As-Built Answers

Is your property a Soft Story Structure? Soft-Story Seismic Screening Program FAQs- Oakland, CA

2010-10-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

This posting was submitted to As-Built Answers by Enginious Structures Inc. If you have questions about Soft-Story regulations and how they impact your building contact Sasha Itsekson SE at Enginious Structures Inc.

Alexander (Sasha) Itsekson, SE, LEED AP

Enginious Structures, Inc.

Oakland, CA

510.272.9999

sasha@enginious-structures.com

www.Enginious-Structures.com

Soft-Story Seismic Screening Program FAQs

What is a Soft-Story building?
A soft-story building is a structure constructed before 1991, when the California Building Code adopted enhanced earthquake design standards, which has large ground-floor openings (parking garage, store-front windows) with slender columns supporting the upper stories. Soft-story buildings are particularly likely to lean or collapse ("pancake") in an earthquake. Soft-story buildings on sloping ground have an even higher risk of collapsing. This disastrous consequence occurred in San Francisco's Marina District during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in Santa Cruz.

Why is Oakland concerned about Soft-Story buildings?
The Hayward fault runs beneath the Warren Freeway and Interstate 580 in Oakland. The United States Geological Survey and other earthquake researchers have determined that the Hayward fault has the greatest likelihood in the United States of a major earthquake in the near future. Major earthquakes occur along the Hayward fault about every 140 years, and the last occurrence was in 1868. Ground-shaking from an earthquake beneath Oakland will be hundreds of times stronger than the motion caused by the Loma Prieta earthquake. Unless Oakland prepares now, the damage to its housing stock will be catastrophic, causing billions of dollars in economic loss, many injuries and fatalities, and displaced residents.

Why should owners be concerned about Soft-Story buildings?
The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) estimates that communities ravaged by natural disasters (hurricane, flood, earthquake, tornado) need a decade or more to recover fully. If your building is damaged in an earthquake, it may be months before it can be evaluated for re-occupancy, and much longer before it is repaired. This inevitable delay will result in lost rental income and a stalled local economy. Thousands of families who are housed in temporary shelters may loose hope in their future in Oakland, and many may simply move away and not return.

What is the Soft-Story Seismic Screening Program?
The new ordinance (12966 CMS) mandates that owners of certain residential buildings provide simple and low-cost information to the City about their building's ground-floor structural supports (dimensions, materials, photographs, floor plan). It does not require any type of structural retrofit.

Are all buildings included in the program?
The Soft-Story Seismic Screening Program only applies to buildings which meet all of the following criteria:

constructed before 1991 (when the 1988 California Building Code was adopted), and
parking or commercial space on the ground-floor (see below for definition), and
five (5) or more apartments, condominiums, or live-work units, and
not structurally retrofitted for earthquake forces, and
two (2) or more stories (see below for definitions).

What should I do if I think my building is exempt from the program?
The building owner should submit a written request to Building Services with supporting documentation (example: permit for original construction or seismic retrofit). No fee will be charged for evaluating this submittal.

What is the difference between the Ground-Floor and a basement?
The ground-floor is the lowest story of a building which is not considered an exposed basement. If any part of a basement rises more than six feet above adjacent grade for more than 1/2 (50%) of the building's perimeter (front, sides, and rear), then the space is considered the Ground Floor.

Ground Floor vs. Basement

What is a significant ground slope?

If the rise of the ground adjacent to any side of the Ground Floor is more than 6 feet, your building has a significant ground slope and is more vulnerable to major damage or collapse in an earthquake. These buildings are required to have a more detailed Level 2 Evaluation report prepared by a licensed engineer or architect. Do not submit a Level 1 Screening form.

What is Significant Ground Slope?

How do I count the number of residential units in my building?

Include units with one or more sleeping rooms.
Include units regardless of ownership status (example: owned, rented, leased, owner-occupied, time-share, or vacant).
If you are not sure, consult with the Building Services Division.

How do I count the number of stories in my building?

Unfinished attics need not be counted as a story.
If the number of stories varies from one part of the building to another, use the maximum number of stories at any part.
Small penthouses, equipment rooms, elevator machinery rooms, and similar rooftop enclosures that in total occupy less than 1/3 of the roof area need not be counted as a story.

What is a floor/ ceiling assembly?
The floor/ ceiling assembly is the overhead structural system that separates the Ground Floor from the story above and supports the floor above. It is typically either wood framing or a concrete deck.

What is floor ceiling assembly?

What should the sketch of the Ground-Floor footprint look like?

The sketch should be proportional and dimensioned (feet & inches). Walls should be drawn as double-lines, and doors and windows should be drawn as single lines. Wall and column materials should be labeled (steel, wood, concrete, concrete block). Doors, windows, and other openings less than 3 feet wide need not be shown. Projections and setbacks of the floor above should be shown as dashed lines. Stairs should be shown. Property line setbacks should be shown. Street location, building address, and parcel number should be shown.

Example Sketch of Ground Floor Footprint

Doors, windows, and other opening should be labeled. Ground-Floor uses should be labeled. Incidental uses, such as single small closets used for storage or to enclose mechanical equipment, need not be shown.

Residential use includes any area used for sleeping rooms or for kitchen, restrooms, lounges, fitness rooms, shower rooms, or other rooms serving residential units elsewhere.
Commercial use includes offices, retail, and small food sales. Assembly use includes auditorium, social hall, and restaurant with seating for fifty patrons or more.
Parking use includes any area accessible by car or other motor vehicle from the street or driveway, whether or not it is actually used for parking, and whether or not individual stalls or spaces are marked.
Drive-through means a driving lane through the building.
Storage, utility, and equipment use includes any contiguous area larger than a single closet used for storage, laundry, workshop, boiler, elevator, etc.
Crawlspace includes any unfinished, lower height area used primarily for ventilation or for access to under-floor utility lines.

The sketch grid in the Level 1 Screening form assumes that your building has a simple footprint. For L-shaped, O-shaped with a courtyard, and similar non-rectangular footprints which will not easily fit on the grid, additional sheets may be attached as needed.

How long do I have to submit the Screening form?
Building owners have until July 29, 2011, to file a Level 1 Screening form (or a Level 2 Evaluation report), unless they receive written notification from Building Services before then that their building is potentially included in the Soft-Story inventory.

Who can complete the Screening form?
A building owner may hire a home inspector, contractor, engineer, or architect to complete the Level 1 Screening form (Level 2 Evaluation report requires an engineer or architect).

Irregular Swimming Pool - Land Survey or Architectural As-Built Survey?

2010-09-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

If your property has an irregularly shaped swimming pool, we recommend that you hire a land surveyor to survey the pool, if you need an accurate plan of the pool. This information should be included on your site plan.

An architectural field survey can show the general location of the pool, include an outline of the pool and show its relation to buildings on the property.

California Residential Deck Remodel Projects - Tips before you start

2010-09-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

Do-it-Yourself Deck Project Tips

If you are planning a deck addition to your home here are some things to consider:

Will you deck be attached to your home? If yes, an Architectural designer is probably needed.
If your deck will not be attached to your home, you don't need an Architect but you will most likely need a licensed Engineer to provide calculations and structural drawings.
Some things to watch for with decks:

Leakage between the deck and the house.
Crowded decks at parties have been known to fail and kill people.

Check with your building department and find out what is required for your building permit before you start deck construction. We have heard horror stories of people starting what they thought was a simple deck project and being shut down by the city while in the middle of illegal construction.
Prepare to provide as-built plans, at minimum a site plan for a free standing deck and an architectural drawing of your deck design if you work with an engineer.

ClearLogicGroup provides as-built plans and coordination with civil, structural services in California. If you need further advice Contact us!

4 Reasons not to use Revit for As-Built Plans

2010-08-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

Trying to decide if you should use Revit for your as-built plans?

Will your project be in 2D? If your project is not going to be developed in 3D or BIM, then there is no reason to use Revit.
Will the project be developed with AutoCAD? Revit files can be converted to DWG files by using a SaveAS command. AutoCAD DWG standards then have to be setup. These additional steps can be costly if you can draft your as-builts in AutoCAD to begin with.
Is speed an issue? Revit asks for the additional Z coordinate and this takes time.
Revit data is parametric, if you move one wall or remove a door, the building is redrawn to adjust to the changes. As-Builts are drawings of the building as it was built and an inert drawing may be more practical for data integrity.

As-Built Surveys for Office Sq. Footage - Save on Rent + As-Built!

2010-07-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

Your office rent is, in most cases, determined by the sq. footage of your office space. If you suspect that you are being charged for space that you're not using, it's possible to hire a field architectural drafter to measure your office and clarify your actual sq. footage.

Determining office area is not as simple as it looks. We recommend that you, employ an architectural drafter with commercial experience. He should be able to explain why measuring your office correctly is a fairly complex procedure. Since this is a layman's blog, we leave that for the experts. Trust us; you don't want to hire someone to determine your actual sq.footage if they have never heard of BOMA guidelines!

There are several kinds of office surveys you might want to consider:

1. If you own the building then the best way to determine the square footage of a specific office is to survey the entire building in order to calculate the % of space that the office takes up. This can be a fairly expensive procedure.

2. If you don't own the building, it's not practical to survey the entire building. Hire someone to measure your office space only.

3. If you are trying to save on costs, your architectural drafter does not have to draw up floor plans. A simple schematic diagram + an explanation of your area calcs will suffice. This should not be an expensive process and depending on the size of your office can be done quickly.

Remodeling for Dummies - New vs. Existing - Before You Hire a Design Professional

2010-06-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

Before you hire a General Contractor, Engineer, Architect or Drafter to assist you with planning your remodel, take time to organize your project. This will save you time and money.

Define: What is existing construction?

Do you have as-built plans of the building? If so, get them scanned so they can be easily reviewed by professionals who want to provide you with estimates. Do they accurately depict your property as it is now? If not, you will probably require an as-built field survey.

Define: What is new construction?

If possible draw up some sketches of your projected design changes. If you can draft, great, but even rough drawings are helpful to consultants who really can't read your mind. Scan these too. Design professionals these days prefer to review drawings in PDF format.

Now you are ready to send out your material for estimates

How to Convert As-Built Plans to CAD - Tips #1 Rough As-Built Sketches to CAD

2010-04-10T10:49:00.000-07:00

If your as-built plans resemble this example we recommend that you hire an experienced local architectural drafter, field architect, architect or engineer to convert them to CAD drawings.

The drafter will have to know local building codes. Preferably, they will have local construction or field survey experience.

This type of as-built sketch can be misleading. Missing details such as wall thickness and dimensions of appliances can make the plans problematic. It’s quite possible that the dimensions may not line up. Re-measuring the building may be required for accuracy.

Plans can be drafted to look good from a home owner’s untrained perspective but they may actually be unbuildable.

If you have questions about your as-built plans or would like a free estimate on plans to CAD conversion, contact info@clearlogicgroup.com.

Consult a Licensed Engineer Before You Start Your Remodel - 4 Reasons Why!

2010-02-13T13:10:00.000-08:00

The recent quake in Haiti has raised public awareness about the dangers of building structures without taking safety into consideration.

Ironically, though the SF Bay Area is located on more than one major fault line, we still encounter many situations where ignorance contributes to irresponsible building practices.

As a drafting service we get plenty of inquiries from potential customers who are hoping to find a cheap and easy way to renovate their property by avoiding the costs of hiring a licensed engineer or architect. We can attest that this is often the best way to end up paying more in the long run!

Here are a few reasons why we recommend asking a civil or structural engineer to review your renovation project at the start. You can save time, money and aggravation by getting a professional’s input before you even draft proposal plans.

1. Existing structures may not be up to date in terms of compliance with current codes. Building codes are constantly evolving based on experiences of building failure, accidents or hazards. Making a change to an old building may result in the need to comply with today's regulations. This makes your property safer and a better investment for future owners, too. The local building department can advise you about applicable codes and let you know if they require a signed set of plans to approve the changes you envision. Though we’ve seen many attempts, we can tell you that it is counterproductive to try to get around the building department. You’ll just have to pay extra for your project to be corrected or rebuilt, later.

2. Design changes that look great on paper may involve moving walls, doors, windows, beams that are part of the structural integrity of the building. It’s much easier to consult an engineer early in your project with a rough sketch than later after you have drafted a full set of detailed plans. Your structural engineer may decide that additional modifications to the roof and foundation will be required because you want to add some rooms, another story or a garage. An unlicensed designer may or may not be able to advise you of same. Don’t count on a drafter to know all the risks you are taking by altering your existing structure.

3. The soil of your property may be too unstable to support the type of remodel you envision. Consult an engineer to find out if a soils test is recommended for your property. Conceptual plans might look inspiring but find out before you draw them up if the drainage or solidity of the ground will be an issue.

4. If you are contemplating the purchase of a property for remodel it's not wise to rely on the advice of your real estate broker regarding its suitability. Get an appraisal and estimate from a licensed Structural Engineer before you decide to purchase and remodel. A good engineer can let you know in advance what kind of structural changes are recommended for the building. They can even advise as to the style of architecture that is safe for the property.

San Diego Residential High Occupancy Permit – Requirements for Parking Lot Plans

2009-10-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

If you have 6 or more adults living on one property, then you may have to comply with City regulations regarding the design of your parking lot and provide one parking space per tenant.

The city requires plans submittal as proof of compliance. The parking lot area must be correctly laid out according to San Diego Permit Specifications. We recommend that you hire a field architect or architectural drafter for this task.

You will need to submit the following plans along with your permit application:

• Vicinity Plan

• Site Plan.

• Parking lot layout - an experienced drafter can create the plans and parking lot layout. The skill level does not call for a licensed engineer or architect. Plans do have to be accurate and cannot be fudged.

Permit Application for Residential High Occupancy Permit
http://www.sandiego.gov/development-services/industry/pdf/forms/ds020.pdf

Foundation Remodel with Steel Post? You may need a Soils Report!

2009-09-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

Q. We are working on a residential remodel in Virginia. Our structural engineer recommended adding a steel post in the basement under a steel beam. We drilled down to 6 or 7' and the soil is soft. The engineer is now recommending that we consult a geotechnical engineer before proceeding with more drilling.

A. You need to hire a Soils Engineer to take a soil sample at the location where you are drilling. This sample will be analyzed in a lab. The hole may need to be widened to generate more friction to support the beam. The Structural Engineer will determine how deep and wide the hole must be based on the Soils Report.

Your local Geotechnical Firm can probably recommended a good Soils Engineer who will take residential projects. Many larger firms don't deal with homeowners but they maintain a list of quality professionals for referrals. Some Civil Engineers can also provide this service.

City of Alameda Soft Story Ordinance - Apartment Owners - Act Now and Save!

2009-08-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

On Friday, August 14th, Greg McFann, Alameda City Building Official, said owners of soft-story properties have 18 months to have the Structural Engineer Reports completed. McFann’s office will send notices to owners of the largest apartment buildings first and will begin sending notices in 30-45 days. The owners of 300 apartment buildings in Alameda will be notified.

Soft-story property owners will be given the option to appeal their designation as Soft-Story property—cost of the appeal is yet to be determined.

Alameda City defines Soft-Story as:

A multi-story building whereby one of more floors have windows, wide doors, large unobstructed commercial parking spaces, or other openings in places where a shear wall would normally be required for stability as a matter of earthquake engineering design. A typical soft story building is a several-story apartment building located over a parking garage or series of retail businesses.

While prescribed retrofits from the engineers are not currently mandated, McFann said an ordinance to mandate the retrofits is in the works. Owners who choose to retrofit properties within the first 18 months after the original notice, will have all permit fees waived.

If an earthquake were to hit, the damages could be substantially more expensive than the cost to retrofit your property.

I’m an apartment real estate agent in Alameda County whose goal is to preserve and promote the wealth of my real estate clients. The Soft-story Retrofit ordinance calls for mandatory evaluations and in some cases retrofits, acting fast can keep money in your pocket.

Please contact the author for more information.
Soft Story Update submitted by:
Jenny Doyle
Apartment Sales Agent
Marcus & Millichap
(415) 963-3000

Are Contour Lines Needed on my Berkely Residential Plot Plan?

2009-08-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

The City of Berkeley's Building Permit Detailed Checklist states that contours must be shown on Plot Plans.

Gross Elevation Contours of large areas are available by county and vary in quality. They are probably not granular enough for a residential project. If detailed site contours must be shown on your plan we advise you to consult a Licensed Land Surveyor.

In the case of smaller projects, contour lines may be overkill. Arrows indicating direction of drainage flow may be sufficient to satisfy this specification and can be drawn on your site plan by an architectural drafter.

Check with the local building deparment inspector to determine your project's special requirements. Municipal building checklists are generic and may not apply to your situation.

Soft Story in Alameda, CA

2009-01-31T14:16:00.000-08:00

More on Soft Story - Workshop Opens Doors for Soft-Story Ordinance

http://www.alamedasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4606&Itemid=10

Soft Story Retrofit - Why do I need an As-Built?

2009-01-31T13:18:00.000-08:00

If you decide to proceed with a Soft Story Retrofit on your building, it may surprise you to learn that Structural Engineers will request to review existing architectural plans (As-Builts) before they give you a proposal. If you don't have current, up-to-date plans of your building, it's best to get a professional as-built survey of the property made. Your Structural Engineer can usually refer you to a good As-Built team.

Your engineer may also want to coordinate with the field architectural technicians to insure that the plans include all the information needed for structural design. There is no point in paying for as-builts that don't include areas that must be renovated or checked.

Your structural engineer can then confidently base his reports, designs, detailing and calcs on the accurate plans.

ClearLogicGroup provides As-Builts for Soft Story projects. Contact us if you have any questions about As-Builts for Soft Story or would like a free estimate.

Loma Form

2009-01-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

If you want to have your property removed from an area designated as at risk for flood (Special Flood Hazard Area), a LOMA form can be submitted to FEMA. A Loma Form must always be signed by a registered Engineer or licensed Land Surveyor.

We recently had an inquiry from a homeowner whose residence was located near a small lake. His insurance company told him that the danger of flood was non-existent. Even in this case, a licensed professional still has to visit the site and field verify the insurance company's statement.

Loma Form

http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2328
Clear Guidelines

http://www.michigansurveying.com/loma.php

Remodeling? Get Smart! Get a Plan Check List from Your Building Department

2008-12-13T15:35:00.000-08:00

Starting a remodel project?

We recommend that you arm yourself with a Plan Check List from your city building department before you begin hiring drafters, designers, engineers and architects.

Since requirements can vary widely in different communities, professionals bidding on your project may not know which plans and services are mandatory. If you lack information, some of them may charge for services they are not qualified to perform or that are unnecessary.

A little research up front can save you time and money. You will know who to hire and what plans & documents you will need to submit for permitting.

Here is a typical TI Improvement Check List from a city in Orange County, CA. It specifies the type of plans to include in your permit plan set submittal + information that must be shown on each plan. Send a Plan Check List to each design professional who you invite to bid on your project.

I need to locate points on my property to establish the boundary

2008-11-23T12:36:00.000-08:00

We had an inquiry last week from someone who needed to locate two points at the back of their property for a construction project. Since there were no existing boundary markers, we recommended that they hire a surveyor.

A good surveyor can provide several options for this type of a survey. Here are some suggestions from the surveyor that we work with:

Construction Survey: This is an inexpensive survey and may be sufficient for a small project. Property points are marked with temporary wooden stakes. If there is any doubt regarding the boundary, the stakes can be set back a few inches. This type of survey cannot protect you in the event of a lawsuit. The stakes will probably disappear over time, as they can be easily pulled out. They are estimated to last approx. two years.

Construction Survey & Letter: Along with locating your points, a surveyor can provide you with a signed, sealed letter for the city building department. This slightly more expensive option gives you clout with the building department but it will not protect you in a legal dispute.

Registered Survey: Steel Bollards are used to locate your boundary points. A survey map of your property is drawn up in AutoCAD. It is stamped and signed by your licensed surveyor and filed with the county. A registered survey can protect you in a legal dispute.

Disclaimer: This content is written by a layman for laymen. All information here should be verified by your licensed professional. We are providing general guidelines for the consumer.

Livermore, CA - Planning an Addition to my Residential Property – Do I need to consult a licensed professional?

2008-10-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

If your home is located in Livermore, CA and was built after 1986 and is light frame, conventional construction then it was probably engineered. If so, you may be able to design a minor addition yourself and/or with the assitance of skilled unlicensed professionals.

However, if your building was built before 1986, the services of a licensed professional Architect or Engineer will probably be required.

The building department may recommend that an Architect (licensed) visually inspect your property to determine if their services will be needed. The building department does not perform inspections.

The building dept. can tell you, based on the address of your property, exactly what they require. Don’t waste time, planning your project without discussing it with them first.

For Livermore Building Department information call: 925.960.4431 and leave a voice mail inquiry. The Livermore building dept. will get back to you with a detailed answer regarding your question and will work with you, over the phone, to resolve any questions you have. We highly recommend their services.

On-Line Check:
Ci.livermore,ca.us – for submittal requirements and examples.

How to Locate Your Property Line for Fence Construction in Phoenix AZ

2008-09-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

The first step in finding out about your property line is to locate your parcel map. We checked the Maricopa County Assessor's Web Site.

Maricopa Assessor's GIS Data

You will need your parcel number. We could not pull up a parcel map on this site with only the address of the property in question. The site will also prompt you to install an AUTODESK MAPGUIDE ACTIVE X CONTROL in order to view maps online. We were able to install the control quickly with no glitches.

Contact the Maricopa County Assessor's Office if you do not have your parcel number. You can enter this number into the form on their site to access your map.

If your parcel map indicates that your fence will be close to the property line, it is best to hire a surveyor to map out the actual boundary accurately.

The GIS dept of the assessor’s office told us the following:

"We cannot provide advice on locating fences on a property, but can suggest that you contact the City of Phoenix, who should have information regarding setback limits and building regulations. The Assessor's maps are not survey accurate and should just be used as a reference in locating your property. You can hire a surveyor to get an accurate representation of your property and/or contact a fence company to see if they are aware of any regulations that may need to be adhered to."

For more information on fence construction rules and regulations: Call the Maricopa County Assessor’s office at 602-506-3406.

Los Angeles Remodels - You May Need Grading + Soils Report

2008-08-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

A civil engineer based in Los Angeles added after hearing this story, (see previous post on Soils Reports in SF), that it is possible for a Planning Dept to approve your project and not inform you that you may need a Soils Report + a Grading Pre-Inspection Report. He recommends checking with the Los Angeles Dept. of Building and Safety as a first step.

Planning an addition to a Property on a San Francisco Hillside? – You may need a Soils Report

2008-08-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

A customer in SF told us that San Francisco requirements for soil reports have tightened since the 2007 Telegraph Hill Landslide.

In this case, the city requires a soils report for his hillside addition even though one already exists for neighboring properties.

A soil engineer can determine if the land on your property is at risk for a landslide.

We would advise scheduling an as-built survey after you have determined if your remodel project is feasible based on a soils report.

Telegraph Hill landslide forces 120 from homes… (Sfgate article)

"When you move into a place on a cliff, you're aware of the movies and the horror stories about all the worst things that can happen,'' he said. "But I was told this was some of the most solid rock in the city.''

From Gilbert AZ -: As-Built Requirements Can Change!

2008-08-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

From a contact in Gilbert Az. who is planning to add a patio to their home:

In the past, Gilbert's building dept. requirements were lax. The home has a previous addition for which as-built plans were not needed. The owners were suprised to find out that they now need as-built plans of the property for this minor add-on.

We advise that you check with your building dept. before getting started on your remodel project. Don't assume that requirements have not changed.

Gilbert AZ Building Permit Requirements:
www.ci.gilbert.az.us/building/faqs

Trimble Field Computers Recommended for Land Survey

2008-08-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

Trimble Field Computers with GPS are recommended for accurate survey of large tracts of land involving complicated terrain issues and/or the need for precise locations.

Trimble Link software exports field data gathered by the Trimble device to AutoCAD 2008 products, and ESRI ArcGIS.

What is an Architectural As-Built Plan?

2008-07-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

As-Built plans are precisely drawn plans of your property. They represent your building as it currently exists now. They do not include future design changes.

An as-built plan set may include the following: Site Plan, Floor Plans, Basement Plan, Roof Plan, Elevations and Sections.

Check with your local building department to find out if as-built plans are required for your renovation project. They can give you a specific list of what must be included in your as-built plan set submittal.