as-built drawings

Term denoting the drawings created by trades-people upon completion of a construction project, which exhaustively record what they actually built.

As-built drawings often differ from the original architect's and engineer's drawings, which leave design details and problems to be solved by the artisans involved.

These omissions are indicated on architect's drawings by blank areas, dotted outlines, the remark "To be advised", and are equivalent to the areas of wilderness the medieval cartographer laconically labeled "Hic sunt leones".

As-built drawings are an indispensable aid to anyone maintaining, modifying or making additions to the structure, plumbing, electrical or mechanical services.