How-to guide
As-built drawings: redlines, record drawings and how to mark them up
As-built drawings show what was actually built, not what was designed. They start as redlines on a field copy of the drawings, and they only come out right if someone marks every change while the work is still visible.
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Redlines, as-builts, record drawings and shop drawings
How the terms are used in the sources below. Owners define them differently, so check your contract's closeout section.
| Term | What it is | Who makes it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redlines | The marking up of a drawing or specification to show a change | The contractor and subcontractors, in the field | Throughout construction, as soon as practical after each change |
| As-built drawings | The redlined set that shows the project as it was built | The contractor, usually with its subcontractors | Kept current during the job; submitted at completion |
| Record drawings | The accepted as-builts, or a clean, complete set compiled from them and marked "record drawings" with a date | The owner accepts them, or the designer compiles them | After the as-builts are reviewed and accepted |
| Shop drawings | A fabricator's or supplier's detailed drawings of what it will make and install | Suppliers, fabricators and subcontractors | Before fabrication; folded into or attached to the as-builts |
How to produce as-built drawings
- 1
Set up one field set
Keep a dedicated copy of the current drawings used only for recording changes, and read the contract's closeout section for its colour code and stamp.
- 2
Mark each change as it happens
Redline additions, deletions and comments in the contract's colours before the work is covered.
- 3
Identify every change
Put a numbered delta beside each change, cloud the area, and add a matching entry to the sheet's revision or issue block.
- 4
Fold in shop drawings and change orders
Revise sheets to the fabricated dimensions and approved changes, or attach the shop drawing.
- 5
Stamp every sheet and submit
Stamp, sign and date each sheet, even unchanged ones, then submit the set and resolve the owner's review comments.
As-built vs record drawings
The two terms are often used for the same final set, but strictly they differ. Cornell University's facilities office calls as-builts the drawings marked up in the field, and record drawings the complete clean set the designer compiles from them. Because the designer doesn't check them on site, Cornell describes them as a compiled record rather than an as-built. The Alaska Railroad's standard is simpler: as-builts become record drawings once the owner approves them.
The colour code for redlines
The Alaska Railroad's standard uses three colours: red for items added to the drawing, green for items deleted, and blue for comments that aren't part of the drawing. South Carolina DOT simply shows every change in red. Some contracts reverse red and green, so read the closeout specification before you start. Whatever the code, use it the same way on every sheet.
Delta triangles and revision clouds
Each change needs an identifier the reviewer can trace. The Alaska Railroad's standard puts a delta triangle beside each revised item, numbered to match an entry in the sheet's issue block. When a whole table or view is redrawn, one delta near its title is enough. Many firms also draw a revision cloud, a scalloped outline, around the changed area so it's easy to spot. Reading construction drawings explains how to read those clouds and revision lists on an incoming set.
What to record
The Alaska Railroad's list covers every change of detail, dimension and level, any addition, updated notes, and existing or diverted utilities. South Carolina DOT adds change orders and quantity adjustments. Shop drawings go in too: revise the sheet to the fabricated dimensions, or attach the shop drawing when that isn't practical. Prioritise anything that will be hidden, such as buried services and in-wall runs: once it's covered, a redline is the only record of where it went.
Keep the set current
South Carolina DOT requires a set of plans used only for recording as-built information, kept up to date for the whole project, with each change recorded as soon as practical. In its words, as the project is constructed, so are the as-built plans. Rebuilding as-builts from memory at closeout is how the hidden work goes missing.
Stamp, submit and review
Under the Alaska Railroad's standard, every sheet gets an as-built stamp, even when nothing changed: it records whether there were changes, plus the name, signature and company of the person stamping it, and the date. The set is submitted at completion, on 11×17 paper or digitally, such as in Bluebeam or Adobe, and the owner reviews it, sometimes over several rounds. South Carolina DOT wants the final plans within 45 days of acceptance, at the same scale and size as the bid plans, signed and sealed by a Professional Engineer.
Redlining an as-built set in ContractorCounter
ContractorCounter keeps the field set in the browser, so the person who sees the change can mark it on site, including on an iPad. Draw a revision cloud (C) and a callout, set each markup's colour to your contract's code in the Properties panel, and group the Markup List by colour to check every addition and deletion before you submit. Compare Drawings puts two issues side by side, and calibrated measurement checks a dimension against the sheet. Export the marked-up set to PDF for submittal; plans start at US$1 a week, billed US$4 every 4 weeks.
Questions about How-to guide
What is the difference between as-built drawings and record drawings?
As-built drawings are the contract drawings marked up in the field, usually by the contractor, to show what was actually built. Record drawings are the owner's final set: either the accepted as-builts, or a clean, complete set the designer compiles from them, marked "record drawings" and dated.
What colours are used for redlines on as-built drawings?
A common code, used in the Alaska Railroad's as-built standard, is red for additions, green for deletions and blue for comments that aren't part of the drawing. Some owners show every change in red, and some reverse red and green, so follow your contract's closeout specification.
Who is responsible for as-built drawings?
Usually the contractor, with input from its subcontractors, keeps the redlined set during construction and submits it at completion. The owner or designer reviews it, and some owners, such as South Carolina DOT, require the final set to be signed and sealed by a Professional Engineer.
Can as-built drawings be done digitally?
Yes. The Alaska Railroad accepts digital as-builts, such as in Bluebeam or Adobe, and South Carolina DOT accepts redlining in Adobe Acrobat Pro or Bluebeam, with hand redlines still allowed. A browser markup tool works too, as long as the exported PDF follows the contract's colour code and stamp.
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Sources
Definitions, the markup colour code, delta-triangle rules, stamping and submittal requirements were read from two published owner standards (a state DOT manual and a railroad's as-built standard) and a university facilities page, on the date shown.
- Reviewed
- Checked by
- Tylar E., founder
There is no single national as-built standard. Owners define redlines, as-builts and record drawings differently, and some reverse the colour code. Your contract's closeout specification always wins.
Published sources
- Alaska Railroad Corporation: As-Built StandardDefinitions of redline, as-built drawings, shop drawings and record drawings; red for additions, green for deletions, blue for comments; delta triangles numbered to the issue block; the list of changes to capture; an as-built stamp on every sheet; submittal on 11×17 hard copy or digitally, such as in Bluebeam or Adobe; owner review cycles.
- South Carolina DOT: As-Built Manual (2015)A dedicated set kept current for the whole project with changes recorded as soon as practical; all changes shown in red; final plans within 45 days of acceptance, at the same scale and size as the bid plans, signed and sealed by a Professional Engineer; electronic redlining in Adobe Acrobat Pro or Bluebeam, with hand redlines still accepted.
- Cornell University Facilities: As Built vs. Record DrawingsAs-built drawings are marked up in the field, usually by the contractor with its subcontractors; record drawings are a complete clean set the designer compiles from them, stamped or marked "record drawings" and dated, and not field-verified by the designer.