What drawings leave out
Drawings show the finished design. They do not show how you get material into the building. On a renovation, the existing drawings may be old or wrong. A visit replaces assumptions with what you can see.
What to look at
- Access. Door sizes, elevators, stairs and the path from the truck to the work.
- Staging. Where material can be stored and where a lift can be parked.
- Working height and what is in the way overhead.
- The existing structure you will attach to.
- Existing equipment to remove, reuse or work around.
- Floor condition and floor protection needs.
- Whether the building is occupied during the work.
- Parking, work hours and site rules.
When a visit matters most
A visit matters most on renovations, additions and occupied buildings. It matters less on a new building on an open lot. For new work, the soils report and the site plan tell most of the story. For remodel work, the building tells it.
How to do one well
- Review the drawings first, so you know what to look for.
- Get permission. Do not walk into a school or a hospital unannounced.
- Take photos of every area of your work, with a wide shot first.
- Measure the critical dimensions yourself.
- Compare what you see to the demolition and existing-condition sheets.
- Write notes the same day and file them with the photos.
What to do with what you find
A site condition that differs from the drawings is a question for the GC. Send it in writing with a photo. If no answer comes before the bid, write a qualification that states what you assumed. Many contracts say the bidder has visited the site and accepts its visible conditions. Read that clause before you decide to skip the visit.
Bidding and estimating · Updated 11 Nov 2026