The “Credibility” Series

Often, the As-Builts are the only accurate drawings and documents that exist for a contracting endeavor. In the Integrated Systems industry, they are the way you get paid...

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As defined in Wikipedia: "Over the course of any construction project, the work scope changes. Change is a normal and expected part of the construction process. Changes can be the result of necessary design modifications, differing site conditions, material availability, contractor-requested changes, value engineering and impacts from third parties, to name a few. Beyond executing the change in the field, the change normally needs to be documented to show what was actually constructed. Hence, the owner usually requires a final record to show all changes or, more specifically, any change that modifies the tangible portions of the finished work. The record is made on the contract documents – usually, but not necessarily limited to, the design drawings. The end product of this effort is what the industry terms as-built drawings, or more simply, "asbuilts." The requirement for providing them is a norm in construction contracts."

When the client accepts the "As-Builts", it is an acknowledgement that the project is complete and that it has changed. By providing examples of actual as-builts during the "credibility process" you:

• Demonstrate that you have the ability to document and track changes
• Demonstrate that these systems do change in scope during their evolution (change orders)
• Demonstrate that these systems require thorough documentation
• Demonstrate that the client is buying your expertise, design, and process not just your products
• Change the rules - the client is switched from an "installed consumer electronics" perspective to a "Systems" perspective
• Prepare the client for the process and the likely increase in project scope
• Demonstrate that there is an end and that it can be defined
• Communicate with the client on a platform they are familiar and comfortable with, the plan size drawing
• Demonstrate that other clients are buying large systems from you
• Demonstrate that you have access to color plotters and large sheets of paper

That last item may seem like a joke, but I have watched wealthy mature individuals act like children as they grabbed large sets of drawings and asked if they were going to get something like this. The As-built series are representative samples of the essential drawings and documents that accumulate during the course of the project and are reconciled as the final step in the project completion. We take actual drawings and documents and put your logo and identifications where appropriate. We provide the 11by17 project binder with custom tabs and then finally provide a reasonably complete set of full "D" size drawings and sample documents in an aluminum binder with your company ID (logo or name) on the cover.