How a building measurer uses LOD
As a measurer, LOD isn’t a timeline — it’s a specification. Before you set foot on site, your client’s intended use for the model tells you exactly which LOD to deliver, how much time to spend on site, and what tools to bring.
For LOD 100, you’re capturing the footprint, overall height, and number of floors. Think: disto laser and a sketch. The model will be a massing block — enough for a feasibility report or a planning application, but no one is going to fabricate anything from it.
For LOD 200, you’re going room by room — rough dimensions, ceiling heights, the location and approximate size of openings. Enough for an architect to start a scheme or for MEP engineers to understand the building’s zones. You might use a 2D sketch on-site and build the model back in Revit from notes.
For LOD 300, you’re being precise. Wall thicknesses, exact door frame dimensions, sill heights, structural grid — everything a contractor or fabricator needs to be confident nothing will clash or not fit. This is where a total station, point cloud scanner, or laser scanning rig earns its keep.