BIM rather than 2D CAD

What Reduces Cost

• Clean, unoccupied space with full ceiling tile access
• Landlord provides an existing CAD base in good condition (we verify and update it rather than draft from scratch, which typically lowers cost versus a full field draft)
• Standard deliverable format without custom title block work

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

A first-round plan-check correction typically adds weeks of delay plus resubmission fees that vary by jurisdiction, plus the architect’s time to revise. One construction RFI for undocumented MEP - a GC’s crew discovering a conflict that the permit drawings didn’t account for - routinely costs thousands of dollars in field changes, schedule impact, and potential permit amendment.

Rush turnaround: For permit-critical situations we can prioritize a rush CAD package on an accelerated timeline, with constraints: site access must happen the same day we mobilize, MEP above-ceiling scope may require a follow-up visit if tiles need building engineer coordination, and deliverables are 2D CAD only (no Revit on rush). Ask on your scope call for the current rush timeline.

Choosing the Right Deliverable: 2D CAD vs. Revit BIM for Your TI

The format question comes up on almost every scope call. Here is the honest answer.

When 2D CAD Is Enough

• Permit-only floor plan for a simple retail or office TI
• Architect needs a verified base plan to design from - their own Revit model will be the design BIM
• Budget is constrained and MEP coordination is not complex
• Single-floor space under 5,000 sq ft with standard ACT ceiling

When Revit BIM Pays Off

• Complex MEP coordination above an open ceiling or in a multi-floor space
• Landlord BIM handover is contractually required (common in Class A office buildings)
• TI involves structural modifications that the engineer needs to coordinate in 3D
• Design team is already working in Revit and wants to import the existing conditions model directly

Deliverable Decision Guide

LOD describes model detail, so the honest comparison is between deliverables, with the 2D CAD set as the baseline:

Premiums are industry-typical ranges, not a quote - the exact delta for your space is confirmed on the scope call.

Our post on when LOD 200 is enough vs. when you need LOD 300 walks through real project scenarios where the LOD call matters.

Hybrid approach: For restaurant and medical TIs, we often deliver a 2D CAD floor plan and reflected ceiling plan for the permit set, plus a selective Revit MEP model covering just the above-ceiling plenum zone where new work is proposed. This gives the engineer the 3D coordination tool they need without paying for a full BIM model of spaces that don’t need it.

We deliver both formats. The right level is determined on the scope call - we ask about your engineer’s requirements, the AHJ’s submission standards, and the architect’s workflow before recommending anything.

Common Mistakes That Blow Up TI Permits (And How Accurate As-Builts Prevent Them)

Mistake 1: Designing off the landlord’s original construction drawings.
Those drawings show intent, not reality. After 2-4 TI cycles over 15-30 years, wall locations shift, MEP gets rerouted, ceilings get lowered. Column grids can sit several inches off the lease outline when a prior renovation shifted the non-structural framing - exactly the kind of mismatch a field verification scan is designed to catch before your architect designs around it. Use a landlord drawing as a starting reference only - field-verify everything.

Mistake 2: Hand-measuring only and omitting the reflected ceiling plan.
Plan checkers consistently flag missing sprinkler head locations. If you don’t document the existing sprinkler layout, the designer can’t confirm that new partitions don’t conflict with head coverage. Missed on plan check - correction letter. Missed in the field - sprinkler contractor change order.

Mistake 3: Ignoring demising wall as-built thickness.
A standard metal stud partition is nominally 3-5/8” studs plus two layers of 5/8” drywall = 4-7/8”. Demising walls can measure 5-1/2” to 7” once prior tenants have added layers, insulation, or fur-outs - well outside that nominal thickness. A 1.5-inch error in demising wall position matters less for the area math than for everything designed against that wall: casework, egress clearances, and code-compliance layouts are drawn to the inch.

Mistake 4: No documentation of electrical panel capacity.
A TI that adds LED lighting, refrigeration, and POS equipment can add 40-80 amps of load to an existing panel. If that panel is already at 80% of its rated capacity (a common condition in 1990s-era retail shells), the engineer needs to know before drawing a single circuit. We include panel schedule documentation - breaker assignments, sizes, and observed/nameplate capacity - in every as-built scope, for your engineer to use in their load calculations.

Mistake 5: Skipping the above-ceiling MEP survey on a restaurant conversion.
Undocumented gas lines and grease duct runs are the single most expensive surprise in food-service TI. Undocumented gas infrastructure is one of the best-documented risks in restaurant conversions from non-food prior tenants - particularly in older strip mall stock where prior tenant work was never formally recorded. The survey cost is fixed; the rework cost is open-ended.

Working With WeAre Capture: What to Expect From Quote to Delivery

The Quote Process

Send us: the lease outline or a rough floor plan with square footage, the city and AHJ jurisdiction, a list of required deliverables (floor plan only, or MEP included, or full BIM), and your permit deadline. We aim to return a fixed-price quote the same business day for standard retail and office scopes.

What We Need From You

• Site access (business hours preferred; after-hours scanning available for occupied spaces at roughly 1.5x on the field-labor component)
• Contact for the building facilities engineer or property manager - required if ceiling tiles need to be pulled
• Architect’s CAD template or title block file if you have a specific standard
• Lease outline in PDF or .dwg if available - we use it as a reference during field registration

Gear On Site

We deploy a survey-grade terrestrial laser scanner for the majority of commercial TI work - self-leveling within ±10° automatically, 80m range, integrated target recognition that accelerates registration. For detailed or reverse-engineering work on specific components, irregular geometry, and close-range capture, we complement it with a handheld optical scanner, which is well-suited to parts, complex geometry, and high-detail documentation. Both instruments are calibrated on a regular maintenance schedule.

Accuracy and Revision Policy

Our terrestrial scanner is rated for 3D point accuracy of 3.5 mm at 20 m, typical for survey-grade equipment, and we check field tape measurements against the registered cloud before the crew leaves site. If a registration residual exceeds the project threshold, we re-scan before packing out.

Every project includes one round of client-marked revisions - if your architect reviews the drawings and requests dimension corrections or additional notes, that is covered. AHJ-required corrections after permit submittal (plan checker requesting additional information, revised sheet notes) are handled at our standard hourly drafting rate. We provide an estimate before starting correction work.

Service Area

We build every deliverable to the local building department’s and AHJ’s requirements for your jurisdiction, and we mobilize nationwide to any project site, with travel handled as part of your quote. See our as-built documentation service page for coverage details.

FAQ

Do I need as-built drawings before submitting a tenant improvement permit?

Yes, for virtually every second-generation commercial space. Most AHJs require an existing conditions floor plan as part of the TI permit package. The plan checker’s job is to verify that the proposed design is code-compliant given what actually exists. If you submit without an accurate existing conditions plan, the first correction letter will ask for one, and you lose weeks - often more than a month - before plan check restarts. Many AHJs specifically require the existing floor plan to be included in the permit package, dimensioned and titled as “Existing Conditions.”

What MEP information is required on as-built drawings for a TI permit?

Minimum requirements vary by AHJ and the scope of the TI, but a complete MEP as-built for permit typically includes: existing electrical panel location, breaker schedule, and available capacity in amps; HVAC zone boundaries with diffuser and return air locations; plumbing stub-out locations, pipe sizes, and fixture rough-in heights; and sprinkler head layout with coverage zones. For restaurant TIs, gas line routing from the meter to all appliance connections is required. For medical office TIs, medical gas and plumbing isometrics are typically required by the mechanical engineer before they will sign off. We scope MEP requirements with your engineer before mobilizing so we capture exactly what they need.

How accurate do as-built drawings need to be for a tenant improvement project?

For a permit floor plan, ±1/4 inch (6mm) is the practical minimum for a plan checker to verify code compliance distances - ADA clearances, corridor widths, egress dimensions. For MEP coordination - routing new ductwork or conduit through an existing plenum - tighter accuracy is needed to avoid field conflicts in tight spaces. A survey-grade terrestrial scanner delivers 3D point accuracy of 3.5 mm at 20 m, which consistently satisfies both permit and MEP coordination requirements across a commercial TI floor plate. Hand-measuring typically achieves ±1/2 inch to 1 inch under good conditions, which is adequate for a simple single-room space but creates real coordination problems in dense above-ceiling environments or when a structural engineer is designing to existing column grid dimensions.

How long does it take to get as-built drawings for a retail or office TI?

Planned turnaround from site scan to CAD delivery typically targets 3-5 business days for 1,500-3,000 sq ft retail or office spaces, and 7-10 business days for 5,000-15,000 sq ft spaces - confirmed for your project on the scope call. Rush delivery is available for permit-critical situations where site access can happen the same day we mobilize. Note that MEP above-ceiling scope sometimes requires a second visit if the building’s facilities team needs lead time to coordinate tile removal - we flag this during the scope call so there are no scheduling surprises.

Can I use the landlord’s existing drawings instead of getting a new as-built survey?

Only if the space has never been tenant-improved since original construction - which is rare in any space more than 10 years old. For any second-generation or older space, the landlord’s drawings reflect the original design intent, not the current built state. Prior TI work frequently goes undocumented, especially partition modifications, MEP rerouting, and added electrical circuits. The risk of designing off an inaccurate base: discovering mid-construction that walls, ducts, or utilities are in different locations than your permit drawings show. The cost of a field verification survey is a fraction of one construction RFI.

What is the difference between as-built drawings and a certificate of occupancy drawing set?

As-built drawings for the permit stage document existing conditions before the new TI design starts - these are what the architect designs from and what the plan checker reviews at submittal. Certificate of occupancy drawings (sometimes also called as-builts or record drawings) document what was actually constructed after the TI is complete, and are submitted to close out the permit at final inspection. Both sets are required at different stages of the same permit process. Because we start with a georeferenced point cloud and a registered CAD base, updating the pre-construction as-builts to reflect the completed TI is significantly faster than re-surveying from scratch.

Get Your TI Permit Base Drawings - Same-Day Quote

If you are scoping a tenant improvement and need an existing conditions survey, do not design off whatever drawings the landlord emailed over. Tell us your square footage, city, and permit deadline - we’ll return a fixed-price quote and confirm field availability the same business day.

Call, email, or submit via our quote form. If you have a permit deadline inside 72 hours, flag it immediately and we will prioritize site access.

Our as-built documentation service covers the full scope of what we deliver - from simple retail floor plans to full MEP BIM for Class A office TIs - anywhere in the country. We mobilize directly to your site nationwide.