08/06/2026
“Existing” May Be the Most Expensive Word on the Plans...
Existing electrical capacity.
Existing plumbing location.
Existing structure to remain.
On paper, those notes allow the design to move forward. In the field, each one represents a condition the project may be depending on without anyone physically confirming it.
If the available electrical capacity is not there, equipment selections may change. If plumbing is not where the drawings show it, the layout may need to move. If the existing structure cannot support the planned work, the impact can reach the design, budget, and schedule at once.
Record drawings tell you what was documented. Field verification tells you what the project is actually dealing with.
Before design advances, ask one question:
What are we relying on that has not been physically confirmed?
For those who work on renovations: What has cost your projects more: conditions shown incorrectly or conditions never shown at all?
