What site documentation a renovation requires
Every renovation project — from a single bathroom refurbishment to a full apartment conversion — requires the same baseline documentation before design and planning can begin.
| Document | Why it is needed | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Accurate floor plan | Base geometry for all design, planning, and permit work | Architect, contractor, permit authority |
| Room areas and volumes | Material quantity calculations, heating and ventilation sizing | Contractor, energy consultant, HVAC engineer |
| Photo documentation | Record of existing conditions before works begin — for planning, insurance, and dispute resolution | All parties |
| Wall and ceiling dimensions | Tiling, flooring, and plastering quantity takeoffs | Contractor, quantity surveyor |
| CAD or BIM base file | Input for architectural design, electrical and MEP planning | Architect, electrician, MEP engineer |
All of this starts with the floor plan. A floor plan that is inaccurate by 5 cm produces material quantities that are off, design drawings that do not match site conditions, and contractor disputes about scope. Getting the floor plan right before the project starts is one of the most cost-effective steps in any renovation.
Why missing documentation causes problems
Renovation projects that start without accurate site documentation consistently encounter the same problems at the same stages.
Design does not fit the building
Kitchen layouts, bathroom fittings, and built-in elements that are designed from inaccurate drawings do not fit on-site. Changes at this stage are cheap. Changes during installation are expensive.
Material quantities are wrong
Flooring, tiling, and wall materials ordered from inaccurate room area calculations arrive over or under quantity. Shortfalls cause delays. Over-ordering wastes budget.
No record of what existed before
Without photo documentation of existing conditions, disputes about pre-existing damage, hidden defects, or scope creep cannot be resolved objectively. A project report protects all parties.
What LiDAR scanning captures in a single visit
LiDAR scanning with iPhone Pro or iPad Pro captures all required pre-renovation documentation in a single on-site visit. The Metaroom app combines four documentation tools in one workflow.
| Tool | What it captures | Output |
|---|---|---|
| LiDAR scan | Room geometry — walls, floor, ceiling, doors, windows | Dimensioned 2D floor plan + 3D model |
| Room data | Areas (m²), volumes (m³), ceiling heights, wall lengths | Excel table — ready for quantity takeoffs |
| Snapshot | Photos linked to floor plan positions | Position-referenced photo documentation |
| Notes | Text observations linked to floor plan positions | Site notes embedded in the project |
Step-by-step site documentation workflow
| Step | What you do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scan the space | Walk through each room with iPhone Pro or iPad Pro. The LiDAR sensor captures wall positions, ceiling heights, and door and window openings continuously. | 2 to 4 minutes per room |
| 2. Capture existing conditions | Use Metaroom's Snapshot feature to photograph existing finishes, structural elements, visible defects, services locations, and anything relevant to the renovation scope. Each photo is linked to its position in the floor plan. | 5 to 15 minutes |
| 3. Add site notes | Use the Notes feature to record observations — material types, structural concerns, access constraints, items to protect during works — directly on the floor plan. | 3 to 5 minutes |
| 4. Export | Open Metaroom Workspace — via browser at studio.amrax.ai or from the Export button in the app — and export the project report (PDF with floor plan, room data, and photos), DXF or IFC for CAD/BIM use, and Excel for quantity calculations. | 2 to 3 minutes |
Total on-site time for a 3-room apartment: 20 to 30 minutes. The resulting documents cover all pre-renovation documentation requirements and are ready to share with all project parties immediately.
What the project report contains
The Metaroom project report is a single PDF that combines all pre-renovation documentation into one shareable document.
Dimensioned 2D floor plan
All rooms with dimensions, wall positions, door and window openings. Accurate to within 1%. Ready to use as a base for design drawings or permit applications.
Areas, volumes, ceiling heights
Each room listed with area in m², volume in m³, and ceiling height. Ready for material quantity calculations and heating or ventilation sizing.
Position-referenced photos
All Snapshot photos shown alongside their position in the floor plan. Existing conditions are documented room by room — a clear record of the building before works begin.
Scan the space before renovation to document existing conditions, and scan again after completion to produce an as-built record. Both scans take under 30 minutes. The before-and-after project reports provide a complete, timestamped record of the building at each stage — useful for client handover, insurance, warranty claims, and future maintenance planning.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Metaroom is a professional floor plan scanning app for architects, tradespeople, and energy consultants. You scan a building with iPhone Pro or iPad Pro — the app captures existing conditions automatically using LiDAR. A single scan produces a dimensioned floor plan, room data table, photo documentation, and project report. Exports include DXF, IFC, PDF, Excel, and 30+ other formats. A 3-room apartment scans in under 20 minutes. Subscription from €12.49/month.
