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Project teams work faster and safer when everyone knows this: shop drawings show how a contractor plans to build part of the project. As-built drawings, on the other hand, record what the team actually built for the owner's long-term use.
Standard contracts, trade standards, and public-sector guidance view those two artifacts differently. This is for a good reason. Shop drawings help a fabricator and installer align with design intent. As-built drawings create the authoritative record of an operating facility.
If a team confuses them, it invites scope drift, rework, claims, and preventable damage to utilities beneath or within the structure. The next sections in this article outline the rules for each area. They also show that reliable digital deliverables can set your project and turnover package up for success.
Contract Language Sets the Boundary
Under AIA A201 2017, shop drawings are “drawings, diagrams, schedules, and other data specially prepared for the Work by the Contractor … to illustrate some portion of the Work.”
The form says that shop drawings, product data, and samples aren’t part of the Contract Documents. Also, the architect approval checks if they match the design concept, not the means and methods.
Approval never authorizes a deviation unless the contractor calls it out, and the team issues a written change or a minor change in the Work. You can see the text and analysis in practical form in the AIA submittal overview. It also includes legal commentary on review scope and “not Contract Documents” status.
On the as-built side, the same A201 form assigns the contractor a duty to keep a record of the Work as constructed. The AIA B101 2017 owner-architect agreement treats architect-prepared as constructed record drawings as a supplemental service. It also clarifies that accuracy relies on contractor markups. The owner gets basic construction records automatically. To get a higher-quality compiled record, they need to specify the scope and compensation. The AIA’s guidance explains this in a clear manner. It also warns that there are limits on reliance when the design team creates those sheets from contractor markups.
Those two points form the bright line. Shop drawings explain the contractor’s plan to meet the design. As-built drawings memorialize the constructed reality for operations and future work. One never alters the contract by itself. The other becomes the operational record.
What Do Shop Drawings Need to Accomplish?
Trade-specific standards give shop drawings their power. A steel fabricator needs exact member geometry, hole locations, weld sizes, and piece marks that follow accepted presentation rules. The AASHTO/NSBA collaboration document sets those expectations so that detailers and reviewers speak the same language on complex steel scopes.
An HVAC contractor needs the following for each run:
- Gauge
- Seam type
- Reinforcement
- Hanger spacing
- Access provisions
- Pressure class
SMACNA’s HVAC Duct Construction Standards are the foundation for commercial ductwork.
An electrical contractor needs drawing symbols that include switches, outlets, fixtures, and wiring. NECA 100-2024 defines the use of symbols and outlines how to draft electrical construction drawings in North America.
Across all trades, the submittal regime under A201 controls the review loop. The contractor verifies field criteria and calls out any deviation from the contract set. The design professional checks conformance with the information and design concept. The contract changes only when a written instrument authorizes it.
What Do Modern As-Built Deliverables Look Like?
Owners, DOTs, and federal agencies expect electronic redlines during construction. They also want digital as-builts at turnover. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires electronic format for redlines, as-builts, and record drawings across Army projects. This change removes paper methods and enables real-time teamwork in a shared data space.
The Federal Highway Administration frames digital as-builts (DABs) as a lifecycle repository.
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FHWA’s 2024 guides show both a simplified step-by-step path and an integrated model-centric path. Both generate a record that goes beyond static PDFs. It features geometry, attributes, and accuracy notes for assets and utilities.
This approach sets a clear expectation – the final deliverable includes both a complete PDF sheet set and a comprehensive data drop. The data drop includes federated models in open formats when possible. It also has geospatial feature classes with fields that include questionable fields for operations staff.
The rationale from the agency is straightforward. The owner needs a dependable digital record. This record should help with long-term maintenance, capital planning, and safe future work. Also, it should eliminate the need to return to the site for new measurements.
Federal guidance backs this up. The FHWA document HIF-24-062 outlines the workflow and file format expectations in plain language. Additionally, the USACE Engineering and Construction Bulletin (ECB) shows how a major federal owner already treats electronic redlines and digital record models as standard practice.
How Does Accurate Utility Data Drive Reliable As-Builts?
Inaccurate utility infrastructure data can cause an increase in schedule, claims, and even strikes. Two ASCE standards now provide a clear framework that every owner and designer can adopt.
ASCE 38-22 sets a standard method to investigate and document existing utilities. This provides quality levels for investigations. It supports accuracy and allows the design team to communicate risk.
ASCE 75-22 sets the record and exchange rules for “as-constructed” or “as-built” utility data. This makes sure the record has accurate locations, depth details, and reliable attributes for future users.
When you pair ASCE 38 with FHWA DAB guidance, the plan becomes powerful. Early in design, the team scopes utility investigations. During construction, often using a utility locating company, the team verifies exposed utilities at crossings and tie-ins. At turnover, the owner obtains the underground utility data. This ensures that any future dig or tie-in can happen with confidence. The FHWA stepwise guide describes that cadence in accessible language and shows how to integrate it with model and sheet deliverables.
What Are the Benefits of As-Built Drawings?
Accurate as-built drawings are more than a closeout requirement. They are a long-term asset. They provide owners and facility teams with a clear record of the construction condition. This includes every change from the original design. This accuracy helps with future renovations, expansions, and maintenance.
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GPRS takes these benefits further by combining advanced ground penetrating radar (GPR), 3D laser scanning, and mapping technology. This enables GPRS to produce verified as-built documentation, both above and below-ground.
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This approach moves beyond outdated plans or assumptions. These records integrate with SiteMap®, giving owners or facilities managers control of their data for lifecycle asset management. Our Mapping & Modeling Team produces as-builts so you can cut risks, boost teamwork, and plan for future projects.
Organization and Information Standards Help Reviewers and Future Users
The United States National CAD Standard (NCS) and its Uniform Drawing System modules set sheet identification, drafting conventions, standard terms and abbreviations, symbols, and notation rules. This is so that anyone can navigate the set.
Owners, government agencies, and private organizations use these standards. This helps ensure clear and smooth communication.
For model-based turnover, the National BIM Standard US (NBIMS US) and the Penn State BIM Project Execution Planning Guide both explain how to use record models. This is where the project team ties the operation, maintenance, and asset data to the final as-built model to support operations. That practice aligns with FHWA’s digital as‑built guidance. It gives owners or facilities managers reliable information.
The Simple Answer and Practical Next Step
Shop drawings and as-built drawings do different jobs. Shop drawings explain how a contractor intends to execute work in conformance with the contract set.
As-built drawings document what the team actually built so that the owner can own, operate, and expand with confidence.
The AIA contract forms draw that line, and trade standards define content and presentation for review and fabrication. FHWA and USACE set a digital handover path, and ASCE 38/75 gives you a reliable method for utility truth from concept through closeout. At GPRS, we’re here to provide you with above and below-ground documentation that makes a difference.
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Case Study: 3D Laser Scanning the House of the Seven Gables Historical Site
To help preserve The House of the Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts, Existing Conditions, a GPRS company, used a LiDAR scanner. This tool provided high-precision 3D laser scanning.
This effort focused on five historic structures:
- Turner-Ingersoll Mansion
- Retire Beckett House
- Hooper-Hathaway House
- Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace
- Primm House
It also included parts of the Seaside Colonial Revival Gardens.
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Problem
- Historic buildings are deteriorating due to climate exposure and environmental damage
- The seawall is weakening, posing structural risks to the property
- Mold has developed in the basement of the Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace
- As a National Historic Landmark District, all modifications require approval from multiple preservation authorities
- Budget limitations reduced the scope from scanning eight buildings to five
Solution
- 3D laser scanning was used to capture precise exterior and basement conditions
- Existing Conditions collaborated with Union Studio to focus on deliverables within the nonprofit’s budget
Benefits
- Delivered highly accurate digital measurements
- Enabled architects to create and share precise design plans with stakeholders
- Supported compliance with federal and local preservation standards
- Helped manage project scope effectively within financial constraints
How Can GPRS As-Built Drawing Services Help You?
GPRS delivers precise as-builts, both above and below-ground, using cutting-edge technologies. Deliverables include:
- Utility As-builts
- Building Elevations
- Floor Plans
- MEP As-Builts
- Reflected Ceiling Plans
- to Structural As-Builts
GPRS maintains a 99.8% accuracy rate for utility locating and mapping, from field-to-finish.
All GPRS Project Managers utilize the industry-leading specification called Subsurface Investigation Methodology (SIM) when conducting utility mapping and 3D laser scanning services. With GPRS, your as-built drawings become a trusted record of reality, above and below-ground, so you can plan, build, and maintain with confidence.
What can we help you visualize?
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are accurate as-built drawings critical for construction projects?
Accurate as-builts show exactly what has been built. This includes utilities and structural elements. They reduce risk, prevent costly errors, and support safe future work, like renovations or tie-ins.
When should I involve GPRS in my project?
The best time is early in the process. Before excavation or cutting, we can verify existing conditions and help you prevent conflicts. We also support closeout by delivering reliable, as-built drawings.
What information is included in as-built drawings?
As-built drawings generally contain comprehensive details about the final layout of the structure. This includes architectural design, structural components, electrical layouts, plumbing systems, HVAC installations, and any changes made during construction.
