iMesure does drafting on commission and measuring for joiners and interior fitters. A fitted cabinet, a walk-in wardrobe or any other bespoke fit-out starts as a drawing, and a good shop drawing takes time. In busy periods that time is often lacking. Then we take over the shop drawings, drafting and preparation in AutoCAD. If reliable dimensions are missing, our experts first carry out a site survey.
Where things go wrong between site, drawing office and workshop
- Time: your experienced craftsman measures with a tape and then draws it up, instead of working in the workshop.
- Errors that surface late: you only notice a wall out of square or a sloping ceiling when the cabinet does not fit.
- Retyping: dimensions go from a sketch into the drawing software and sometimes on to the machine. Every step risks a typing error.
Drafting on commission for your drawing office
You can outsource all or part of the drafting. We draw in AutoCAD, to scale, with dimensions in millimetres and a clear layer structure. If you work with your own layers, pens or templates, we draw in those.
- Shop drawings for interiors and bespoke furniture: workshop and assembly drawings, developed elevations and preparation drawings with dimensions and material lists
- Drawing up a preliminary design from your sketch, a PDF, photos or a survey: floor plan, wall elevations, sections and details
- Technical review and feasibility advice, with selection of materials and hardware
- DXF for your CAM/CNC and nesting software, so nobody retypes dimensions
- Extra capacity when your drawing office is overloaded
See drafting on commission for our approach. The drafting is fully digital, so it also works for projects outside our survey area.
How a drafting job works
- Supply: you send what you have, such as a sketch, a PDF, photos, an existing DWG or dimensions.
- Brief and quotation: we discuss the purpose, scale, level of detail, layers or template, delivery format and timing, then send a quotation.
- Drafting in AutoCAD: to scale, with dimensions and a layer structure. We ask questions as we go.
- Check and delivery: you receive DWG, DXF and PDF. We discuss any changes together.
Site survey by experts
No correct drawing without correct dimensions. Our experts measure with professional Leica laser measuring instruments on a tripod. With point-to-point measurement we record points in the room from a single set-up, including points you cannot touch, such as the ceiling or a stairwell opening. We check angles and squareness with diagonals.
- Walls, angles and squareness, heights, window and door openings, recesses, sloping walls and ceilings
- Floor plan and wall elevations to scale, drawn up in AutoCAD
- A measurement report with photos, so the drawing office also sees what is not on the plan
For how we measure up a room, see site survey. For staircases, a staircase survey records the stairwell opening and floor-to-floor height.
Should you outsource drafting and measuring or do it yourself?
It depends on how often you draw and measure. If you do not do it every day, outsourcing is usually simpler. You do not buy an instrument or software that sits idle, you do not need to train anyone and your craftspeople stay in the workshop. You receive DWG and DXF files you can use straight away.
| What it involves | Doing it yourself | Outsourcing |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | Measuring instrument, tripod and drawing software | A quotation per job |
| Training | Learning to measure and draw in AutoCAD | Not needed |
| Processing | Turning dimensions into a usable plan | Plan in AutoCAD, ready to use |
| Your craftspeople’s time | On site and at the computer | In the workshop |
If you measure and draw every day, investing yourself can pay off: in instruments, software, training and someone to process the measurements. Even then, we can help in busy periods or with part of the drafting.
Request a job
Send us what you have: a sketch, existing plans, photos or the site address, and tell us what you want to make. Drafting on commission works anywhere: files are exchanged by email or download link. For a site survey we travel from Lauwe (Menen) to West and East Flanders, Hainaut and northern France; see our service area. Request drafting or a site survey.
Frequently asked questions
What drafting can a joiner or interior fitter outsource?
Both shop drawings and drawing-up work. We produce workshop and assembly drawings, developed elevations and preparation drawings with dimensions and material lists. We also draw up a preliminary design from your sketch, a PDF, photos or a survey. On request we give technical advice on feasibility, materials and hardware. You receive everything drawn up in AutoCAD, delivered as DWG, DXF and PDF.
Can iMesure draw to our own layers and templates?
Yes. As standard, we draw to scale, with dimensions in millimetres and a clear layer structure. If your drawing office works with its own layers, pens or templates, send them along with your material. We draw in them, so the plans match your existing drawings and your people can carry on with them straight away.
What does iMesure measure for a joiner or interior fitter?
We measure what you need to produce and install: walls, angles and squareness, heights, reveals, window and door openings, recesses, beams and sloping ceilings. We measure with laser measuring instruments on a tripod and document the room with photos. You receive a floor plan and wall elevations, drawn up in AutoCAD and delivered as DWG, DXF and PDF.
Can I import the DXF into my CAM or nesting software?
Yes. DXF is the exchange format between CAD programs and is also used by CAM/CNC and nesting software. Let us know in advance which package you use and how you want the drawing structured, and we will take that into account in the layers and the way we draw. The DWG remains the editable version for AutoCAD.
Do I need AutoCAD to work with the plans?
No. The PDF opens on any computer. You can view DWG files free of charge with DWG TrueView or Autodesk Viewer. If you use AutoCAD LT, you can open and edit the 2D plans as normal. If you use other drawing or CAM software, the DXF is the easiest version to import.
Where does iMesure work?
Drafting on commission works anywhere: you send your material digitally and receive the plans by email or download link. For site surveys we travel from Lauwe (Menen) to West Flanders, East Flanders, Hainaut (Mouscron, Tournai) and northern France (Lille, Roubaix, Tourcoing, Halluin). Further afield on request. We work in Dutch, French and English.