Common mistakes
Moving too fast, scanning in the dark and forgetting the space behind an open door are the three classic errors. All three show up on screen: take the time to fix them before leaving.
Guide · 6 min read
How to make a floor plan with an iPhone.
You do not need a laser scanner worth thousands to get a reliable plan of a flat. Here is the method we use on site with an iPhone Pro, from preparation to the DXF file.
Step by step
Prepare the room
Turn the lights on, open interior doors and clear the floor where you can. LiDAR does not see through objects, so a pile of boxes hides the wall behind it.
Start in a corner
Open ArchiScan 3D, create a project and start the scan from a corner, phone at chest height, pointing at the opposite wall.
Walk slowly along the walls
Move at walking pace and sweep from floor to ceiling. Watch the walls appear on screen and go back over anything missing.
Move on to the next room
Finish the room, then start the next one in the same project. The rooms are merged into the level plan.
Check two dimensions
Measure one long wall and one ceiling height with a laser meter and compare. Correct the dimension on screen if needed.
Export
Export the plan as DXF for your CAD software, PDF with its title block, or SVG.
Keep exploring
LiDAR survey
Your iPhone already has a laser scanner.
Survey each room in a minute or two with the LiDAR sensor of your iPhone Pro or iPad Pro. Walls, doors, windows, cupboards and recesses are recognised as you walk.
Read →2D plan, DXF, PDFA plan you can open in your CAD software.
Get a dimensioned 2D floor plan from your scan, edit the dimensions, and export it as DXF for your CAD software, PDF with a title block, or SVG.
Read →Guide · 5 min readHow accurate is iPhone LiDAR, really?
What accuracy to expect from an iPhone LiDAR room scan, what affects it, and when to double-check with a laser meter.
Read →Your next survey will take ten minutes.
ArchiScan 3D is in beta on TestFlight. Ask for access.