As-Built Drawings: What They Are, What They Show, and Who Makes Them
As-built drawings are the set of construction drawings marked up during the job to show what was actually built, including every change from the original plans. The contractor keeps them on site, updates them as the work goes in, and hands them to the owner at closeout. Record drawings are the clean final version made from those markups. Here is what belongs on a set, how they are kept, and the rules Portland-area cities use for them.
| Drawing set | Made by | When | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction (contract) drawings | Architect and engineers | Before construction, for permit and bidding | What is supposed to be built |
| Shop drawings | Subcontractors and fabricators | During construction, before fabrication | How a specific piece will be made and installed |
| As-built drawings | Contractor, marked up on site | Throughout construction | What was actually built, including changes |
| Record drawings | Contractor or design team, per the contract | At closeout | The final compiled version of the as-builts |
Definitions of as-built and record drawings from UFGS 01 78 00, the federal closeout guide specification (August 2026).
Planning a build-out? Modern Northwest is a commercial general contractor licensed in Oregon (CCB #198582) and registered in Washington (L&I MODERNI888R7). Call (360) 326-2747 or see our office build-out services.
As-built vs record drawings
The federal guide specification draws the line clearly. As-built drawings are "the marked-up drawings, maintained by the Contractor on-site, that depict actual conditions and deviations from the Contract Documents." Record drawings are the final compilation of those actual conditions. In everyday use the two names get swapped all the time, and some cities stamp the final set "AS BUILT" or "RECORD DRAWING" interchangeably. What matters is that the contract says who produces the final set, in what format, and when.
Why the drawings change during a job
No building goes in exactly as drawn. The specification lists the usual reasons: contract changes, answers to requests for information (RFIs), direction from the owner's representative, design the contractor is responsible for, and site conditions that turn out different from what the drawings assumed. Each change order or RFI answer should show up on the as-builts, or the set stops matching the building.
What goes on a set of as-built drawings
The federal specification gives a detailed list. For a commercial building, the items that matter most are:
- Buried utilities. The actual location, kind and size of underground lines, located by offset dimensions to two permanent surface features at each end and each change in direction, plus the average depth. Every new building has these, like the 16-unit 55th Apartments we built in Portland in 2024.
- Changes in the structure. The location and dimensions of anything that moved or changed inside the building.
- Electrical circuits and piping, as layouts and schematics.
- Systems the contractor designed, such as HVAC controls, fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems.
- Equipment and architectural features that ended up somewhere other than shown.
- Anchors and joints in concrete, plus any unexpected obstructions found during the work.
- Changes from the final inspection, and only the option actually built where the drawings offered a choice.
How as-builts are kept
On federal jobs the rules are strict, and they are a good model for any project. The working markups stay on site at all times and are brought up to date every week, with changes recorded as they happen. Markups use three colors: red to strike out what was deleted, green for what was added, and blue for items that need special notes. Every change also gets marked on the related sections, details and schedules, so no two sheets disagree. Shop and fabrication drawings get folded into the set. If the contractor falls behind, the contracting officer can hold back 10 percent of the monthly progress payment until the drawings catch up, and the finished as-builts are due 30 days before the owner moves in.
Local rules: Gresham and Oregon City
For public infrastructure, such as streets, water, sewer and storm lines built as part of a development, Portland-area cities set their own as-built rules:
- Gresham will not close out a public facilities project or return unused deposits until the final as-builts are in. Each sheet carries "As built Drawing" in its revision block with the date and the city's as-built stamp, the Engineer of Record approves and re-stamps the revisions, and the city wants both CAD and PDF files.
- Oregon City requires a post-construction survey by a professional land surveyor or engineer, every sheet marked "AS BUILT" or "RECORD DRAWING", anything that was not built removed from the set, and a signed statement that the drawings are a true and accurate representation of the actual construction.
For work inside a private building, the surest way to get as-builts is to require them in the contract.
What owners should ask for
- Put it in the contract. Name the as-builts as a closeout document, say who prepares the final set, and say the format (PDF, CAD, or both).
- Ask to see them during the job. A set that is updated weekly is easy to check; one rebuilt from memory at the end is not.
- Collect them with the rest of closeout, alongside the warranties and manuals, at substantial completion and the punch list.
- Keep them with the building. The next remodel, a new tenant, or a leak inside a wall all start from knowing what is actually in there.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between as-built drawings and record drawings?
As-built drawings are the marked-up set the contractor keeps on site during construction. Record drawings are the final, cleaned-up compilation of what those markups show. Many people use the two terms for the same thing, so check which one your contract asks for.
Who prepares as-built drawings?
The contractor and its subcontractors mark up the drawings as the work goes in, because they are the ones who see what changed. Who turns the markups into a final record set depends on the contract: sometimes the contractor, sometimes the architect or engineer. On city public works, a licensed engineer or surveyor usually certifies them.
When are as-built drawings due?
At closeout, as one of the closeout documents. The federal guide specification asks for them 30 days before the owner occupies the building, and Gresham will not close out a public facilities project until the final as-builts are in.
Are as-built drawings required by the building code?
The requirement usually comes from the contract, or from the city on public infrastructure such as streets, water, sewer and storm lines. If you want them on a private build-out, write them into the contract.
Do shop drawings go into the as-builts?
They should. The federal specification tells the contractor to incorporate all shop and fabrication drawings into the markups, because shop drawings show what was actually fabricated and installed.
The bottom line
As-built drawings are the job's running record of what actually went in, kept by the contractor and handed to the owner at closeout; record drawings are the clean final set made from them. On public infrastructure, cities like Gresham and Oregon City set the format and require an engineer or surveyor to stand behind them. On a private build-out, the contract decides, so write it in.
Modern Northwest has built commercial projects across Portland and Southwest Washington since 2005. More construction terms are in our commercial construction glossary. Tell us about your project.
Planning a commercial build-out?
Tell us about the space and what you need at closeout. We will talk through the schedule, the permits and the closeout list.
Request a Free Consultation