Scan-to-CAD: 2D Drawings for Commercial Permit Sets

If a plan checker has sent back your tenant improvement set because the existing conditions do not match the building, or you want to avoid that, the base drawings need to come from measurement instead of old sheets. Manual tape measurements often miss structural deflections and out-of-plumb walls. This scan-to-CAD workflow translates 3D laser scan data into verified 2D AutoCAD drawings, delivering the precise floor plans, elevations, and roof layouts required for commercial tenant improvements and plan-check approvals.

Why do building departments reject manual as-built drawings?

When assumed dimensions clash with physical reality during a plan-check review, municipal reviewers issue requests for information (RFIs) that stall the permit process. A 3D laser scanner records the exact existing condition of the space so your permit set reflects reality.

Using a Leica RTC360, field technicians capture the building environment at an accuracy of +/-2 mm. We register these millions of data points into a unified coordinate system using Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS. Instead of guessing wall thickness, our drafters trace the exact geometry from a horizontal slice of the point cloud. This delivers a native DWG file where the dimensions match reality, giving your architectural team a dependable baseline for design across San Diego County, Orange County, Riverside County and the Inland Empire.

What architectural deliverables support a plan-check submission?

Building departments require specific documentation formats, typically a 2D AutoCAD DWG file alongside a plotted PDF set.

For interior tenant improvements, the permit set includes floor plans that map structural columns, partition walls, and egress routes. For exterior renovations, we take vertical slices of the registered point cloud to generate precise building elevations, capturing window sill heights and structural openings. We format these 2D layouts to your CAD standards, ensuring your drafters can immediately begin drawing the proposed changes over the existing conditions. If the city requires multi-trade collision checks for overhead mechanical systems, we elevate the scope to a full scan-to-BIM deliverable. Send us your project scope, and we will define the exact deliverables your permit application needs.

How does scanning reduce the permitting timeline?

The schedule depends on the total square footage and the architectural density of the captured space, but eliminating return site visits is what keeps the permit on track.

An empty warehouse requires far fewer drafting hours than a historic retail space with irregular walls. Because a laser scanner records the entire line-of-sight environment in 3D during a single mobilization, we capture overhead structural elements, exposed MEP runs, and floor layouts simultaneously. If the municipal reviewer later demands a reflected ceiling plan, we extract a different horizontal slice from the same point cloud to draft the DWG without returning to the site. Share the property address and the exact layers your permit requires, and we will scope the mobilization schedule.

Do you need a certified boundary survey for exterior modifications?

FieldScan captures structural and architectural geometry, but we do not certify property lines.

If your permit application involves site expansions, setback verifications, or right-of-way documentation, the municipal reviewer requires a stamped survey. Certified survey deliverables (boundary, ALTA, stamped topo) are performed by our licensed California Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) partner. We coordinate this boundary capture alongside our 3D laser scanning or drone surveying and inspection operations to ensure your architectural site plan aligns with the legal property boundaries.