What Are As Constructed Plans?
As-constructed plans (also called as-built plans) are detailed drawings of an existing building, documenting what was actually built rather than what was originally designed. Over time, buildings change — walls move, extensions are added, original plans are lost. As-constructed plans capture the current state of your property with accurate measurements, floor plans, elevations and site details. These plans are essential before starting any renovation or extension. Without them, your builder and designer are working from assumptions rather than facts. That leads to costly surprises during construction — structural elements in unexpected places, services running where you didn’t expect, and dimensions that don’t match what was assumed.
3D Terrestrial Scanning
Design Science Spatial uses terrestrial laser scanning to capture millions of precise measurement points across your property. The scanner creates a detailed 3D point cloud — a digital replica of your building that can be measured and modelled from any angle. This technology is faster and more accurate than traditional hand measurement. A typical residential property can be scanned in a few hours, capturing details that would take days to measure manually. The result is imported directly into our design software, giving us an exact digital model to work from.
When You Need As-Constructed Plans
Renovation and extension projects — Before designing any changes, we need to understand exactly what exists. Scanning eliminates the guesswork and gives your design team and builder confidence in the existing structure. Lost or outdated plans — Many older homes on the Gold Coast have no surviving plans, or the plans don’t reflect changes made over the decades. Scanning creates a complete, current record. Property records and compliance — Accurate documentation of your building for council records, insurance, or future sale. Heritage and character homes — Older buildings with complex geometry, non-standard dimensions, and details that are difficult to capture with traditional measurement methods.
The Design Science Advantage
Because we are both licensed builders and building designers, we understand what the scan data needs to tell us. We don’t just scan and deliver a point cloud — we produce construction-ready documentation that your builder can actually use. The scanned data feeds directly into our Revit design workflow, so there is no gap between the existing building model and the new design.
Related services: Renovation design | Custom home designs | Our design process
Design Science Spatial
Design Science Spatial is our dedicated scanning and measurement service. We use the latest terrestrial laser scanning technology to capture existing buildings and sites with precision that traditional methods cannot match. Whether you are planning a renovation, need to document a heritage building, or require accurate as-built records for compliance, Design Science Spatial delivers the data your project needs. For renovation clients, scanning is particularly valuable. It eliminates the most common source of cost blowouts — inaccurate assumptions about the existing structure. When your builder quotes from plans based on scanned data rather than estimated measurements, the price they give you is the price you pay.
Related: Building designer costs | Building approvals explained | Knockdown rebuild vs renovation
Request a consultation to discuss scanning for your project.
