Existing drawings.Preparing your drawings
How to prepare old paper drawings for CAD conversion
Start with the clearest complete source you have. Keep sheet references visible, identify the required drawings and revisions, and provide known units or readable dimensions. Flag missing or uncertain information so it can be reviewed before the CAD work is agreed.
Explore scans and legacy drawings →Find the best available source first
Before making a new scan, check whether your records contain an original PDF, a clearer scan or an existing CAD file. Keep those originals. Working from the best available information gives the reviewer a clearer basis for understanding the job.
If you hold paper originals, discuss preparation before sending physical material. A few representative digital images can help begin that conversation without treating the whole archive as ready for production.
Capture the whole sheet and check the small details
Keep the sheet flat where practical and include its edges, title block, notes and drawing references. After scanning, open the file and inspect the smallest dimensions and annotations. A thumbnail that looks clear may conceal unreadable text when reviewed closely.
For photographs, use even lighting, avoid shadows and glare, and keep the camera as square to the sheet as possible. Retain the original photograph as well as any prepared copy. A photograph's perspective is a source limitation to discuss, rather than a reliable measurement basis.
If a sheet needs several captures, label them so their relationship is clear and keep an overview showing the complete sheet. Identify folds, tears, faded areas or missing edges that affect the information you need reproduced.
Make revisions and markups easy to follow
Use filenames or a short drawing list to identify the sheet number, title and revision where known. Separate the drawings to reproduce from supporting references, and identify which revision should govern the work.
If you want changes applied, provide a clearly marked copy and describe the intended changes. Explain what existing content is to remain. Where different sources disagree, flag the conflict for review rather than combining them into an assumed answer.
- Identify the current source revision where known.
- Label reference-only sheets and superseded material.
- Match markups to the correct source sheet.
- List missing sheets or unresolved questions.
Provide a reliable units and scale basis
Include known drawing units and readable dimensions or other relevant source information. Explain if the paper has been resized, scanned in parts or photographed. Printing a drawing at a different size can change how the page appears without changing its written dimensions.
The scale basis needs to be reviewed and agreed. If reliable information is unavailable, the next step is clarification. Neither a clean redraw nor a visually aligned comparison establishes that an old plan matches the building today.
Explain what your team needs to receive
Tell us which sheets and views matter, the intended use, your required CAD version and any layer or title-block standards. Include a sample DWG if you need the redraw to fit an existing drawing set.
For an archive, provide the total quantity and representative examples of different source conditions. Share the requested deadline and any logical groups for review. Those details support a discussion about scope and delivery stages before work begins.
YOUR NEXT STEP
What to send with your request
- Clearest available original scans, PDFs or photographs
- Complete sheets with readable notes and references
- Drawing list, required revisions and marked-up changes
- Known units, dimensions and source limitations
- Required CAD output, standards and intended use
Have a question or an incomplete drawing set? Describe what you have and what you need to achieve.
Request a quoteCommon questions
Can I send photographs instead of scans?
Share the clearest available photographs and explain whether paper originals or other sources exist. Their legibility and perspective need review before the work and any limitations can be confirmed.
What if some dimensions are missing?
Identify the missing information and provide any related drawings or reliable references. The reviewer can raise the clarification needed; missing measurements should not be presented as verified facts.
Do I need to organize the whole archive before contacting you?
You can begin with a description of the collection and representative files. Include an approximate quantity, the different drawing types and the outcome you need so the next review step can be discussed.