Dashpivot article page – Existing Conditions Construction
Existing conditions construction
What are existing conditions from a construction perspective?
Existing conditions are the state of the construction site and it's immediate surroundings before work has commenced.
If there's an existing building or structure on site, what condition it's in and if it has any defects or issues.
If there's no building on site, there could still be existing foundations or conditions that need to be documented to show what the site was like.
Why do you need to know about the existing conditions?
Understanding the existing conditions before work commences is important so you can take note of what is damaged and what is in good condition.
If a dispute arises due to damage you can see if it was caused by work done, or if it was in that condition before the work even started.
What is an existing conditions report?
An existing conditions report outlines the current state of a building or structure before construction or renovation work is to be undertaken, particularly when such work is carried out in close proximity.
The report serves as a baseline reference to resolve any disputes about damage claims that may arise as a result of the construction activities.
Why is it important to do an existing conditions report before construction starts?
The need for an existing conditions report can be minimal if everything on your construction project goes 100% to plan - but no project ever goes exactly like planned.
If there are incidents on or near existing buildings or sites, you'll need a paper trail and photographic evidence to properly document if any disputes arise.
An existing conditions report is what you reference to prove what the construction site looked like before worked commenced, so you can compare to what the disputed damage looks like now.
What does a good existing conditions report example look like?
It's impossible to go back in time and document what a site was like at a specific time, which is why it's so important to have your document capturing all the necessary information that might come up if a dispute is made.
- Date: when did was the report and it's details captured, that can be cross-referenced with when work commenced to prove the conditions were as stated before any potentially-disruptive work started.
- Location: where are you reviewing the existing conditions. This is particularly important to show that you've reviewed the existing conditions of a site and it's surroundings.
- Findings: the key part of the document. Highlight existing defects or issues to avoid disputes later on. Use photos to show the existing condition, so if any disputes arise, you can show the current condition matches the condition when the report was captured.
- Signoff: ensure compliance for a bulletproof audit trail with signoff by the inspector.
Below is an existing conditions report example.
Use this free existing conditions report template
Why is a digital existing conditions report helpful?
Managing pre-construction inspections and existing condition reports manually on paper can lead to inaccuracies, lost documents, inefficiencies in data retrieval and sharing, and an increased risk of disputes due to lack of traceability and transparency.
A digital existing conditions report template makes it easy to fill out on site, and then have a digital copy of the completed report that you can even attach to your other documents to make it quick and easy to find if any disputes arise.
Capture detailed site information including photos, descriptions and sketches directly into report format with ease.
Empower your team to capture existing conditions reports via mobile or tablet
An existing conditions report app can help your team to quickly record existing conditions reports on site via their mobile or tablet, or even to access previously completed reports on site to see if they've caused damage to the previous condition.
Easily markup photos of existing conditions to highlight existing defects or issues to avoid disputes later on, taking photos from within the app and attaching directly to the report with timestamps and geotagging.
Once the report is submitted on site via their mobile or tablet, it's automatically synced for the office to view it, and you can build automated workflows to ensure they're actioned appropriately.
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