As-Built Project Scope Builder

As-built scope depends on four key variables: building square footage (determines scan positions needed), number of floors (affects vertical complexity and stairwell access), MEP complexity (simple residential vs. complex hospital mechanical systems), and required deliverables (point cloud only vs. full BIM-ready documentation package). A typical commercial space requires approximately one scan position per 400 sqft, with experienced crews completing 25-35 positions per day.

As a general guideline, 3D laser scanning requires approximately one scan position per 400 sqft of floor area for standard commercial spaces. This density ensures adequate coverage and point cloud overlap. Complex environments with many rooms, corridors, or obstructed sightlines may require higher density (one per 200-300 sqft). Open warehouses or atriums may require fewer positions. Multi-floor buildings multiply the per-floor count by the number of levels, plus additional positions for stairwells and vertical connections.

As-built scanning costs range from $1,000-$4,000 for residential projects and $3,000-$15,000 for commercial buildings, depending on size and complexity. BIM-conversion-ready scan data packages add $0.15-$0.35 per sqft depending on deliverable complexity. The minimum project engagement is typically $2,500. Larger facilities (100,000+ sqft) benefit from volume pricing. These ranges reflect standard market pricing for professional 3D laser scanning services.

Terrestrial laser scanners (like the Trimble X12) are tripod-mounted instruments that capture extremely detailed, high-accuracy point clouds (3D point accuracy 2.2 mm @ 20 m). They are ideal for smaller areas requiring precision or complex MEP documentation. Mobile SLAM scanners (like the NavVis VLX3) are carried by the operator and can cover up to 300,000 sqft per day, at 5 mm local accuracy (1 sigma, NavVis 500 m² test environment). Many large projects combine both: mobile scanning for rapid overall coverage and terrestrial scanning for detail-critical areas.

Field scanning timelines depend on project size and equipment used. A terrestrial scanner covers 20,000-40,000 sqft per day, moved from tripod position to tripod position, so field time scales with the number of setups the geometry demands. A mobile SLAM scanner captures continuously at walking pace and can cover up to 300,000 sqft per day, so field time scales with how far the operator has to walk and the point density the deliverable requires. Post-processing (registration, cleaning, deliverable generation) typically adds 1-3 weeks depending on deliverable complexity.