The terms "as-built survey" and "field documentation" are used interchangeably on many job sites — which creates confusion about who is responsible for producing what, what accuracy standard applies, and which record is legally binding for permit closeout. They are different tools serving different purposes, and a project typically needs both.
What is the difference between an as-built survey and field documentation?
An as-built survey is a formal, certified survey produced by a licensed surveyor after construction is substantially complete, documenting the final positions and elevations of permanent improvements for permit closeout and record purposes. Field documentation is the ongoing record produced by the contractor during construction — grade shots, inspection sign-offs, compaction tests, daily reports, and photos — covering the construction process as it happens. Both serve important but different purposes: field documentation supports quality control during construction; the as-built survey certifies the final result for regulatory and legal purposes.
| Attribute | As-Built Survey | Field Documentation |
|---|---|---|
| Producer | Licensed land surveyor or PE | Contractor, QC manager, inspector, or testing lab |
| Timing | After construction is substantially complete | During construction — continuous |
| Accuracy standard | Survey accuracy standards (typically ±0.01 ft or better) | Specification tolerance for the work (e.g., ±0.10 ft, ±0.02 ft) |
| Legal standing | Certifiable; can be recorded; admissible as licensed professional record | Evidence; weight depends on methodology and contemporaneous nature |
| Required for permit closeout | Yes, in most jurisdictions | Sometimes; depends on jurisdiction and project type |
| Required for QC compliance | Not typically | Yes — compaction records, grade verification, inspection logs |
| Cost | Higher — licensed professional service | Lower — contractor crew time and instrument |
| Scope | Final constructed positions of permanent improvements | Complete construction process — all stages, all tests, all approvals |
A licensed as-built survey is required in circumstances where the record must carry legal authority or be relied upon for future property rights:
In construction disputes — the arena where documentation determines who pays — field documentation typically carries more weight than the formal as-built survey, for a simple reason: the as-built survey records the final condition; field documentation records what happened during construction.
Consider a claim that fill was placed in lifts that were too thick, resulting in poor compaction and later settlement. The as-built survey shows the finish grade at project completion — it says nothing about how the fill was placed. The field documentation — lift thickness records, compaction test logs, daily reports — is the only record that addresses the underlying claim. An as-built survey cannot win or lose this dispute. Field documentation can.
Similarly, for a claim that drainage was installed at the wrong slope, the as-built survey reflects the final condition. But if the slope defect was present at installation and the contractor's field documentation shows the pipe was installed at the correct slope as measured during installation, the field documentation provides direct evidence of compliance at the time of construction.
The most defensible project record combines both. Field documentation provides the continuous record of construction quality as work proceeds. The licensed as-built survey provides the certified final condition record for regulatory and legal purposes. Together they answer two separate questions:
Sitemark produces field documentation — grade verification records, compaction logs, inspection sign-offs, daily reports — that is organized as a project record and ready for the licensed surveyor to reference when preparing the formal as-built. The two records support each other.
Sitemark captures grade shots, inspection records, and compaction data continuously during construction — organized by location and date so your as-built survey and your QC record both tell the same story.
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