Commercial Fit-Out Surveys: Check CAT A Before CAT B

At CAT A handover, check whether the existing information is suitable before CAT B design depends on it. Agree the floor, ceiling, core and visible-services information the fit-out team needs, including access above ceilings or below floors.

A tenant may receive landlord or contractor drawings labelled "as built". Establish their survey basis, revisions, coverage and any limitations. CAT A and CAT B describe packages whose exact content varies between projects; use the lease, handover documents and design brief to establish what needs verifying.

Possible coordination problems include a partition meeting a column in a different position, insufficient service clearance or a joinery detail based on an unverified opening. These are illustrative risks, not a documented company case or an asserted rate of construction error.

Why the "as-built" drawings are not as-built

Check whether the supplied CAD records design intent, measured construction or a combination, and whether it has been updated. Information to verify against the fit-out brief can include:

• Column positions and dimensions may need checking against the design grid
• Finished floor and structural slab levels are different records; specify which is required
• Ceiling and service clearances may vary locally, and concealed zones need access
• Core layouts, openings and usable areas may differ from earlier design information

A discrepancy is not automatically acceptable or a defect. The project professionals must compare it with the relevant specification and contractual requirements. A measured survey records geometry; it does not certify construction compliance.

What a measured survey captures at CAT A handover

A measured survey can record the agreed visible and accessible shell features at handover. Scan positions and supplementary observations should be selected around the drawing brief and required checks.

Column positions and dimensions. Specify the columns, faces, grid reference and critical interfaces to be measured. Agree the required accuracy rather than assume all columns can be established to a universal millimetre tolerance.

Floor levels. Agree the level grid, datum and whether finished floor, exposed slab or both are required. A general floor plan is not a specialist flatness or tolerance assessment unless that work is specifically included.

Ceiling grid and void depths. Identify ceiling layout, soffit levels and the particular clearances needed. Above-ceiling observations depend on authorised access and safe opening of selected locations. Unobserved voids and service routes must not be inferred from the visible ceiling.

Perimeter conditions. The exact position and configuration of perimeter trunking, window mullion spacing, sill heights, and the relationship between the curtain wall module and the structural grid. These dimensions determine where desking can terminate, where blinds can be mounted, and how the partition layout relates to the building envelope.

Core dimensions and door positions. The actual width of core doors (which may differ from the fire strategy drawing), the usable corridor width, and the spatial relationship between the core and the floor plate that determines how the fit-out circulation connects to the base-build circulation.

The CAD deliverable (what the fit-out designer receives)

The survey is delivered as a CAD floor plan (DWG) at 1:50 or 1:100, showing the ceiling grid, column grid, raised floor extent, core layout, and perimeter configuration as measured. This becomes the fit-out designer's base plan: the drawing they open on day one of the design process and use as the spatial framework for every subsequent decision.

A retained cloud may answer later dimensional queries only where the relevant surfaces were captured. A hidden void or inaccessible reveal can require further access and measurement.

What to Expect: As-Built Drawings vs. Reality

The programme argument

Fit-out design, procurement and construction can overlap. A late measurement gap may affect several work packages. Identify critical geometry early and allow a realistic review period instead of assume a fixed twelve-week programme.

Agree attendance, access and delivery dates around the actual floors, occupancy and outputs. A generic one-to-two-day capture or processing promise is not a reliable programme for every building.

The multi-floor efficiency

Where several floors are included, a coordinated survey can help the designer identify repeats and differences. Include each required floor in the access and drawing brief; do not assume one surveyed floor represents the others.

The cost relative to the fit-out budget

Compare a scope-based survey quote with the decisions and interfaces it will support. Confirm the floors, detail, access and deliverables before comparing proposals or allocating the survey budget.

A clearly scoped measured base can help the fit-out team coordinate tender information. It does not remove fabrication checks, design responsibility, variation risk or the need to verify critical dimensions at the appropriate project stage.

Agree who commissions the survey and who may rely on it through the project appointments and lease. A physical measurement does not determine contractual liability or the legal division between landlord and tenant work.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can landlord drawings be reused for fit-out design? Assess their survey basis, date, revisions and coverage against the new design. Targeted verification may be sufficient; commission further measurement where the information is inadequate.

What should a CAT A handover survey cover? The agreed floors, columns, levels, core, perimeter and visible-services information. Define reflected ceilings, void checks and inaccessible areas explicitly in the measured building survey brief.

Who should commission the survey? Agree this with the landlord, tenant and appointed project team. The survey scope and reliance terms should fit the appointment; measured geometry does not allocate legal responsibility.