Facing a Brownfield Project Without Reliable Documentation?
Most retrofit and refurbishment projects in South Africa start with missing plans or drawings that don’t match what’s actually there.
Discoveries during construction cost weeks and tens of
thousands in rework.
“Moving from manual measurements to your 3D scans completely changed our risk profile. It’s hard to imagine going back to the old way now that we’ve seen how much it reduces site-related
stress.” — John English
Over 400 sites documented across South Africa. 35 years preventing coordination disasters.
What How Many Unknowns Are You Designing Around?
Every existing building has them. Few teams know how many. Original drawings, where they exist at all, show intent rather than what was built. They don’t record the extensions, the alterations, the plant swapped out and the services rerouted over decades, and there is usually no one left who remembers what changed. You find them during installation, when fixing it costs weeks instead of hours.
Tape measures, photographs and spot dimensions capture the points someone thought to measure. Not the soffit height between them, where the services actually run, or how little room is left in a congested plant room.
Then the fabricated steel doesn’t fit. Ductwork runs into structure that was never drawn. The MEP contractor finds services on no drawing anyone has. Work stops, standing time gets invoiced, material gets scrapped, and the programme loses weeks.
All of this is knowable before anyone is on site. Most of it never gets measured.
The Solution
We Measure All Of It
Laser scanning records every visible surface on site to sub-5mm. From that point cloud we build an as-built Revit model of what is actually there.
You receive the registered point cloud (.rcp) and a geospatially coordinated as-built Revit model, delivered in Revit 2023, or IFC or 3D DGN if your team works elsewhere. A scope note marks anything we could not see.
Modelled to agreed LOD. Structure and envelope, MEP to the level your coordination actually requires. We agree what gets modelled before we quote, so you are not paying for detail nobody will use.
Checked twice. Modellers verify geometry against the cloud. A senior professional surveyor reviews dimensional accuracy before release.
Where we couldn’t see, we say so. Inaccessible voids and obstructed runs are flagged, not guessed. You know what is measured data and what still needs verifying on site.
Proof
Track Record
35 years of excellence in geospatial services: 420 sites scanned, 385 Revit models delivered, and over 2,000 successful surveying projects across Sub Saharan Africa.
We’ve documented operating industrial plants, complex MEP installations, multi-level commercial buildings, retail centres, warehousing facilities, heritage structures, mining infrastructure.
Largest single project: 284,200 m² commercial building, 10 levels, including all MEP systems.
Primary sectors: Industrial plants (particularly complex plant and mining environments), commercial buildings, retail and warehousing facilities.
In 90% of our Revit projects, we captured the point cloud data ourselves. Our surveyors understand what the modellers need. Our modellers work with the surveyors who captured the data. When questions arise about spatial conditions, answers come from the team who scanned the site.
We hold Professional Indemnity insurance across all projects.
Not Sure If Your Project Needs Scanning?
Book a 15-minute scoping call. We’ll review your situation and recommend what fits—even if that’s traditional survey methods.
No pressure. No obligation. Just honest advice about the documentation approach that prevents problems on your timeline.
Projects typically need 2-3 weeks from scoping call to deliverable—plan accordingly if you’re working to tight deadlines.
Call directly: 082 773 4868 Email: chris@5dgeo.co.za Or book a scoping call: [Contact form]
Prefer to describe your situation in writing first? Email chris@5dgeo.co.za with your project details and documentation concerns. We’ll respond within 24 hours to let you know if scanning is appropriate for your project.
Years of Collective Experience
Buildings & Industrial Sites Scanned
Projects Completed
Properties Subdivided
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F.A.Q.
Get answers to the most common questions about services or click on the button below to submit your own request.
What is the typical turnaround time for a project?
The turnaround time varies depending on the project’s complexity and size. For a residential some 5-8 days, for a small warehouse or office park 12 days and larger projects 20-30 days. We will provide a detailed project timeline after the initial assessment.
Are your services compatible with various construction and architectural software?
Yes, our models and data are compatible with most leading construction and architectural software. We generally provide models in Revit 2023 format but can produce IFC and 3D DGN data sets.
What post-production support do you offer?
We offer full post-production assistance, guaranteeing that 3D Point cloud mapping files and data models you receive can be used with optimal efficiency from the outset.
What types of technology do you use for precision detailed site surveys?
We use a combination of advanced technologies such as high-precision GPS, Lidar 3D scanning, and robotic total stations for topographic surveys. For underground services detection, we use Ground Penetrating Radar tools.