existing buildings or complex retrofits. That uncertainty comes at a cost. LiDAR, when used well, can help improve certainty and decrease risk.
Many firms still treat high-resolution data as a luxury, failing to realise that the cost of a LiDAR scan is negligible compared to the 10 %-20 % budget blowouts caused by latestage structural surprises.
The consequences of late-stage changes are dire: variation orders, delays, site clashes, rework, and strained coordination between consultants and contractors. And, of course, their financial effects.
What LiDAR changes is not just the quality of measurement, but the level of certainty teams can establish upfront.
LiDAR, when used well, can help improve certainty and decrease risk.
Identifying problems digitally
One of the biggest advantages of accurate scan data is that it allows problems to be identified digitally before they appear physically on site.
LiDAR is able to capture complex geometries and exposed structural deviations that conventional measurement methods may miss. This precision allows for prefabrication and design decisions to be made with confidence. This becomes particularly valuable when coordinating prefabricated elements.
A millimetre-accurate scan allows us to detect clashes between new designs and existing structural elements virtually. By ensuring these elements fit perfectly the first time, we can drastically compress the assembly timeline and reduce the waste of on-site adjustments.
This allows us to focus on proactive coordination. Teams can resolve issues during design rather than construction and make decisions with greater confidence.