What is an as-built, and why do contractors need accurate bore records?

Every utility job starts with a plan. But underground, the plan and the finished work don’t always match. The drill head may be steered around rock, an existing line or a change the owner asked for in the field. An as-built is the record that shows what was actually built.

What “as-built” means

An as-built (also called a record drawing or as-fitted drawing) is a record of completed work. It starts from the working drawings and is updated to show any changes made during construction. In plain terms: the plan shows where the line was supposed to go, and the as-built shows where it went.

Plan vs. as-built

What a good bore as-built includes

For a directional bore, a useful as-built usually covers:

• The route of the bore from entry to exit.
• Depth along the route.
• Entry and exit points.
• Handholes and boxes, with their locations.
• Job site photos that show the work and the restored surface.
• A map or coordinates the owner can load into their own system.

The format depends on the owner. Some want a printed profile, some want a map file, and many want both.

Where the data comes from

On most utility bores, the route and depth data come from the walkover locator. A transmitter behind the drill head reports its readings, and locators that support log-while-drilling store a record for each rod. After the job, that log can be moved to a phone, tablet or computer and built into a bore report. Digital Control Inc., which makes the DigiTrak locators, describes its log-while-drilling app as a way to replace handwritten bore logs with as-built reports, and to keep historical records that help a contractor manage liability.

Photos, handhole locations and notes from the crew fill in the rest.

Why accurate bore records matter

Utility records are often wrong

A Federal Highway Administration summary of a Purdue University study puts it bluntly: existing records of underground site conditions are usually incorrect, incomplete or otherwise inadequate. It lists reasons such as lines that are removed from the ground but never removed from the drawings. Every accurate as-built makes that picture a little better.

They protect the next crew

The next person who digs near your line depends on the records to know it is there. An accurate as-built helps them find it, mark it and avoid it.

They protect the owner

The line owner uses the as-built to plan maintenance, repairs and future expansion. If the record is wrong, finding the line later costs time and money.

They protect the contractor

An as-built documents what the crew installed and where. If a question comes up later about depth, route or a damaged line, a clean record made at the time of the work is the contractor’s best answer. The same FHWA summary lists fewer claims and change orders among the benefits of knowing where utilities really are.

They help you get paid

On many telecom and utility contracts, the as-built is part of closing out the job. Clean, complete records help the paperwork move faster.

How to make as-builts easier

• Log the bore as you drill, not from memory afterward.
• Photograph every handhole, box and pit before it is closed up.
• Note every field change and why it happened.
• Keep the records together with the job, so nothing is lost between the field and the office.

At UGA, Drillbert, UGA’s AI operations agent, is getting ready to help turn bore records and job site photos into clean as-built records, with a person on our team checking them before they go out. Learn more on the technology behind UGA. For our boring services, see horizontal directional drilling and fiber and telecom conduit boring, or request a bid.

This article is general information. Each line owner sets its own as-built requirements and formats.