If you want a sharp picture of revision drawings costs, the starting point is the client's file format and CAD standards. That is why, with every first request, we always ask for the existing DWGs, the layer structure and the drawing conventions that already apply internally.
As soon as we have that set in front of us, we can see how much manual work is in the drawings and how much of it we can reuse directly. That difference determines most of the hours. A clean DWG with a consistent layer structure is quick to update.
A dossier that was half drawn by hand and printed incorrectly requires more investigation, and we would rather say so beforehand than afterwards. Our team drafts and models, we do not do engineering, and that boundary keeps an estimate honest. We charge by the hour or per project at a fixed price, and we decide together with the client which option fits. Below, we explain how we build up those costs and which information helps us most.
Cable tray routing in the model, built with parametric families that carry the material schedule with them.
Clients who ask about revision drawings costs
Requests for this work come to us mainly from engineering firms, architectural practices, contractors and manufacturers. The person at the table is a manager, a team leader or the owner, and the trigger is almost always capacity. There is a pile of existing drawings that needs a revision round, the in-house drawing office is already running at full capacity, and nobody gets round to it. At that point, the question about revision drawings costs is not just about hours, but above all about whether the work will still be finished on time. We find that the bottleneck rarely lies in how difficult the drafting is.
It lies in the volume and the repetition. A project lead who needs dozens of sheets updated has no need for a discussion about design choices, but for drafters who work through the entire set consistently. We take over exactly that part. We draft and model, we do not do engineering, and we agree that boundary clearly at the start. For a manufacturer, this often means a range of parts that keeps recurring in different sizes. For a contractor, it is more likely to be an as-built dossier that still needs to be properly documented after construction.
Both groups want to know what the hours will look like before the project begins. That is why we prefer to give a well-founded estimate based on a real sample from the set rather than a figure with nothing behind it. Our clients are based in the Netherlands and our work is carried out remotely from our own office. You are welcome to visit us, but the work itself stays remote, which keeps the project clear for both sides.
The revision drawings we deliver
In jobs like this, we mainly deliver 2D drafting and, where the project calls for it, 3D modelling. Specifically, that means updated floor plans, sections, details, schematic diagrams and complete as-built sets. We incorporate mark-ups from site into the existing DWG, remove outdated sheets from the set, renumber where needed and keep the title block and revision schedule up to date. On a Revit project, we do the same in the model, so views and schedules update with every change.
We work in our own environment with our own licences, always on the latest versions, and we deliver in DXF, DWG, Revit formats or STEP. In practice, we can handle any common CAD format. The scope of that delivery also determines revision drawings costs, because a sheet with only changed dimensions takes less time than a sheet we rebuild from the existing underlay. We point out that distinction in advance, so you can see where the hours land.
Where there is a lot of repetition in a set, we build parametric Revit families. A smart component like this adapts to a new size, the material schedule updates automatically, and the part no longer has to be put on the sheet again each time. In piping for greenhouse construction, that approach saves at least seventy per cent of the time, because a valve in 90 and in 110 would otherwise have to be drawn by hand every time. We deliver in stages, gather feedback and then carry on, so you can see what is coming in along the way and not only at the end of the project.
No ongoing payroll costs and no idle staff once the peak is over. If one of our people is off sick or on holiday, we replace them and the work simply carries on.
How we build up revision drawings costs
We bill in two ways, and both occur in practice. The first is an hourly rate, for which we bill net working hours only. If a drafter takes five minutes for a coffee, we stop the clock. The second is a fixed project price, which works well when the size of the set is clear in advance and the scope is no longer shifting. We decide together with the client which option to choose during the first conversation. We do not work with a prepaid block of hours or a monthly hours subscription, because arrangements like that decouple revision drawings costs from the work that is actually on the table. A few things noticeably reduce the hours. A complete set of material saves the most, because every missing underlay leads to questions and waiting time. A fixed standard for layers, title blocks and numbering also helps, because our team then does not have to decide sheet by sheet what something should look like.
Repetition in the set works in the client's favour, because the more often a component recurs, the more we can capture with smart components. The lead time also plays a part, because a rush job for which we expand the team immediately requires different planning from work that can be spread out. With us, you pay no ongoing wage costs, and in the event of illness or holiday we replace someone so the work simply carries on. We do not quote a rate on this page, because a serious figure only emerges once we have reviewed the set and discussed the scope.
Getting started without losing sight of costs
To get started, we need a limited set of information. We ask for the existing drawings that need a revision, the format they are in, your drawing conventions and a short explanation of exactly what needs to change. If there are mark-ups, photos or measurements from site, we would like to see them straight away. With that material, we can work through a sample and estimate the costs realistically.
We respond to a new request within 1 to 2 working days, followed by a conversation in which we go through the project. Barry, our project manager, is usually the first point of contact, after which Sam, our team leader, takes over the technical side, so you deal with a familiar face.
We can start as soon as we have enough information. A short job is fine, and if you wish we start with a small first batch of sheets so you can calmly judge our speed and accuracy. That works better than a long discussion about quotes, because after a few delivered sheets everyone knows where they stand. The intellectual property of everything we draw belongs to the client.
So far we have not signed a non-disclosure agreement because clients have not asked for one, but we are open to it. For standalone drafting work, files go back and forth by email. On larger projects, we work with software that the client can log into to follow progress. You can reach us by phone or via the contact form, and in that first conversation we put the cost side on the table straight away.
Frequently asked questions about revision drawings costs
Let us handle your revision drawings
Send us your documents and drawing conventions and we will let you know within one to two working days what we can take on and when.