▼Highlights of This Case Study
Furthermore, due to legal revisions, the importance of accurate elevation data had increased.
[Renovation] Between on-site inspections and proposal preparation, there were frequent repeat visits due to oversights during the initial inspection.
Solution: We adopted Scanat, which can scan large areas and import point cloud data into CAD to calculate elevation differences .
Results: [New Construction] Elevation surveys, which previously required two people, can now be completed by a single person. Work time has been drastically reduced to one-fifth of the previous amount.
[Renovation] Oversights were eliminated, reducing the total workload—including on-site inspections and proposal preparation—by approximately 50%.
＼Life Arch is using it too!／
Scanat: Complete Field Surveys “With Just a Smartphone—All by Yourself”
About Life Arch Co., Ltd.
♦︎A small but highly skilled construction firm that handles everything from design to construction
Life Archi Co., Ltd. is an architectural firm and general contractor specializing in the new construction and renovation of single-family homes.
Operating under a system that integrates design and on-site management, the company’s president personally oversees construction sites to ensure the delivery of high-quality living spaces.
Challenges Before Implementing Scanat
♦︎ [New Construction] Surveying Sites with Significant Elevation Differences Is a Major Burden—Amid Tighter Regulatory Standards
Among the new construction projects the company undertakes, there are quite a few sites with challenging conditions, such as a long distance from the road to the building lot or elevation differences of as much as 30 to 40 meters.
Due to recent changes in building permit regulations (such as stricter foundation design requirements resulting from the scaling back of the “Special Provision No. 4” and tighter regulations imposed by local governments), the task of measuring elevation differences on a site more accurately and incorporating them into drawings has become more essential than ever.
In the past, we used a “rotating laser level” (surveying instrument), similar to those used in civil engineering, to remeasure the survey points and machine installation points several times, plot the elevation differences on the drawings, and finally calculate the results. However, this method had the following challenges:
- Due to the effort involved in reinstalling the machinery and the fact that survey markers cannot be moved, [at least two workers] are required.
- Coordinating schedules among staff members is inconvenient and puts a strain on operations.
♦︎ [Renovation] Site Inspections That “Can’t Be Fully Assessed in a Single Visit” and Repeated Return Visits
In one renovation project, while we had previously used photography and 360° cameras,
we faced challenges such as “it being difficult to understand the layout of the rooms” and “it taking time to find necessary information later on.” As a result, we had to visit the same site two or three times or more to check for any oversights, leading to inefficient workflows.
How We Discovered Scanat and Why We Chose It
♦︎ Digitize everything—from “large outdoor areas” to “indoor floor plans”—with just one smartphone
While searching for a solution to our problem, Scanat and decided to implement it.
In addition to its “ease of use—ready to go with just a single iPad or iPhone,” we appreciated its wide-area scanning capability, which allows us to scan the entire distance from the road to private property (about 50 meters) in a single pass, as well as its expandability, which enables us to import point cloud data into CAD software.
Benefits of Implementation
♦︎ [New Construction] The number of personnel for elevation surveys has been reduced from 2 to 1. The work time has been drastically reduced to “1/5.”
Scanat has completely transformed the workflow for surveying new construction sites.
Even for a distance of about 50 meters from the road to private property, Scanat complete the survey simply by “walking the entire distance and capturing the data in one go.”By exporting the acquired point cloud data and importing it into 3D CAD software, we can now calculate precise elevation differences on a PC at the office.
Since on-site surveying and calculations are no longer necessary, and no equipment setup is required, a task that previously required at least two people can now be completed by just one person. Work efficiency has dramatically improved to one-fifth of what it used to be.
♦︎ [Applies to Both New Construction and Renovations] Prevent Oversights and Reduce the Time Spent on Site Inspections and Proposals by About 50%
Whether for new construction or renovations, Scanat has proven to be Scanat effective Scanat.
While we take on-site measurements for detailed areas, Scanat a general sense of the space and the approximate specifications of window frames, making it possible to “bring the entire site back with us.”
As a result, we’ve eliminated the need for return visits due to oversights—which was our original goal—and reduced the total workload from on-site inspection to proposal by approximately 50%.
♦︎ [Using This in Sales Materials] Sharing "Before and After" Photos at Open Houses
At open houses for fully renovated properties, we show clients 3D data of the property before renovation so they can experience what it looked like “before.” Whereas conventional 360° cameras have a limited field of view, making it difficult to grasp the overall atmosphere, Scanat conveys the “entire floor plan and the flow of the spaces” in three dimensions, which has significantly improved the persuasiveness of our proposals and customer satisfaction.
Future Outlook
♦︎Turning “invisible structures” into data to create new customer experiences
Scanat has led to a dramatic increase in productivity, from site surveys to on-site inspections and proposals.
Looking ahead, the company is planning to expand its use Scanat new construction projects at the “structural framing stage” and storing the data digitally alongside the relevant floor plans.
The company intends to explore ways to provide new value by utilizing on-site 3D data, such as Scanat clients “structural elements hidden behind walls” during completion tours.
＼Life Arch is using it too!／
Scanat: Complete Field Surveys “With Just a Smartphone—All by Yourself”
