Scan-to-BIM Quote Checklist: What to Send Before Pricing

To get an accurate scan-to-BIM quote on the first pass, send six things: the defined deliverable (RVT, DWG, IFC, or point cloud), the model categories to build and the ones to exclude, a target LOD or a plain description of what the model has to support, the building type and approximate area, whether you already have a registered point cloud or need the site scanned, and your deadline plus site access. Everything else helps, but those six items move a quote from a guess to a number a production team can stand behind.

Most quote delays come from treating “we need scan-to-BIM” as a scope, when the same phrase can mean a lightweight architectural shell or a coordinated LOD 300 model with modeled MEP. The checklist below tells you what to send so the estimate matches the work.

Start with the building

Lead with the address, the building type, the number of floors, and the approximate square footage, plus whether the space is occupied or vacant and whether you need interior, exterior, or both. The building type tells us what geometry to expect, because a warehouse, a hospital wing, a historic facade, and a multi-tenant office floor each raise different modeling questions. Occupied buildings often need after-hours capture and a scan route that works around tenants and operating equipment, so flag that early. If the project is confidential, a city and state plus enough context to estimate travel is usually enough.

Tell us what data exists, and whether it is registered

The first real fork in any scan-to-BIM project is whether the point cloud already exists or whether we capture it. If you need field scanning, say so and we will include a scan day in the quote. WeAre Capture runs field capture on a Trimble X7, and a full day on site can run up to roughly twelve hours depending on size, clutter, and access.

If you already have scan data, the single most important detail is whether it is registered. An unregistered set of individual scans cannot be modeled against until the stations are aligned into one coordinate system, so registration status determines whether modeling can even start. Send the file format (commonly E57, RCP, or RCS), the scan date, whether it is colorized, and any known gaps; if the full file is large, a sample area is enough for us to judge density and noise. A cloud that is unregistered or missing key spaces means the scope needs stated assumptions or extra field capture, and it is cheaper to surface that before the quote than after. For what registration involves, see point cloud registration.

Match the deliverable to the workflow

Scan-to-BIM usually means a Revit model, but it is not the only useful output, and the wrong one wastes money. Decide what your downstream team consumes before asking for a price.

If your design team works in Revit, a scan-to-BIM model makes sense; if you only need drawings, scan-to-CAD is usually a better and cheaper scope. See scan-to-BIM services for the full scope.

Define the model scope, including the exclusions

Model categories are the single biggest input to a scan-to-BIM quote. List what should be built (walls, floors, ceilings, doors, windows, columns, beams, stairs, railings, roofs, major equipment, and MEP such as ducts, pipes, and conduit if you need them), then list what to leave out. Exclusions are not a weakness; they make the quote honest. A scope that reads “architectural model only; exclude furniture, loose equipment, detailed MEP, and concealed conditions” is far easier to price than “model everything.”

LOD is the other half of scope. If you know the target, include it; if not, describe what the model has to support, because a model for early layout does not need the precision of one used to coordinate around tight existing conditions. Most projects land on LOD 200 versus LOD 300, and you do not have to apply one LOD to every element: model the architectural shell to LOD 300 and keep back-of-house areas lighter. If you care how closely the model tracks the scan, note the LOA (level of accuracy) too, since LOD describes detail while LOA describes geometric tolerance against the point cloud.

For help choosing, read LOD 200 vs LOD 300 for scan-to-BIM and our scan-to-BIM LOD guide. For what is modeled by default, see scan-to-BIM modeling scope.

Finally, send the Revit details: the required Revit year, whether worksharing is needed, and whether your team has a template or workset standard. A model delivered in the wrong Revit version creates friction for the design team. If you have no standard, just say so and we will model with practical assumptions.

Sheets, access, and schedule

Decide whether you need the model alone or also drawing output: floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, elevations, sections, 3D views, and PDF or DWG exports. Sheets add production time, so they belong in the quote rather than as a late assumption.

If field scanning is included, access drives both cost and schedule. Send site hours, security and escort requirements, locked rooms, roof access, tenant restrictions, active construction zones, PPE rules, and any photo restrictions. For what the field crew needs, see the laser scanning site prep checklist.

Then tell us the date that matters and why: design kickoff, an owner meeting, a permit milestone, or a coordination meeting. Rush turnarounds and after-hours capture both raise the price, so an honest deadline produces an honest quote. Clarify the review process too: how many revision rounds you expect, and who signs off on the final file.

Why this changes the price

There is no single dollar-per-square-foot rate for scan-to-BIM and no neutral benchmark, because price tracks element density and LOD rather than floor area. A defined scope is what lets a team price the real work instead of padding for the unknowns. For how the variables combine, see how much does scan-to-BIM cost and our scan-to-BIM cost factors resource.

Copy this into your request

You do not need every answer before asking. Send what you have and name what you do not know, because visible unknowns are manageable while hidden ones get expensive when everyone assumes a different answer.

• Site address (or city/state):
• Building type, floors, approximate area:
• Interior/exterior, and occupied or vacant:
• Field scanning needed? Yes/No:
• Existing point cloud? Format, and is it registered:
• Required deliverable (RVT, IFC, DWG, point cloud):
• Revit version and any template/standard:
• Model categories to include, and known exclusions:
• Target LOD or intended use:
• Views/sheets needed:
• Access notes:
• Deadline and the milestone it serves:
• Existing drawings or references attached:

Send that and we can confirm whether the project is best scoped as scan-to-BIM, scan-to-CAD, as-built documentation, or a lighter point cloud deliverable, and return a matching quote. Request a scan-to-BIM quote and attach whatever you have.

FAQ

What is scan-to-BIM?
Scan-to-BIM turns a 3D laser scan of existing conditions into an intelligent building model, usually in Revit. The registered point cloud becomes the reference, and a modeler builds parametric elements (walls, floors, structure, MEP) to a defined LOD against it. The output is an editable RVT or IFC file, not just a mesh.

How much does scan-to-BIM cost?
There is no neutral benchmark and no single per-square-foot rate, because cost tracks element density and LOD rather than floor area. A defined deliverable, clear categories with exclusions, and a realistic schedule are what let a team quote accurately rather than pad for risk.

How do I import a point cloud into Revit?
A registered point cloud is indexed to Revit’s native RCP/RCS format via Autodesk ReCap, then linked into the project and pinned to a shared coordinate system before modeling begins. An unregistered scan has to be aligned first. See import a point cloud into Revit for the workflow.

What are as-built drawings?
As-built drawings document a structure as it actually exists rather than as originally designed, and when produced from a laser scan they are dimensionally faithful to current conditions. If you need 2D plans and sections rather than an editable model, ask for as-built documentation alongside or instead of scan-to-BIM.

Last reviewed: May 2026.