PPM now offering Archicad As-Built Models

A New BIM Deliverable to Support your Residential Remodel Projects

If you’re an architect specializing in residential remodels, and you love collaborating and designing in intuitive, easy-to-use BIM software, our newest service offering has launched with you in mind! PPM is proud to announce Archicad as our latest residential As-Built deliverable! While we’ll continue offering Revit, this software addition gives you and your team versatility no matter your BIM preference. We know this isn’t the great Coke versus Pepsi debate, but we don’t want to be that lunch spot that makes you sip your second choice. We care about your preferences and are happy to stock two great BIM options brought to you by popular demand! Whether you prefer the simple and intuitive Archicad or the robust capabilities of Revit, you can now choose your 3D As-Built model that best meets your needs.

19 years ago, we entered into business to help architects ensure their As-Built plans were accurate, precise, and truly Worry Free prior to every remodel. Our objective was and still is to provide peace of mind knowing everyone working from the plans (architects, contractors, etc.) can make important decisions based on accurate measurements. Since 2002, we’ve evolved from the years of hand measuring, sketching, and AutoCAD drafting to adopting technology that would bring a new level of efficiency, accuracy, and versatility to our clients. In 2017 we introduced 3D laser scanning, in 2019 we introduced 3D Revit (BIM) modeling to our services, and today, we’re thrilled to announce Archicad!

The PPM Approach to Launching Archicad

We know that being a great partner means listening closely to our clients’ needs. A few months ago, we surveyed a sample of our recurring architects to get a better idea of the remodel software they use and to learn how we can provide more value. Through the generous feedback, we learned there’s a growing adoption of Archicad in the architectural community. This insight set our team on a mission to bring Archicad As-Built BIM models to our portfolio of services.

Revit expert, Blake Newey, of our Salt Lake City Production office spearheaded the initiative. He researched, took endless hours of coursework, and worked closely with a residential architect who works heavily in Archicad to design a product that is most useful to the architecture market. Along with his team, Blake has set processes and standards for modeling in this new platform, and we are thrilled to bring this offering to market today!

“Our main objective in this launch was to make sure all of our models meet the standards that clients have come to expect from all PPM deliverables. We wanted to ensure we met the needs of every client, and bringing ArchiCAD on board gives us another opportunity to provide Gold Standard service to even more clients.“ shares Newey.

Two BIM As-Built Options To Fit Your Preferences

Here’s The Scoop on Archicad vs. Revit

If you’re new to Archicad and curious how it differs from Revit, or you work in AutoCAD, but are interested in BIM in general, this will give you a little insight into the different features Archicad and Revit provide to help you make the best decision for your project.

Most BIM users who have experience with  both programs agree that Archicad tends to be more intuitive and user-friendly with plugins to extend its capabilities, while Revit is a more robust, yet more complex offering more capabilities without additional plugins (albeit the extended learning curve). Like any competitive software, we know our clients have set preferences, and we’re thrilled to offer the versatility your team needs to begin working with our files from the time of delivery.

We look forward to serving more architects in more efficient ways in the coming years with new service offerings. Have suggestions? Let your voice be heard. You can share your ideas here.

And, as always, quotes are quick and easy through our online quote request web form – now with an option for Archicad!

What is an As-Built Survey?

The Most Critical Part of your Remodel

1. Photos only

   One way to obtain the answers you need on-site before a renovation is by simply taking photos. This can assist in the design process, and answer questions you might have before proceeding.

2. Single-line

   Sometimes a quick single-line or bubble diagram is all you need to achieve your goals. This can be completed quite quickly on-site and does not need to be to scale.

3. Sketch

   Sketching can be very helpful in supporting your design in the case of Interior Elevation or Perspectives. This can also be done roughly and may not require measurements.

4. Measure

   If drawings need to be to scale, such as when they’ll be used to create new construction documents, then you’ll need to go to a higher level of accuracy and measure the existing conditions. Later, we’ll discuss varying ways to gather more accurate measurements.

Step 1: Sketching

Remember that sketching does not need to be to scale. All you need to do is make sure that there is room to write all the measurements you need, and that it is visually easy enough to follow back in the office.

Using different colors to mark different measurements and drawing types is helpful, so that your eye will catch each segment accordingly when drafting . This will help save time because you won’t have to send time hunting for what you need in the future. Getting as much sketching done before measuring is recommended so you can focus solely on measurements when the time comes. The better your sketching is, the easier your measurement process will be.

With proper sketches, any structure can be measured more quickly. You can sketch any ornamentation to the degree of precision you desire. Be sure to leave room to write in measurements and plan ahead to add in your heights, or “z” axis.

Step 2: Plan-View Measurements

An important step that many people skip when measuring a structure is going around the exterior faces. Often times, a wall thickness at an exterior wall is taken, and then only interior measurements are taken from there, but we consider measuring the exterior walls to be crucial. When measuring, you want to start with the “perimeter” or exterior faces and measure all the lengths 360 degrees around the building.

Pro tip: to check your work, add up all “x” values and all “y” values. If the sum of all “x” values on each side of the building add up to the same number (or very close), then you’re on the right track! Next do the same for the “y” values. This can of course get complicated if your structure has curved walls or angles that aren’t 90 degrees. In this case, your safest bet is laser scanning, which we’ll discuss later.

In the sketch above, you may notice there are some “overall” measurements as well as small, incremental measurements. This is a good system of checks and balances that will not only improve overall accuracy, but it may save you in the event you have an incorrect measurement or notation.

Don’t forget to get good photo coverage as well. This will help you verify that what you are drafting is indeed correct. Occasionally, we’ve seen errors that don’t appear as errors on paper, but are obvious when looking at an image.

2nd Pro Tip: Bring vellum! This can be helpful if you need to add items and you’re out of room to sketch them or write down measurements. This is especially useful wen adding detail items like electrical faceplates, cabinetry, and RCP items. The image above shows the previous sketch with a sheet of vellum over it. This allows us to use the information from the first sketch to add additional information without having to re-sketch all walls and doors.

Step 3: The “z” Axis

Now we can talk about collecting the “z” axis measurements, or height information, using traditional methods.

You can use a tape measure to measure all the risers in the stairs, or drop it down a balcony, run it up a wall, etc. A Laser Distance Meter, or “Disto”, can perform trigonometric functions instantly to get you heights in all sorts of ways. The first two of these tools you might already be using to measure all other aspects of your plan.

This third tool is used exclusively to gather height information and is called the Zip Level. This is an excellent tool invented, distributed, and repaired if needed by a company out of San Diego. Zip Levels use displacement to read heights anywhere within a 50-foot radius.

However you’ve collected your height measurements, make sure you have them in all the places you’ll need them. Most areas are obvious, like the tops of any steps and staircases. Measure what you’ll need to see in Exterior Elevations and Sections.

Make sure you have either some basic height and good pitch information for your roof. If it’s safe to get on the roof you can gather as many heights as possible.

Don’t forget the heights of openings such as windows you plan to show, or heights of items like wall sconces if you plan to produce detailed Interior Elevations.

Laser Scanning – The New Era

What is 3D Laser Scanning?

Updating or even replacing a proven method for doing something to utilize the newest technology isn’t easy no matter what industry you’re in. The first step you take is the most important, and the rest is hard work and diligence. Even though it may be difficult to transition, making the change to Laser Scanning as a survey method provides you with several benefits such as:

• Fast acquisition of As-Built data using 3D Laser Scanners that utilize LiDAR technology
• More accuracy than any measurements that can be taken by hand thus reducing the odds of human error dramatically
• Technology that can be purchased, rented, or contracted as a service
• A solution that allows you to get more data than needed to complete drawings and models for most projects
• A “digital twin” of any property that allows you to “visit” the site from the comfort of your office and pull additional data if the scope of your project changes

Terrestrial and Mobile LiDAR Technology

Terrestrial, or stationary, scanners sit on a tripod and spins to gather 3D data from one position. After scanning hundreds of positions with good overlap, you can bring all the data together onto one big dataset for your project.

Mobile scanners allow you to get a similar end result, but by utilizing an algorithm called SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). The scanner and accompanying software allow you to gather the 3D data while simply walking through a space. This dramatically minimizes the amount of time needed to capture the data in the field.

These Scanners All Use LiDAR Technology

Light Detection and Ranging is a method for measuring distances by illuminating an object with a laser and measuring that laser beam’s reflection with a sensor. Each illumination can be considered a measurement. Each single measurement is logged and throughout the course of the scan, millions of measurements are taken in all directions.

Mobile Scanning and Processing

Using a mobile scanner is preferable if your time on site is limited. Once the scan is complete, you need to use the SLAM algorithm software which interprets all the measurement and movement data from the scanner and produces the 3D Point Cloud. Since most individual scans take only 15-45 minutes, this will give you time to process the scan on site to check your results before you leave.

Reviewing your complete Point Cloud on site is essential to ensure accuracy. Most errors in scanning or processing can be spotted quickly, and actions can be taken to ensure the overall accuracy of your project when the time comes to draft or model.

The Point Cloud

Once your scan has processed, you’ll need to review the output and ask yourself – Did I cover all areas? Are there any flaws or errors? Reviewing your data well before attempting to create a set of As-Builts from a point cloud is a must. If there are any kinds of errors with your cloud – which do happen, then using that bad data can either stop you in your tracks when you’re drafting or modeling, or worse: result in an incorrect set of As-Built plans.

Most scanners have a range of hundreds of feet, which can produce a lot of data outside of your project that you don’t need. You may need to clip or crop your point cloud to reduce file size by getting rid of this unwanted data. If you have to produce multiple point clouds for a large or complex project, it will be important to get comfortable with Point Cloud software that will allow you to merge or register your clouds and more easily manage your data.

Using the Point Cloud

In order to produce items such as a floor plan, you need to create a slice of the point cloud at a desired height and use that view to start your As-Built drafting or modeling work. In addition to cutting these slices, you’ll want to be able to move and rotate the clouds to get any view or perspective you need on the property to perform your work. While there certainly is a learning curve, any CAD or BIM software that supports point clouds can do this for you easily.

Looking at a Section throughout the project or even before you start your work is a good idea, you’ll be seeing the structure in a way that you could never see in person, unless you happen to have the biggest chainsaw ever made and permission to use it. Having Point Cloud data is extremely beneficial over measuring with traditional methods when Sections need to be created for the plan set.

In Conclusion

Scanning your project will prevent costly revisits to the site due to errors and will reduce your time spent on site. The type of scanner you use will be dictated by your needs and the level of detail required. Your scanner will create a cloud made up of millions of data points. Knowing how to manipulate the Point Cloud in your preferred drafting or modeling software is crucial to using your survey data.

What Is An As-Built Survey? It’s What We Do!

Preparing for your Residential As-Built Survey Site Visit

If you’re preparing for your residential As-Built Survey site visit, you’re more than likely preparing your home for a remodel or addition. Congratulations on this special endeavor to enhance the space you’re living in! As your architect or designer likely told you, accurate and up-to-date As-Built plans are incredibly important to the success of your remodel or addition. Our team of expert surveyors, drafters, and modelers take them very seriously. Ensuring your plans are precise and every contractor is working with correct dimensions helps keep your budget in place and your project on time. PPM’s goal is to set you and your architect up for success and it all starts with a site visit to gather up-to-date measurements.

How we Capture Data During a Site Visit

Today’s technology helps us move through your home quickly. We use a 3D laser scanner to ensure we provide the most accurate As-Built plans while taking up far less of your time to acquire the data we need. Our laser scanners capture millions of data points in the form of a point cloud – used by our drafting team to prepare your As-Built drawings off site, so we can minimize our time in your home and give you back your space as quickly as possible!

Preparing your Home for the Surveying Process

We know your home is your sanctuary and our goal is to help you feel comfortable and at ease while we’re in it. There are a few things we’d like you to know before we arrive that will help your surveyor work quickly and efficiently through the surveying process.

1. Our Time on Site

It’s typical for a building survey project to take 3 to 4 hours. The laser scanning portion of our survey usually lasts about 30 minutes. You can expect the rest of the time to account for preparation of the space for scanning, photos (still photos, 3D photos, and those needed for 3D tours), processing of the data on site to ensure we’ve captured all necessary info, and tear down. We may need to take a few manual measurements in hard-to-reach places.

2. Furniture and Boxes

We know this is a living space. Don’t worry about boxes and furniture. Rooms do not need to be cleared, however, it is helpful if our surveyors are able to walk into each room and reach all walls and windows.

3. Site Contact and Access

Whether we’ve set up this appointment with you or a family member, it’s important to ensure your Project Manager has the full name, phone number, and email of the site contact for the day of our scan. Please be sure your site contact has a full set of keys and that all keys have been tested to ensure full access to every room and door in the home or building. Any doors that we are unable to access will have to be excluded from the scan. In residential homes, this isn’t typically an issue, but we want to let you know.

4. Doors and Gates

Ideally, doors and gates will remain open throughout the scanning process including the entrance and exit to the home. As-Built scans yield the best results when our surveyor can perform them in one swift movement without having to pause and open entryways. Please let us know if this is not possible. Upon completion, the surveyor will be sure to close cabinets, doors, and gates and return the property to its original condition.

5. Cabinets and Doors

The surveyor may need to prop open some cabinet doors prior to scanning to capture the wall behind them. If this is necessary, doors will need to remain open in the same position during the scan to avoid any issues. Your surveyor will ensure everything is closed up once they are finished.

6. Mirrors

Mirrors can cause a “reflection” challenge for laser scanners. The surveyor will assess the mirrors in the building before they scan and may need to cover them with paper or turn them to ensure the laser scan data renders accurately. If your surveyor covers up mirrors with butcher paper, please leave them covered until the scan portion of the visit is complete.

7. Small Children and Pets

Please let your surveyor know if there are small children or pets in the home, so we can ensure their safety while all doors are open. In some situations, it may be best to put pets in a small bedroom and close the door. The surveyor may be able to manually measure or do a second scan to capture this area separately.

8. Minimizing Movement

Please ensure no other work will be performed on the day of our site visit (i.e. cleaning, moving, painting). It is necessary to minimize movement during the scan as much as possible. In the case that our surveyor enters the room you are in during the scan, the best thing to do is stand in place. Avoid scurrying to another room or any movement as this can confuse our scanner in the process.

9. Sprinkler Systems

In most cases, we will need to scan the perimeter of the building. Please ensure any sprinkler systems will be turned off for the duration of the site visit.

10. Roof and Foundation Access

Our surveyors are equipped with a 15-foot ladder. If we are providing exterior elevations or a roof plan, it is key for our site contact to communicate if we’ll need a taller ladder. If foundation or framing plans are included in your request, please ensure there is access to those spaces.

11. Manual Measurements and Photographs

Our surveyors may take some manual measurements in hard-to-reach places as well. We also snap lots of photos which are used by our team as well as your architect. Our drafters and quality assurance team use them in the drafting and review process. They are then sent to your architect as part of the deliverable package and are used for design and production purposes. Once the scan is complete and we’ve ensured we have all of the data we need, we’ll be on our way.

Thank you for learning more about our residential As-Built Survey site visit process!

Now, you’re ready for your site visit! We look forward to kicking off your remodel project with Worry-Free As-Built surveys your architecture, design, and construction teams can trust to start your project off great. We appreciate your assistance, cooperation, and consideration in this process and look forward to meeting you. Please let us know if you have any further questions. You can email or call your project manager directly or contact us at office@ppmco.net or 855-272-8458. Thank you for allowing PPM to be a part of your remodel project.

About PPM

At PPM, our goal is to help set you and your project up for success from the start. While we are dedicated to tried-and-true process and deliver consistently accurate plans, success is not just in the numbers – it’s a feeling of trust, confidence, ownership and teamwork. Our team is committed to Core Values that drive our business and our clients’ success. We’re here to support you every step of the way.

Swiftly Tackling A Time Sensitive, 550-Location As-Built Survey Program

How One QSR Brand Prepared for a Nationwide Remodel in Record Time

When a large quick service restaurant chain wanted to remodel 550 locations in a year, they chose PPM as their As-Built partner. By quickly understanding their needs, adapting to their preferred communication rhythm, and deploying our nationwide network of surveyors, we were able to deliver all their plans on time and within budget.

We first heard from our new client in June of 2017. They were on the hunt for a reputable As-Built partner to capture all physical store information needed to prepare for upcoming strategic initiatives. We worked with several members of their internal architecture and construction teams over the next month to determine, prioritize, and document their requirements for this project.

The company needed accurate As-Built plans of all of their restaurants for two primary business initiatives.

Two Primary Goals:

1. Remodel to Expand Carryout Capacity

They were looking to remodel their kitchens to expand capacity for preparing carryout and catering orders. As part of this initiative, an update to the area used for their digital ordering system was also required.

2. Gain Knowledge Gain Knowledge of Store Plan Layout for Planning

The client wanted a comprehensive update of their physical store information for facilities management and other future store planning projects.

As-Builts Delivered

Based on their needs, we worked with the client to develop a detailed scope of work. The architectural As-Builts included a detailed Floor Plan with Kitchen Layout, Reflected Ceiling Plan, Roof Plan, and Electrical Plan. At their request, we provided an electrical line diagram as well (which included tracing and mapping of their panel schedule to show the connections between each individual outlet to the corresponding circuit on the panel). For photography, we provided both still photos as well as a 360-degree “Virtual Walkthrough” of each location using the Matterport platform.

About 6 weeks into these discussions, our client gained confidence and trust in PPM’s capabilities and decided to test us with an initial batch of 33 locations across California, Colorado, and Texas. They wanted the surveys completed in 10 weeks, between August and October of 2017, so we developed a schedule to meet their deadline. The schedule allowed room for several rounds of feedback on the Deliverables to guarantee the final product was exactly what our client needed.

The company was very impressed with our ability to deliver on schedule, as well as our service, communication, and extremely precise As-Built drawings. After further internal planning through the end of the year, they awarded us 334 locations in January of 2018, and we were off to work.

Our Multi-Site As-Built Survey Process

For a High Volume, Nationwide As-Built Program

Our first order of business was to create a program schedule. We were provided the list of 334 locations all over the country and a deadline of June 15th to deliver all surveys. With a few weeks of time to ramp up, this meant we would need to average about 20 completed surveys per week. Within this 4-month program, the client had different deadlines for the six geographic regions in which the stores were located – a challenge our seasoned Multi-Site program manager was easily able to organize. The client allowed us to determine the specific order and schedule to meet the deadlines, which was extremely helpful as it enabled us to group the surveys together by location and proximity, allowing for more efficient travel and the flexibility to work with each surveyor on a schedule that best fit their availability.

Second, we put together the best resources to fit this Multi-Site program. This required field surveyors, drafters, QA staff, and dedicated project management team. Over the course of the program, there would be as many as 50 different people that worked on the surveys in one capacity or another. In addition to human resources, we also had to make sure that we had the specialized equipment needed to perform the survey at every location. This included surveying tools, Matterport cameras, and electrical testing gear.

Finally, we had to develop a scalable and repeatable process that would consistently deliver a high-quality As-Built product that met the client’s exact specifications for every location. We had already worked out most of the process in the pilot round of 33 locations, but now with a higher overall volume and weekly output, we had to tighten things up even more.

For faster and more detailed data collection, we used a 3D laser scanner on approximately half of the locations while the resulting “point cloud” data that we captured was converted into highly accurate As-Built plans by our CAD teams. For the second half of the restaurants, our professional survey crews used laser distance meters and laptop computers onsite to capture, record, and draw the As-Builts plans.

Prior to delivery to the client, every plan was extensively reviewed by our QA team in Long Beach. They compared each plan to the digital photography to make sure nothing was missing or drawn inaccurately. The final step was to place the drawings into the client’s CAD template and make sure we met all of their specific standards and preferences.

All of this planning and teamwork paid off – we were able to deliver all 334 surveys before the requested deadlines. Our client rewarded our strong performance by giving us another batch of 175 locations in early July. This batch came with a September 28th deadline, which meant that we would once again need to maintain a delivery pace of about 17 locations per week. We streamlined a few more parts of the process including field scheduling and QA, and once again delivered all of the surveys on-time and to the client’s exact standards.

Challenges are an Opportunity to Provide Great Service

Even a single As-Built survey can run into unexpected challenges. When you’re surveying 500+ locations, you better be prepared for a few surprises, changes, and other potential obstacles. This case was no exception.

Challenge 1: Ambitious Timelines

The first challenge was the aggressive program timeline. We didn’t know how many locations we would receive and what the deadline would be until the day it arrived in my email. The timeline was so important to our client that we wanted to be 100% certain we would be able to meet every deadline. This commitment to timeliness was so critical that it actually caused us to make the difficult decision to turn down an additional 30 locations in the final batch. When we crunched the numbers, we realized that we just couldn’t make it work within the deadline, so we stuck with 175 locations. Our client was very pleased that we were honest about our capabilities and didn’t over-promise.

This program required that we meet a consistently high pace, often approaching 20-25 deliveries per week, with a highly detailed, labor-intensive scope of work. Because we didn’t want the process to come down to the wire, we front-loaded the schedule with field surveys, which allowed more time for our quality assurance team to inspect everything and make any necessary revisions before the requested deadline.

The additional resources that the program required, both employees and vendors, were also a major challenge. With this number of people, we created custom project management tools to make sure the status of every location was tracked. Work segments were clearly assigned, and the client was always updated with the survey status of each location.

Challenge 2: Undisruptive Process

Another challenge was working in the restaurant environment. Our client’s stores got really busy around 11:30 AM and stayed busy for most of the day. Because of this, we had to complete the surveys before business hours. Typically, we would start around 3 or 4 AM to eliminate interference with their customer service and finish up most of the interior work before their doors opened.

As a result, we were successfully able to deliver all locations on time with a minimum amount of business disruption.

Results for Our Client are Our #1 Priority

PPM is incredibly proud to have been a part of this strategic initiative for our client.  By delivering all As-Built surveys on-time and with the exact information required, we were able to help them keep their kitchen remodel program right on track.

The Director of Architecture of the company agreed, saying: “Thank you for your continued commitment to excellence in delivering accurate and complete data. I appreciate your honesty and your desire to not compromise your company’s integrity. We are thankful for you and your team’s continued diligence as we complete this very important project.”

The “Pilot” As-Built Survey – The Critical Step in a Multi-Site As-Built Survey Program

Let’s talk about “Multi-Site” As-Built Survey programs. These are multi-location remodel programs where dozens or hundreds of locations need to be surveyed and drafted in preparation for remodel, rebranding, or expansion initiatives – usually for large, national retail or quick service restaurant (QSR) brands. With many Multi-Site programs completed for national brands over the years, PPM has learned a lot about the process from both the client end and the surveying end. You won’t find much information on the internet about this type of work, so we thought we’d shed some light on the subject and the first important step in the process to ensure success.

Before we dive in, there are a few more things you may want to know. To learn more about what a Multi-Site program is: including clients, typical projects, scope of work, challenges, etc., you can get more information. To understand the steps we take to plan a program of this magnitude, including assessing objectives, gathering necessary information, creating a team, and more, check out our blog here.

In this article, let’s focus on a specific component of the Multi-Site program that is critical to the overall success of large-scale programs – the “pilot” survey.

What is an As-Built “Pilot” Survey?

A pilot survey is when you complete an As-Built plan for the first location(s) on the client’s list.  The pilot survey takes place after you have finished the initial planning for a new program, but before you are ready to go live with a full launch. The purpose of a pilot survey is twofold:

1. It allows the survey company to see for themselves what the real conditions and challenges will be – both in the field and post-survey – for the program. This will help with the 2^nd round of planning.
2. To create, revise and confirm a Scope of Work with the client. This will be the actual “deliverable” template that is followed for the remainder of the program.

Sometimes we complete a single pilot survey, and other times we might perform as many as 5 in order to complete these 2 goals.  The entire process usually takes about 2-3 weeks,

How does an As-Built “Pilot” Survey work?

1. Preparation. To get ready for the pilot survey(s) we do a full review of the Scope of Work and any additional client communication to determine exactly what plans we should draw, items to include, and other information to gather. We also consider any travel arrangements, scheduling requirements, or special equipment needed.
2. Surveying.  There are a few additional things to consider when surveying for a pilot program:
   • Capture more information than you think you need.  This is good practice in general, but with a pilot particularly you really want to show the client more so that they can determine what is truly needed.
   • Consider any site conditions which may impact your ability to efficiently perform the surveys on a large scale, such as employees, customers, hours of operation, etc.
   • Compile a list of questions for the client as you survey.  The pilot survey is the chance to get these questions answered so that everything can be settled before the full program launch.
3. Delivery to Client. Complete and deliver the survey(s) to the client, along with notes and questions.  Over the next few days there should be a lot of back and forth with the client about any questions, revisions to make, information to include/omit.  We like to schedule a full “Scope Review” call with the client to hash out any remaining questions or requests.
4. Final Scope Confirmation. This is where both parties agree that the As-Built Survey Deliverable created in the pilot(s) is ready.  All future surveys for the remainder of the program will be based on that Deliverable.
5. Update Program Documents. This is an internal step for the surveying company, to get all necessary training and workflow documents ready for the program rollout, including:
   • Survey Scope of Work and Itemized Checklist
   • Survey Operations manual
   • AutoCAD template / CAD standards
   • Other Training documents and/or videos
6. Update Program Fulfillment Plan.  This was discussed in a prior blog post, and includes things like a program timeline, scheduling procedures, etc..

Once the pilot is complete you and your team along with your As-Built Survey partner are ready to get started on the full program rollout, surveying as many as 50 or more locations each week for the remainder of the program. At PPM, we handle the scheduling, so your team can focus on what you do best. To learn more about the entire As-Built Survey process for Multi-Site programs, visit us here.

4 Ways 3D Laser Scanning Is Changing Your As-Built Customer Experience

At PPM, we work closely with architects throughout the country and know the demands of the job. We get it. You’re busy, you’re under a deadline, you need the most accurate As-Built survey possible, and you want it to be completely “Worry Free.” Believe us. We’ve been in the business for over 18 years now, and we understand what you need in As-Built drawings whether you’re starting a home remodel, moving your business to a new location, or renovating the guest rooms at a large hotel.

It’s this understanding of our customers’ needs that has been one of the primary catalysts for the adoption of 3D laser scanning into our As-Built surveying process. For the first 14 years in business, we did everything manually with tape measures, laser distance meters, sketching boards, and good old-fashioned problem solving. But within the last couple of years, as this technology has developed, we decided that laser scanning is the best way to enhance your As-Built surveying customer experience. How are these handy 3D laser scanning gadgets helping us help you? Let’s dive into it.

 

2. Millions of Data Points = We Can Accommodate Any Request

Another big advantage of using a 3D laser scanner for As-Built surveying is the amount of information that is gathered. Before laser scanners, we had to pick and choose the measurements we would take and the information we could capture based on the scope of work requested by our client. If our client wanted an As-Built floor plan and reflected ceiling plan (RCP), we would only gather enough data to complete these 2 plan types. Now with the laser scanner we can digitally capture everything visible in your house or building with incredible precision. This means we know where every wall, window, door, ceiling beam, light fixture, cabinet, and piece of furniture is located in the building.

This information gathered from your property by the 3D laser scanner contains millions of data points that we use to create your finished As-Built deliverables. The big advantage for our customers in capturing all this data is the flexibility that it provides if more information is needed. For example, what if our customer decided after the field visit that in addition to the floor plan and RCP, they need some interior elevations and a section drawing? Previously we would have had to return to the building to take additional measurements – requiring additional time to schedule a second field visit, and an additional inconvenience to the property owner. With laser scanners, we already have all of the data we need to create these additional As-Built plans, so we are able to accommodate these change order requests quickly and keep the project moving. It’s what we do best!

3. Complicated Structures are Now a Breeze

It’s hard to overstate how much more precise our AutoCAD and Revit deliverables are now that we use 3D laser scanners. We have always been extremely accurate, recording individual measurements to the fraction of an inch and employing multiple redundancies and other As-Built best practices to ensure a quality product. But, to be honest with you, there’s just no equating what can be done with tape measures and simple electronic measuring tools compared to what we can do with 3D laser scanners.

No matter how many measurements we took back in the good old days, we simply couldn’t have collected as much information about your building as a laser scanner can. For a simple building with basic geometry, it might not make too much of a difference. But for larger structures and more complex architecture such as curved walls, vaulted or arched ceilings, and non-standard angles, laser scanners provide a whole new level of precision and detail. This increase in total accuracy becomes even more critical when we are creating a comprehensive 3D BIM model from the data captured in the field. This benefit to our customer is yet another reason why we’ve decided to adopt this technology with so much passion.

4. You Tell Us What You Want And We’ll Deliver

If I haven’t made it abundantly clear already, 3D laser scanning allows us more flexibility to tailor our deliverable to your needs. Because we have so much data gathered for your As-Built survey and because this information is accurate, complete, digital, and portable – we have a wide variety of options for our clients when it comes to the As-Built information we provide.
The 3D “point clouds” generated by a laser scanner can be worked with either in 2D or 3D. Our 2D AutoCAD drawings and 3D Revit models can be created exactly to your specifications and are always designed with your project’s best interest in mind. This means that our customer service and project management outreach is more important than ever. We have a dedicated staff whose primary purpose is to find out exactly what you require, and then create a deliverable that will make your job infinitely easier. Another new option is to deliver the raw data (the point cloud) directly. For those that know how to work with it, the point cloud is an extremely detailed “digital twin” of the building and can be delivered as soon as the day after the field work.

3D Laser Scanners – Good for Us and Great for You!

So, as you can see, 3D laser scanning has really improved the As-Built customer experience in many different ways here at PPM. We are beyond excited to see how this technology will continue to revolutionize our business and provide you with the best As-Built service possible.

Now that you know how 3D laser scanning can improve your customer experience for your remodel projects, I hope you’re as excited about these new developments as we are. Reach out to our team with any questions you may have. We’re here to support your next remodel project!

Meet Rogelio Medina a.k.a. Rogi (row-gee)
As-Built Surveyor and Drafter

Mornings at our PPM headquarters in Long Beach, California range between a quiet, small group to a loud, boisterous crew. It really depends on where our As-Built surveyor-drafters are stationed for the day. We greet the morning as a team in what we call The Bustation Declaration. You might be wondering, “what the heck is that?” For us, it’s a morning ritual that gets the juices flowing and pumps us up to “bust” for our clients throughout the week. Each day, a few team members “declare” what they’re working on, their core value of focus, and the week’s motivation (usually something fun and non-work-related).

It’s a special treat when our surveyor-drafters are in the office. These guys are often out on the road, battling heavy traffic, greeting our clients on site visits, and laser scanning properties to collect point cloud data to carefully draft As-Built plans for our clients. They hold a special role at PPM, because they’re usually the only team members who meet our clients face to face. When we have the pleasure of hanging out with them in our morning Bustation Declarations, we often get a sneak peek into their time in the field – from interesting houses and locations they get to visit to tricky roofs they scanned through some obscure troubleshooting technique. For them, no day is ever the same, and they play a crucial role in our success as well as the success of our clients. At PPM, we’re lucky to have incredibly talented, hardworking surveyors, and we’d like to introduce one of them to you today!

Meet Rogelio Medina, known to the team as “Rogi” (pronounced row-gee). He’s been a valuable asset to PPM for almost half a decade! In total, Rogi’s been surveying and drafting properties for five years. Coming from an architectural background, he began his career at PPM four and a half years ago and has had a front row seat to the evolving technology used to survey and draft As-Built plans. Morning “Bustation Declarations” with him are often an interesting recap of his on-site experiences. He’s usually got a good story to tell, so we sat down with him for a closer look behind the scenes of his day-to-day as a surveyor-drafter and to learn a bit more about Rogelio when he’s not hard at work for PPM.

Abby: How did you come to be a surveyor-drafter?

Rogi: I have my bachelor’s degree in Architecture, so I used to work at an architecture firm where we did CD (construction documents) for OSHPD (Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development). I would often be asked to go measure clinics and offices within the clinics. I would create the As-Builts for the new equipment to be laid out. I soon realized that I like the balance of being in and out of the office.  After I left that architecture firm, I decided that I wanted to find a job where I was not in the office all the time. I came across PPM and decided to apply for the surveyor position. This gave me an opportunity to have a job where I’m in and out of the office. And, 4 ½ years later, I’m still here.

Abby: What’s your favorite part of the job?

Rogi: My favorite part of the job is that I get to have client interactions. I like to explain our processes, and I like to show our points clouds to the client/homeowners. I really enjoy seeing their faces when they see what laser scanning technology can do.

Abby: When did you start using laser scanners?

Rogi: I began to use laser scanner with PPM. I would say about 2 ½ years ago.

Abby: How has using laser scanners changed your day to day?

Rogi: Laser scanning has changed how we work completely, from the on-site surveying to the actual drafting. In the past, we used to hand sketch. We later used to have a tablet that was paired with the DISTO (a handheld Leica single laser scanner). Before 3D laser scanners, a project would take a whole day or sometimes even multiple days to gather all the measurements needed to draft an accurate set of plans. Today, with the laser scanner, we can do a regular sized project in about 4-5 hours. The information we collect with the scan is much faster and more precise.

The drafting has also changed. In the past, we used to draft from sketches, or we used to have the DWG (digital drawing) from the tablet and finish the rest of the plans in the office using only AutoCAD. Today with the new technology that is laser scanning, we need to use multiple programs like GeoSlam, Cloud Compare and AutoCAD. PPM also had to invest in more powerful computers that could handle the needs of the point clouds. Overall, laser scanning completely changed how we do our As-Builts.       

Abby: What’s the most challenging part of the job?

Rogi: The most challenging part of the job for me, would be making sure the client understands our process to do a laser scan. We need to prepare the house before we start the actual scanning. We need to open all interior doors and most exterior doors. We need to open closet doors, run curtains, open blinds, cover mirrors and sometimes open cabinets. We also try to minimize movement within the property such as cleaning crew and/or other contractors working at the same time we are surveying, etc. I think making sure all these elements are prepared before starting the scan is the most challenging part of the job for me.  

Abby: Where do you see the industry going in 10 years?

Rogi: I think that only technology will dictate that. In a way, we are pioneers in the laser scanning industry. I can not imagine what other kind of technology we will have available in ten years, but whatever it’ll be, we will be there for it.

Abby: Working in Southern California means a lot of traffic to site visits. What do you do to pass the drive time?

Rogi: Yes, traffic is the worst in SoCal. Sometimes a project is not even that far but traffic makes it feel very far. The way I cope with traffic is singing, I sing and listen to the radio when I find myself stuck in traffic.

Abby: Love that! What are your go-to jams?

Rogi: Pop music. Whatever is popular and playing on the radio.

Abby: What’s the most rewarding part of the job?

Rogi: The most rewarding part of the job is when we get emails from clients praising our work. I like it when they say we were very professional during our site visit and when they say our drawings were accurate and easy to work with. Knowing that what we deliver to the client is accurate and well done makes me happy to work for PPM.

Abby: We all hugely appreciate what you do for PPM and our clients. Your positive attitude is always infectious, and we love having you in the office. When you have down time, what’s an ideal day off look like for you?

Rogi: A fun day off for me would be playing with my two dogs (Lilo and Sally). I love playing with them at my house, but we also like to go to the dog park. Lilo likes to fetch, so we play for a while until she gets tired. Sally on the other hand, likes to find branches to chew on, so I have to watch her most of the time to make sure she doesn’t actually eat them. I also love going to the movie theater. I like to watch movies on the big screen when they come out, but I also like to collect them. Once I buy the hard copy, I like to see all the behind the scenes material. I find it fascinating to learn how they make a movie.  

THIS OR THAT?

Games and activities are a big thing here at PPM, so before signing off with Rogi, I had to catch a quick round of “This or That.”

Abby: Which part of the job do you like best? Surveying or drafting?

Rogi: This is a difficult, because I really love both. I love being out on my feet, but I also like drafting and creating drawings.

Abby: Do you like single-family residential or commercial projects best?

Rogi: I enjoy residential projects better. They are unique and every house has a different personality in a kind of way.

Abby: Tape measure or laser scanner?

Rogi: I would have to say laser scanner because it makes odd shape buildings easier to measure.

Abby: Which ice cream would you choose? Rocky Road or Mint Chip?

Rogi: This is also a difficult question for me because these 2 are my most favorite ice cream flavors. Every time I go to Disneyland, I order a two-scoop ice cream cone with rocky road and mint chip in a waffle cone.

(I had no idea these were Rogi’s favs! #nailedit)

Abby: Cheesecake or ice cream cake?

Rogi: I would go for cheesecake. New York-Style cheesecake specifically.

Abby: Star Wars or Star Trek?

Rogi: Star Wars! Have you seen the Mandalorian? Have you seen BABY YODA? He is so cute!

Abby: Camping or 5-star hotel?

Rogi: Camping for sure. I love nature.

For more team profiles and behind-the-scenes, stay tuned on our blog!

About PPM

At PPM, our goal is to help set you and your project up for success from the start. While we are dedicated to tried-and-true process and deliver consistently accurate plans, success is not just in the numbers – it’s a feeling of trust, confidence, ownership and teamwork. Our team is committed to Core Values that drive our business and our clients’ success. We’re here to support you every step of the way.

3 Historic Landmarks Preserved through Digital Archiving

In October of 2013, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Philippine region of Bohol. In April of 2019, a fierce fire engulfed the roof of Paris’ famous Notre Dame Cathedral claiming the spire and causing devastating damage to the roof and upper walls. Fortunately, a 3D laser scan of Notre Dame exists that serves as a digital blueprint of every inch of the exterior and interior. The scan will likely be utilized in its restoration process. Unfortunately, many of the churches of Bohol were not so lucky. Crumbling to rubble and dust, only photographs and postcards remain. As natural disasters, increased tourism, exposure to environmental elements, and lack of maintenance lend to the decay of historical buildings, preservationists and historians are adopting the use of 3D laser scanning for historic preservation – digitally memorializing and safeguarding these beloved sites for centuries to come. Here are just a few iconic historical sites proactively archived by this technology.

1. Notre Dame Under Fire. Memorialized in 3D.

On a Monday evening in April of 2019 a devastating fire tore across the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France while the world watched in shock. For 9 hours, the beloved cathedral burned. Flames claimed the cathedral’s famous spire, roof, and upper walls leaving Paris in devastation as it prepared for a financial and logistical course of restorative action.

Rewind to 2015 – American Professor of Art at Vassar College, Andrew Tallon, visits Notre Dame while seeking to “understand how medieval builders erected some of Europe’s great cathedrals.” Using 3D laser scanning, Tallon digitally archived every square millimeter of the structure through billions of data points in the form of a 3D point cloud. It’s believed that Tallons scans will play a crucial role in reviving Notre Dame, but unfortunately, Tallon passed away in 2018 and will never know the impact of his work on likely the most high-profile 3D laser scan to date.

In April of this year, French president Emmanuel Macron announced an ambitious plan to restore the cathedral in 5 years. Original construction of Notre Dame began in 1163. The famous spire was added around 1250, and the cathedral has undergone numerous changes throughout the years from revered cathedral to rundown storage facility and returned to the limelight following the famous novel Hunchback of Notre Dame. Its next chapter impatiently awaits. Although the cathedral may never be a complete replica of what once was, Tallon’s 3D laser scan gives the restoration team the best chance of restoring it to its iconic glory.

2. Tampa’s Famous Jackson Rooming House in Distress

Located in Tampa, Florida, The Jackson Rooming House served as the only “Boarding House of the Stars” during the segregation period. Its walls housed African American superstars and famous activists whose status did not exclude them from the social offenses of the time including Martin Luther King, Jr., James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles. During this era, the house was one of the only places for traveling African Americans to stay in the Tampa area.

Today, the historical 24-room house remains in need of extreme repair. Built in 1901, the house has seen its day and is under pressure from the city to address serious safety issues. With “broken windows, a sagging roof, and splintering walls, it looks as though the slightest breeze could topple the century-old structure,” says the Tampa Bay Times. The local paper reported that a team from the Tampa Bay History Center and the University of South Florida used 3D laser scanning for historic preservation to create a digital point cloud and record every inch of the two-story, 4,000-square-foot building in efforts to preserve its history. Not only will the team use the 3D digital data to create a 3D replica and virtual tour, they may also help replicate and reopen the real Jackson House to the public one day. As of late, beams have been installed to shore up the Jackson House as further plans are in discussion.

3. Belsay Castle Proactively Preserved with Point Clouds

The fourteenth-century Iron Age hillfort castle situated in Belsay, Northumberland, England (14 miles northwest of Newcastle) was originally the home to the prominent Middleton family. Passed down through the family, it was eventually abandoned as a residence in the early nineteenth century when the family built a new Grecian-style residence on the same grounds which became known as Belsay Hall. Although an estate of this magnitude seems indestructible, preservationists have secured it’s history through 3D laser scanning should distaster or the test of time take its toll.

The medieval icon’s famous defense tower dominates the castle and was built as both a statement of family pride as well as protection from conflict and tension in this border region between Scotland and England. The tower is one of the best examples of a still-existing pele tower (also known as peel tower) – similar to a mini castle that is easy to defend. When King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England and brought the two kingdoms under union and relative peace, he decreed that all pele towers should be torn down and that the borders should be known as “Middle Shires”.

Despite the turbulent climate and King James’ ruling to remove pele towers, Belsay Castle and Hall remain a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building respectively. English Heritage, the non-profit organization administering the estate, undertook laser scanning of the entire grounds to ensure a digital point cloud replica. With the completion of the 3D laser scans, preservationists have ensured its history is protected against exposure to the elements, tourist traffic, and natural disaster.

Bohol Partners with 3D Laser Scanning Specialists for Historic Preservation

After the devasting earthquake of 2013 in the Filipino region of Bohol, 3D technology specialists DigiScript Phillipines began utilizing 3D laser scanning to digitally preserve UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This digital data in the form of high-resolution point clouds, ensures historic buildings can be restored should disaster strike again. The efforts will include four Baroque churches erected during the Spanish colonial period including Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte, Sta. Maria Church in Ilocos Sur, San Agustin Church in Intramuros, and Miagao Church in Iloilo.

Proactive Protection. Digitizing History.

As the fear of natural disasters and foreseen decay weigh heavy on preservationists’ minds, the relief of 3D laser scanning plays a significant role. There’s now a solid, digitally archived backup plan. The partnership between preservationists and skilled 3D laser scanning and modelling professionals is key. Proactive planning with an As-Buit Surveying and Drafting/Modelling team you can trust ensures our century-old buildings are preserved for centuries more to enjoy.

About PPM

Precision Property Measurements is a full service As-Built Survey and Drafting/Modelling firm who utilizes 3D laser scanning and traditional measuring tools for historic preservation, home remodels, commercial properties, and national brand expansion. PPM serves all 50 U.S. states and has over 17 years of experience in capturing precise, existing building measurements.  For more information on our historic preservation As-Built services or other surveys, please reach out to us at office@ppmco.net, or visit https://ppmco.net/quote for quick and easy quotes.

As-Built Survey Case Study: Preparing the Famous Seelbach Hotel for Renovations

Welcome to the Seelbach!

The story of the Seelbach Hotel dates back to 1903. It began when the Seelbach brothers, who were recent immigrants from Bavaria, decided to open a luxury hotel in downtown Louisville that would capture all of the old-world elegance of the European hotels they had fallen in love with in their childhood. They decided on a Beaux-Arts Baroque style and imported materials from all over the world, including marble from Italy, bronze from France, table linens from Ireland, and exotic wood from the West Indies.

The hotel took a couple of years to construct but was an instant success, and as of today, remains one of Louisville’s greatest landmarks. Among the Seelbach’s famous guests were Al Capone, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, Robin Williams, and John F. Kennedy, along with at least 8 other U.S. presidents. Parts of the Paul Newman film The Hustler and the 2013 version of The Great Gatsby were filmed at the Seelbach, and the iconic wedding scene of Fitzgerald’s classic American novel that inspired the movie was set at a hotel conspicuously called the Mulbach.

PPM’s Chapter in the Story of the Seelbach

Fast forward about 115 years, to late June of 2018 when Precision Property Measurements was contacted by John T. Campo & Associates, Inc., a full-service architecture and interior design firm based out of New Orleans, about helping them with a major renovation of the Seelbach. Campo Architects had recently been awarded the contract as lead consultant for the Seelbach renovation’s Concepting Phase and was looking to secure a reliable partner for an As-Built Survey of the hotel. They had previously worked with PPM through a Construction Manager on the Fairfield Inn & Suites Renovation in New Orleans, and found our services to be top-notch.

On smaller projects, Campo had sometimes done their own As-Builts or used a small local firm in New Orleans. But this project was different. The Seelbach hotel has 11 floors across 5 interconnected buildings, 321 guestrooms, 32,000 square feet of meeting space, and 2 subterranean levels. Campo wanted a pretty detailed scope of work including Floor Plans, Reflected Ceiling Plans, Electrical, and Exterior Elevations. For a project of this size, Campo needed an As-Built partner with a proven track record of success on large, highly-detailed projects.

In addition to PPM, Campo also contacted 2 other As-Built surveying companies for a proposal. The whole process took almost a month, and then in late July we got the call – PPM had landed the job! It was our expertise with hotel surveys, our detailed project timeline, and impressive reputation that encouraged Campo to hire us, and needless to say, we were beyond honored to help with the renovations of such an iconic Louisville building.

How we Completed the Seelbach As-Built Survey

For the Seelbach Hotel, we brought the same integrity and meticulousness that we bring to all of our projects – just to a larger scale. First, we made a detailed project plan and started communicating with the Hotel management immediately, to make sure everyone was on the same page. Campo wanted all of the As-Built drawings delivered by August 31^st, so we laid out our project schedule to meet this deadline.

Our survey team took to the beautiful Seelbach Hotel in early August and began their work, using laser distance meters for all of our measurements to make sure we got the most precise results possible. We had 2 primary surveyors onsite for 4 weeks who oversaw the entire project and made sure our field crew was working up to the high standards we require. We also added 2 additional surveyors for a week near the end of the project, in order to make sure we were able to meet our promised delivery deadline.

90% of the AutoCAD drafting we did for the project was completed onsite using laptop computers, which allowed for instant verification of all measurements before moving on to the next area of the hotel. This attention to detail and patience with all of our drawings is so important to our customer’s peace of mind. By drawing on-site, we can double and triple check our plans with the room’s actual measurements. This means that the architect gets the most accurate drawing possible, and we don’t have to come back to the site to remeasure.

Finally, we captured over 7,000 photos of the Seelbach’s extensive layout, which was quite a lot of material but helped us deliver the high-quality product that Campo Architects was expecting. Before we sent the final As-Built drawings and photos on to our client, PPM’s quality assurance team reviewed all of the 7,000+ pictures and compared them to the drawings to make sure nothing was omitted or drawn incorrectly, and that all the CAD standards and scope details were included and represented accurately.

The Biggest Challenges We Faced

We’re no strangers to running into speed bumps during our As-Built surveying projects, and our work at the Seelbach was no different. One of the aspects of our business that we take the most pride in is our ability to troubleshoot the various challenges that arise during any given project, and all of our surveyors, project managers and drafters have been extensively trained in how to overcome these obstacles.

One of the major issues we experienced while surveying the Seelbach came from the highly unique layout of the hotel guestrooms.  Out of the 321 total guestrooms, there were over 100 different floor plans, which is the most, by far, that we’ve ever encountered. Most hotels only have a few different room types, and the floor plates stack from level to level. 100 different guestroom layouts meant that each room had to be thoroughly inspected and accurately measured to capture its unique layout. When you add in the highly ornate architectural details inherent to a historic building like the Seelbach, it all added up to a lot of custom work on the As-Builts.  To mitigate any potential delays, our team pulled 20 hour shifts and worked through the weekends to finish up as soon as possible.

Another challenge, common to any hotel or place of business, was the constant flow of guests and employees.  We take great pride in the abilities of our onsite team members to work with and around people who are living and working in the properties we measure. As you can imagine, the Seelbach is consistently busy, filled with hundreds or even thousands of guests and staff every single day. This required quite a lot of coordination between hotel management and our surveyors to make sure that we were completing our work in a way that was least intrusive to their guests and operations as possible. Developing a great working relationship with the Seelbach staff was the first step in accomplishing this, and our team really went out of their way to make sure that all of the hotel’s employees felt comfortable approaching them.  Not surprisingly for such a legendary hotel, the entire staff was incredibly friendly and helpful throughout the project.  Some of them even gave us a hug when we left for the last time.

Though we faced a few challenges in this project, I think that we handled them with a lot of professionalism, and above all, made sure that we were communicating any changes in plans with our client while finding the best way to work around these issues.

Getting Results for Our Clients

After over 650 hours of on-site surveying, drafting, quality assurance, and project management, we delivered the Seelbach As-Built survey project to Campo Architects.  Campo was extremely pleased with the professionalism, detail, and quality that PPM delivered.

Kerry Soniat, who is Campo’s Project Architect for the Seelbach, said, “Using PPM allowed Campo to manage our time efficiently and focus on more important design priorities for our client. We were impressed with the professionalism, timeliness and team efforts received from PPM. We look forward to working with PPM again in the future.”  It was extremely gratifying to receive this positive feedback after all of the hard work and dedication we put into the project.

Now, Campo is in the process of moving on to the next phase of the Seelbach project, which involves a detailed renovation plan for the guestrooms and common areas based off of PPM’s As-Built plans. These design and construction drawings will be much easier for Campo to generate with confidence because of our accurate and detailed As-Builts, and will be instrumental in helping write the Seelbach’s next historic chapter.

Epilogue: The Seelbach’s Chapter in PPM History

The life of an As-Built surveyor is a constant adventure!  OK maybe not always… but the interesting things we see and experience at a cool old building like the Seelbach is definitely one of the perks of the job.  Our time at the Seelbach Hotel left some indelible memories we will not soon forget.  Here’s a few of the most memorable highlights:

• The Seelbach bar: The bourbon selection was pretty amazing and their signature “Lady in Blue” IPA, named after the ghost that haunts the 8^th floor, was VERY tasty.
• Larry, the concierge and hotel historian, was awesome.  He has tons of great stories about the hotel after 30 years working there. He has even written two books about the Seelbach – and we left with a signed copy of one of them.
• One of our surveyors set off the fire alarm after one of the kitchen staff convinced him that the door was no longer armed.  That was fun.
• The metal in the building interfered with the compass on our drone (which we use to take exterior photos), causing it to lose control and crash into the adjacent building.  Nothing better than having a crowd full of people watch you fly your drone as you discuss how “smart” it is with its sensors that won’t allow it to crash… #embarrassing

The Seelbach Hotel was one of the most extensive and unique projects we’ve completed, and it was such an honor to be part of a nation-wide team who were helping to restore one of the most historic hotels in the country.

And thanks, as always, for reading!

Accurate As-Built Plans Make A Huge Difference In Your Renovation Project

“I Found These Existing As-Built Drawings. They Look Pretty Accurate… I think.”

Here at Precision Property Measurements, most of our clients are architects, designers and facility managers that are in charge of planning and executing building remodel projects. For every new project, whether it is for one building or hundreds of locations, one of the first decisions they need to make is what to do about As-Built drawings. Accurate As-Built Plans are essential for any renovation project. Often there are no existing plans to start with, and so it is an easy decision to create new accurate As-Built drawings either by measuring the building themselves, or by hiring a professional As-Built surveying company like PPM.

Trying to save a nickel will end up costing you much more in the long run. Get it done right and you will avoid a lot of headaches. Any questions? Send me an email at andy@ppmco.net.

Thanks for reading.