Frequently asked questions
Here to Help
HOW DO YOU WORK WITH CONFIDENTIAL/PRIVACY RELATED ISSUES?
We have worked on very sensitive confidential/privacy related assignments and will do our best to make you comfortable working with us including executing a non-disclosure agreement at your request.
CAN YOU SHOW THE NON OBSERVABLE FRAMING/STRUCTURE INSIDE THE WALLS AND ABOVE THE CEILING?
No. We can only show the framing/structure in the walls and ceiling if they are observable and included in the project scope of work. If you would like this information included it needs to be defined in our project scope of work. Based on the level of detail and surety of those details, it’s your responsibility to remove the amount and extent of ceiling/ceiling tiles and or portions of walls prior to our arrival on site. We will not be responsible for making any element of your project observable and will only gather and produce deliverables based on what is observable and defined within our project scope of work.
WHAT HEIGHTS CAN YOU ANNOTATE ON THE FLOOR PLAN?
Our typical Core & Shell, Basic and Deluxe Floor plans do not include any heights on them. There is an option to have Door, Window Sill and Window heights annotated on those plans. RCP plans typically annotate Soffit and Ceiling heights per room. Additional height information (see observable note above) such as Underside of Floor / Roof Deck / Mezzanine, Top and Bottom of Joist & Beam, Sprinkler Head / Branch / Main, Ductwork, Heaters, etc referenced from finished floor can be added as well. Let us know your requirements so we can give you a custom proposal.
WHY DOES IT COST MORE IN TIME AND FEES TO ADD DELIVERABLES AT A LATER TIME AFTER THE INITIAL SITE VISIT?
We only acquire the data that is required to meet your initial deliverable requirements. Lacking the additional data, we would need to return to the building site to collect it. If you ordered Relative Accuracy of RA1 and later you want accuracy of RA2 we couldn’t give you that level of accuracy without redoing the entire original site visit. However, depending on what you originally ordered, we may have captured that detail to document an expanded level of detail so that it does not require going back to the field to capture that info.
Our fees factor in site time and logistics to acquire the data we need. What might have been a minor scope increase addition in time and logistics to acquire while on site initially, may require an entirely new site visit. Depending on our’s, realtors and/or building managements availability and the level of project scope creep that’s rarely a minor deal and it’s time consuming. While it would cost you more in the short run, it will cost you considerably less in the long run had we charged you for expanded field time to acquire the additional data your expanded deliverables would potentially require. And we would be in a better position to respond to your increased project scope when your ready or your budget allows.
DO YOU CHARGE A RETAINER FEE TO BEGIN WORK?
A retainer fee is required to begin. We charge a retainer fee because there are costs we incur at the start of the project. Final payment is due upon receipt of the deliverables.
CAN YOU WORK AROUND ACCESS RESTRICTIONS?
Access restrictions are in their nature disruptive to AMD’s Reality Capture. Some access restrictions are easily accommodated but not all access restrictions are equal. If the restrictions are limited to a one-off office(s) access, there could be a plan to make those rooms available prior to AMD’s project completion. We are scheduling equipment and personnel to complete your Reality Capture on a set schedule based on a Fixed Fee for service. AMD’s Client Agreement and pricing is based on x hours of access daily for a given number of days. If onsite Key Personnel limit AMD’s site access to significantly less hourly access or the number of days when they arrived on-site than contracted for, such that onsite change requires extending AMD’s field work by a day or day(s), the client should compensate AMD for those additional site days to complete the deliverable.
We understand that some projects may have access restrictions. We will agree to work with limited workable access restrictions if they are known upfront and there is a reasonable workaround strategy agreed to by AMD and the appropriate key building contact restricting access prior to the site visit. As long as there is a reasonable access workaround strategy in place and prior to AMD site visit where AMD can reasonably access all areas prior to the planned completion of AMD field work, there will be no additional costs in the accommodation(s). Should we have to return to the site to complete the project due to access restrictions imposed on AMD that could not be reasonably worked around, AMD will charge the client a reschedule fee of $600 per day for the number of days required to complete the onsite as-built survey.
DO I NEED TO BE PRESENT OR ASSIST YOU WHILE YOU MEASURE MY BUILDING?
No, we don’t require you to be present but we do require you or your agent to personally contact the properties’ key contacts (dept. heads, tenants, property managers, etc) via phone to notify them of our visit to start on a specific day and end per the terms of the negotiated agreement and to OBTAIN THE VERBAL APPROVAL OF ALL PARTIES INVOLVED WITH THE BUILDING(S) PRIOR TO OUR SITE VISIT. Its necessary that ALL PARTIES agree to an agreed upon date (or series of consecutive days) prior to our site visit. And you or your agent follow up that phone call with an “Letter of Authorization” (“LOA”) email to those same key property contacts and carbon AMD. When AMD personnel arrive onsite they will present those LOA emails to the key contacts and their should be no surprise of their visit because you or your agent prepared them all for our site visit.
If you feel more comfortable being present that is ok if you don’t get in our way of doing our work. Most often (but its not required), clients meet us on-site to personally introduce us to the key property contacts (dept. heads, tenants, property managers, etc) and give us a key(s) or keybox code(s) (including instructions to operate the security system) and the location of the security system keypad for vacant unoccupied spaces if they can’t make it to the property. If they can’t make it onsite, the rep has phoned AMD personnel with that info along with assurances that they have personally prepared each and every key property contact of our arrival and has emailed AMD with the phone number(s) for that rep as well as the name and phone numbers of key building contacts.
If the property representative is not present on site when AMD is finished with its work, AMD will contact that rep via phone or text to let them know they are leaving the property and have re-secured it on AMD’s exit.
CAN YOU PROVIDE ME WITH A QUOTE FOR EXTERIOR ELEVATIONS ONLY?
While we typically provide Exterior Elevations as an addon to a much larger scope of work, we certainly can limit our project scope to providing you just Exterior Elevations. Lets discuss the LOD and what you intend to use those elevations for so that we can provide you with a proposal that meets your requirements.
CAN YOU SHOW THE FRAMING/STRUCTURE IN THE WALLS AND THE CEILING?
We can show the framing/structure in the walls and ceiling if they are observable and included in the project scope of work. If you would like this information included it needs to be defined in our project scope of work. Based on the level of detail and surety of those details, it’s your responsibility to remove the amount and extent of ceiling/ceiling tiles and or portions of walls prior to our arrival on site. We will not be responsible for making any element of your project observable and will only gather and produce deliverables based on what is observable and defined within our project scope of work.
DO YOU DO ARCHITECTURAL, STRUCTURAL, ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL INSPECTIONS OR SURVEYS?
No, we specialize in documenting the observable existing condition of buildings only. We will not make representations or warranties about your properties operating condition. Nor do any sort of inspection or certification of any electrical or mechanical equipment. We can provide you with the approximate or exact locations of elements in our deliverables and can provide extensive photo documentation, including close-ups of electrical panels, equipment, anything of interest, but beyond that you would require a licensed or certified engineer.
DO YOU DO SITE SURVEYS?
We are not licensed land surveyors and recommend you obtaining their services to locate legal property lines and to give you detailed measurements and locations of elements outside of your building. We give you detailed measurents and locations of your buildings exteriors and interiors only, and any attached structures such as loading docks, decking, balconies, etc.