Ask anyone who has run a commercial job how they knew what was built on a given Tuesday in March, and the honest answer is usually a mix of daily logs, a few hundred phone photos, and memory. That works until someone needs proof. A pay application gets questioned, an owner in another state wants to know where things stand, or a dispute over a change order turns on what was in place before the change.
Scheduled progress scans replace that patchwork with a dated, walkable, measurable record of the site at regular points in the build. This post covers how progress capture works on Grand Strand commercial projects, how to pick a cadence, what each visit should capture, and how owners, contractors, and designers actually use the result.
What a progress scan program is
A progress scan program is a set of capture visits tied to the construction schedule. On each visit, the same crew walks the same path through the site and captures it with a 360 camera, a laser scanner, a drone, or some mix of the three. Every visit is dated and stored, so the project ends up with a sequence of records instead of one snapshot at closeout.
The value comes from consistency. One scan tells you what the building looked like on one day. Twelve scans, taken the same way, tell you how it got there.
Picking a cadence
There is no single right interval. The schedule, the size of the job, and who needs to see it all shape the answer.
- •Weekly visits fit fast moving jobs with remote stakeholders, such as an owner or lender who will not be on site often. Weekly capture gives the clearest picture of pace.
- •Every two weeks is a common middle ground for mid size commercial work. It usually lines up well with owner meetings and pay application cycles.
- •Milestone visits are tied to events instead of the calendar: foundation and underground before backfill, structure topped out, MEP rough in before cover up, ceilings before grid, and substantial completion.
Many programs combine the two. A regular interval covers the general record, and extra milestone visits make sure nothing important gets covered without being captured. The milestone that matters most for most buildings is the one right before drywall, which we covered in detail in scan before drywall.
On the Grand Strand, weather belongs in the plan too. Summer storms and the occasional tropical system can push work, and they can push exterior and drone captures. A good program has a simple rule for rescheduling a weather day so the record does not end up with a gap at the wrong moment.
What each visit should capture
Decide the deliverable before the first visit, then keep it the same for the whole job.
- •Interior 360 capture. A walkable model of every floor that anyone on the team can open in a browser. This is the workhorse of most progress programs because it is fast on site and easy to share.
- •Laser scans at key stages. When dimensions matter, such as checking embeds, sleeves, slab penetrations, or clearances above ceilings, a measured point cloud is the right tool. Our post on Matterport tours versus laser scan as builts explains when each one fits.
- •Drone coverage of the site. Overhead photos show site work, laydown areas, roofing, and exterior envelope progress in a way no interior capture can. Flights have to follow FAA rules and any local airspace limits, which matters near Myrtle Beach International and Grand Strand Airport in North Myrtle Beach.
- •Targeted photos. Specific items the team wants documented every visit, such as an inspection tag, a fire stopping detail, or a known problem area.
The capture path should stay the same visit to visit. Same starting point, same order through the building, same floors. That is what lets someone open two dates side by side and compare the same corner of the same room.
How the record actually gets used
The reasons teams pay for progress capture tend to show up in a few places.
Owner and lender updates. An owner based out of state can walk the building from a laptop instead of flying in. A lender's inspector can review the current state before a site visit, or sometimes in place of one, depending on their requirements.
Pay applications. When percent complete is in question, a dated capture of the work in place is a much shorter conversation than an argument over photos.
Change orders and disputes. If a change is requested after work is in place, the record shows exactly what was there before. If a claim comes up months later, the project has a neutral, dated record to point to.
Coordination with design. Architects and engineers can check installed conditions against the drawings without a site trip. When the job includes a model, the point cloud can be compared against it. This is where the same data feeds into Scan to BIM work later.
Closeout and facilities. At turnover, the owner gets more than a set of as built drawings. They get the full sequence of the build, including what is inside the walls and above the ceilings, which their facilities team will use for years.
Who usually owns the program
Progress capture can be bought by the owner, the general contractor, or the design team, and the answer changes how it works.
When the owner holds the contract, the record is independent of the builder, which many owners prefer for reporting and disputes. When the GC holds it, the capture tends to line up more tightly with the schedule and subcontractor coordination. When the architect or engineer holds it, the focus is usually on installed conditions versus design.
Whoever buys it, everyone on the project should be able to view it. Decide up front who gets access, how long the records are kept, and where the files live when the job closes.
What to sort out before the first visit
If you are planning progress capture on a commercial job in Horry or Georgetown County, these questions will shape the scope and the price:
- 1. What is the building type, size, and number of floors?
- 2. How long is the schedule, and what are the key milestones?
- 3. Weekly, every two weeks, milestone visits, or a mix?
- 4. Which visits need a laser scan, and which need only 360 capture?
- 5. Is drone coverage needed, and are there any airspace limits at the site?
- 6. Who is the site contact for access and safety orientation?
- 7. Who needs access to the records, and in what format?
Answering these before the job starts means the first visit sets the standard for every one after it.
Talk to Estate360
Estate360 captures commercial and construction sites across Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand, from single milestone visits to full site progress monitoring programs. If you have a build coming up and want a dated record of every stage, email sales@estate360.us, call 843-306-8063, or reach us through the contact page and we will help you set a cadence that fits the schedule.