As-Built, Handover and Facility Management
Lesson 17 of 18 · 6 min read
Construction takes a year or two. Operation takes forty years or more. Yet on many Indian projects, handover is a set of keys and a WhatsApp forward of the last PDFs.
A proper handover gives the owner, the society or the facility manager what they need to run and repair the building.
The handover file
| Item | What it is | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| As-built drawings | Drawings updated to show what was actually built | Finding pipes, cables and beams before drilling or renovating |
| O&M manuals | Operation and maintenance manuals for equipment | Servicing pumps, lifts, DG sets, AC units correctly |
| Warranty register | Each warranty with supplier, serial number, start date and period | Claiming repairs before the warranty runs out |
| Test certificates | Cube tests, pressure tests, earthing, fire system tests | Proof the work met the specification |
| Statutory documents | Sanction, completion or occupancy certificate, fire NOC, lift licence where needed | Utilities, loans, resale, insurance |
| Asset list | Every piece of equipment and where it is | Planning maintenance |
| Keys and access | Labelled keys, codes, passwords | Obvious, and often lost |
As-built is not GFC
The GFC set shows what was intended. As-built drawings show what was done: the toilet that moved, the shaft that shifted, the extra sleeve. The contractor marks changes during construction, and the architect or consultants update the drawings at the end.
On BIM-led projects, the model is updated to as-built. Laser scans can capture what was built, using tools such as Autodesk ReCap to process the scan data.
COBie and FM software
COBie (Construction Operations Building information exchange) is an open standard for handing over asset data: spaces, equipment, manufacturers, serial numbers, warranties, maintenance tasks. It is usually delivered as a spreadsheet or inside an IFC file. It is maintained by the US National Institute of Building Sciences and is used on BIM-led projects in several countries.
That data feeds facility management (FM) software, which plans maintenance, tracks work orders and records asset history. Examples include Archibus (now sold by Eptura), Planon and Dalux. On smaller buildings, a well-kept Excel asset register does the same basic job.
A worked example: the warranty register
A residential society's main water pump fails in month 10. A new pump costs about ₹45,000 (illustrative). The pump had a 12-month warranty.
- With a warranty register: the facility manager finds the supplier, serial number and installation date in a minute. The claim is filed with the invoice and the commissioning report. The pump is replaced at no cost.
- Without it: nobody knows who supplied the pump or when it was commissioned. By the time the papers are found, the warranty has expired.
The completion and occupancy step
As lesson 3 said, the completion or occupancy certificate needs the built work to match the sanctioned plan, with required NOCs. Keep sanction, as-built and certificates together. Buyers, banks and insurers will ask for them for years.
What comes next
The final lesson puts the whole course together: two typical software stacks, and how to choose one for your project.
Key takeaways
- Operation lasts decades; the handover file is what the owner runs the building with.
- As-built drawings record what was built, which is often not exactly the GFC set.
- A warranty register with supplier, serial number and dates pays for itself with one claim.
- COBie is an open standard for asset data; FM software uses it to plan maintenance.
- Keep sanction, as-built and the completion or occupancy certificate together.
Verify on site
- Mark every deviation from GFC on a site set as it happens, for the as-built.
- Start the warranty register at the first equipment delivery, not at handover.
Check your understanding
3 questions. Answering them marks this lesson complete — results stay on your device.
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