How much do as-built drawings cost per square foot?

TaskBider estimates $0.15–$0.60 per square foot for a straightforward commercial as-built set where a measured survey or point cloud is supplied. Heritage, industrial or heavily serviced buildings run higher because sheet hours rise faster than area.

How much does one as-built drawing cost?

$180–$650 per A1 sheet from US or EU freelancers, $90–$260 from drafters in North Africa, the Gulf, Nigeria or South Asia. A red-line mark-up converted to CAD is cheaper, typically $90–$380 per sheet.

Does the price include the site survey?

Usually not. Drafting and measured survey are separate line items. Ask explicitly whether a site visit, laser scan or point cloud registration is inside the quote — it is the most common misunderstanding on as-built work.

Is it cheaper to hire a freelancer or a drafting company?

A freelancer is cheaper per hour because there is no account-management layer, and fine when you can review a DWG yourself. A company costs more but absorbs QA and cover. For sets under about 20 sheets, most buyers do better with a freelancer plus a defined checking round.

Prices reviewed 2026-09-13 · TaskBider estimates

As-built drawings cost in 2026

As-built drawings cost $180–$650 per A1 sheet when drawn by a US or EU freelancer and $90–$260 per sheet from equally qualified drafters in North Africa, the Gulf, Nigeria or South Asia. On a floor-area basis that works out to roughly $0.15–$0.60 per square foot for a straightforward commercial fit-out, assuming you supply a measured survey or point cloud. Hourly, the same work bills at $25–$70 (US/EU) or $12–$30 (offshore).

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US / EU hourly rate

$25–$70/hr

MENA / Africa / South Asia

$12–$30/hr

Price per deliverable

Deliverable	Typical effort	US / EU	MENA / Africa / Asia
A1 as-built floor plan, single level	6–10 hours from a clean measured survey	$180–$650	$90–$260
A1 as-built section or elevation	4–8 hours	$120–$500	$60–$220
Reflected ceiling plan with services	8–14 hours, more when MEP is dense	$240–$850	$110–$380
Red-line mark-up conversion to CAD	3–6 hours per sheet	$90–$380	$45–$170
Point cloud to 2D as-built set, per level	14–30 hours	$420–$1,900	$190–$850

TaskBider estimates derived from listing rate data and reported offers (Q3 2026). Unit prices are hourly bands multiplied by typical hours per unit — benchmarks for budgeting, not quotes.

What drives the price

Quality of your inputs: A dimensioned survey or registered point cloud is the single biggest lever. Photos and hand sketches add 30–60 percent to the hours because the drafter has to resolve contradictions with you.
Level of detail agreed: Walls, doors and room names is a different job from services, fire strategy and finishes. Fix the detail level in writing before quoting; it is the most common source of scope creep.
Drawing standard: Working to your title block, layer and text standards is normal. Working to a standard nobody documented costs both sides revisions.
Site complexity: Heritage buildings, non-orthogonal geometry and multiple mezzanines can double sheet hours against a rectangular warehouse.
Where the drafter is based: Offshore CAD teams typically quote 50–60 percent below US rates for the same DWG deliverable. TaskBider requires a rate on every listing, so you compare like for like.

Worked project examples

Project	Assumptions	US / EU total	Offshore total
Retail unit, 2,500 sq ft, 4 sheets	Plan, ceiling plan, two elevations, from a measured survey	$720–$2,300	$350–$1,000
Office floor, 12,000 sq ft, 8 sheets	Plans, RCP, sections, from a point cloud you supply	$1,900–$5,800	$850–$2,600
Three-storey mixed use, 30 sheets	Full as-built set with services indicated	$6,500–$18,000	$2,900–$8,000

How to spend less

Supply a registered point cloud or dimensioned survey rather than photos — it is the cheapest hour you will ever buy.
Send your template, title block and layer standard with the brief instead of after the first issue.
Cap revision rounds at two in the brief and pay hourly beyond that.
Batch sheets into one award; per-sheet rates drop when volume is committed.
Hire directly rather than through an agency layer when you can screen the DWG yourself.

What inflates the invoice

Paying per sheet without defining sheet size — an A1 and an A3 are not the same job.
Accepting PDF-only delivery; always require the native DWG or RVT.
Leaving the drawing standard undefined and paying for a re-draw.
Assuming a survey is included when the quote covered drafting only.

Frequently asked questions

How much do as-built drawings cost per square foot?: TaskBider estimates $0.15–$0.60 per square foot for a straightforward commercial as-built set where a measured survey or point cloud is supplied. Heritage, industrial or heavily serviced buildings run higher because sheet hours rise faster than area.
How much does one as-built drawing cost?: $180–$650 per A1 sheet from US or EU freelancers, $90–$260 from drafters in North Africa, the Gulf, Nigeria or South Asia. A red-line mark-up converted to CAD is cheaper, typically $90–$380 per sheet.
Does the price include the site survey?: Usually not. Drafting and measured survey are separate line items. Ask explicitly whether a site visit, laser scan or point cloud registration is inside the quote — it is the most common misunderstanding on as-built work.
Is it cheaper to hire a freelancer or a drafting company?: A freelancer is cheaper per hour because there is no account-management layer, and fine when you can review a DWG yourself. A company costs more but absorbs QA and cover. For sets under about 20 sheets, most buyers do better with a freelancer plus a defined checking round.