As-built drawings are drafting for construction. On commission, iMesure draws up the existing or as-built conditions of a home or building in AutoCAD: floor plans, elevations and sections to scale, dimensioned in millimetres. We start from what already exists: plans, a PDF, the structural engineer’s concrete design, sketches, photos or dimensions. If usable plans are missing or no longer match, our experts add an existing conditions survey on site.
What is an as-built drawing?
An as-built drawing shows a building as it was actually built, not as it was once designed. In Flanders it is also called a plan of the existing conditions. It shows walls, openings, heights and levels to scale, and it is the basis for a renovation, a regularisation, a permit application or a new fit-out.
What we draw for you
You outsource the drafting. We deliver drawings your architect, contractor or interior fitter can use straight away. Depending on the job, we draw:
- Floor plans per storey: walls and wall thicknesses, doors, windows, stairs and fixed elements
- Elevations: window and door openings, heights, roof edges and ridge height
- Sections: floor-to-floor heights, floor levels, ceiling heights, stairs and roof pitch
- Plans based on the concrete design by the structural engineer, with as-built options, so the drawing matches what was actually built
Need the proposed situation or a preliminary design drawn up next? We do that as CAD drafting on commission, on the same basis.
When do you need drawings of the existing conditions?
You need them whenever someone must work with the real dimensions of a building and no reliable plans exist. Typical reasons:
- Renovation: the architect and contractor start from what is really there, not from an outdated plan.
- Regularisation: what was built differs from what was permitted, so the application needs plans of the existing conditions.
- Permit application: we draw the plans to your architect’s requirements.
- Sale or letting: a property without plans, or with plans that no longer match.
- Fit-out: a kitchen, fitted cupboards or a complete interior based on correct dimensions.
Plans for a planning permit in Flanders
Plans for an omgevingsvergunning, the Flemish planning permit, must follow fixed formal rules. In general:
- Each situation goes on a separate drawing, for example the permitted, the existing and the proposed situation.
- Every drawing states its scale.
- The plans are clearly dimensioned.
For a regularisation, this often means the existing and the permitted situation, each on its own drawing. Your architect or the municipality will tell you which plans and scale your application needs, and we draw to those requirements. iMesure is not an architect: the design and the permit responsibility do not lie with us. See also how we work for architects and designers.
How drafting on commission works
- Supply: you send what you have, such as a sketch, PDF, photos, an existing DWG, dimensions, old plans or the concrete design.
- Agreements and quote: we agree the purpose, scale, level of detail, layers or template, delivery format and timing, then send a quote.
- Drafting in AutoCAD: to scale, dimensioned and with a clear layer structure. We ask questions along the way, so the drawing shows what you mean.
- Check and delivery: you receive DWG, DXF and PDF. We discuss any changes together.
Drafting on commission works anywhere: supply and delivery go by email or download link. Both routes are explained under how we work.
On-site measuring by experts when plans are missing
Old plans show the design, not always what was built or later altered: a wall moved, a window bricked up, an attic converted. Without usable plans or dimensions, our experts first carry out a measured building survey on site. Only then do we draw.
- Laser survey with professional Leica laser measuring instruments on a tripod
- Point-to-point measuring: from one set-up, we also measure points out of reach: a ceiling, a roof ridge, a stairwell opening or a facade
- Angles and squareness checked with diagonals, so an out-of-square wall also appears that way on the drawing
- Measured points go digitally to the computer, with no retyping
How a survey works is explained under on-site measuring by experts. We can also digitise old plans on paper or PDF and supplement them with what we measure on site.
What you receive
- Drawings at a scale of 1:50 or 1:100, dimensioned in millimetres
- DWG with a clear layer structure, editable in AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT
- DXF for other CAD programs
- PDF for reading, forwarding and printing
No AutoCAD? View a DWG free of charge with DWG TrueView or Autodesk Viewer. On request, we follow your office’s layers, pens and templates.
What determines the price of as-built drawings?
Every job gets its own quote. The price depends on:
- The floor area and the number of storeys
- The level of detail: walls and openings only, or fixed fittings and details too
- The number of elevations and sections
- What you supply, and whether an on-site survey is needed
- The delivery format and extra versions, for example the permitted situation alongside the existing one
For an on-site survey, we set out from Lauwe. Our service area covers West and East Flanders, Hainaut and northern France, with further afield on request. Send plans, photos or dimensions, the address and the purpose of the drawings via the contact form or to info@imesure.com. You will receive a tailored quote.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between as-built drawings and an as-built certificate?
An as-built drawing shows the existing or as-built conditions: floor plans, elevations and sections to scale. The as-built certificate (as-builtattest) belongs to the energy performance regulations (EPB). It shows how the building was built in energy terms and is handled by an accredited EPB assessor. iMesure draws as-built drawings, not EPB certificates. For the certificate, please contact your EPB assessor.
Do I need a licensed land surveyor, or can iMesure make the drawings?
For drawings of the building itself, iMesure can help, for example for a renovation, a regularisation, a permit application or a fit-out. For a notarial deed, a boundary demarcation, a land subdivision or plot boundaries, you need a licensed land surveyor (landmeter-expert). That is a protected title, and iMesure does not hold it. We draw the building, not the plot.
Do you always need to come and measure on site?
No. If there are usable plans, a PDF, a concrete design or reliable dimensions, we draw from those. That drafting is fully digital, so it works from anywhere. If plans are missing, or differ from what was built, we recommend an on-site survey by our experts. That way the drawing matches what is actually there.
Which drawings are needed for a regularisation?
Usually plans of the existing and of the permitted situation, each on a separate drawing: floor plans, sections and elevations, to scale and dimensioned. Your architect or the municipality will tell you exactly which plans your application requires. iMesure draws up the plans to your architect's requirements, based on existing data or an on-site survey.
Which scale and which files do I receive?
As standard, we draw floor plans, elevations and sections at a scale of 1:50 or 1:100, with dimensions in millimetres. You receive DWG for further drafting, DXF for other CAD programs and PDF for reading and printing. If you do not have AutoCAD, you can open the DWG free of charge with DWG TrueView or Autodesk Viewer.
How much do as-built drawings cost?
That depends on the building and on what you need, which is why we quote per job. The deciding factors are the floor area, the number of storeys, the level of detail, the number of elevations and sections, what you supply and whether an on-site survey is needed. Send us what you have and the purpose of the drawings, and we will prepare a quote.