Home / How it works
The processHow a building becomes a digital twin.
No specialist input needed from you beyond site access and a clear brief. Here is exactly what happens, what we need, and what lands in your inbox at the end.
Scope and quote
We establish the areas to capture, the site's operating pattern, and what each team needs from the twin. You get a fixed quote.
Site capture
The scanner is positioned throughout the building, sweeping each location in turn. Quiet, cable-free and self-contained.
Processing
Scan positions are registered into a single aligned model. Floor plans, exports and stills are generated from it.
Tagging and handover
We add the tags, routes and information you specified, then hand over the link, the files and a short training session.
What capture actually looks like
We capture with the Matterport Pro 3, a LiDAR scanning system chosen for its range, accuracy and ability to work outdoors and in poor light. It sits on a tripod and takes a sweep from each position, then moves a few metres and repeats. Nothing is attached to your building, no power is drawn from your supply, and there is no noise beyond the camera itself.
We work around you. On live industrial and retail sites that often means early mornings, evenings, weekends or planned shutdown windows. On occupied offices we simply avoid capturing people — anyone in shot is either asked to step aside for the sweep or blurred afterwards.
- One operator on site in most cases
- Inductions, permits and RAMS handled in advance
- Public liability and professional indemnity cover, documented up front
What we need from you
Very little — but these few things make the difference between a good twin and a great one.
- Access to every area you want captured, including locked plant rooms and risers
- A tidy-ish site. The scan records exactly what is there, so clutter on the day is clutter in the twin forever
- Lighting on. Normal working lighting is fine; blinds open where practical
- A point of contact who knows the building and can answer questions as we go
- A list of exclusions — any area that must not be captured for security or commercial reasons
Turnaround
Processing and delivery typically takes a few working days from the final capture visit, depending on the size of the site and the amount of tagging involved. Urgent turnarounds can usually be accommodated — tell us the deadline when you enquire.
Hosting
Twins are hosted on Matterport's platform. We can host under our account and manage it for you, or publish into your own Matterport account so you hold it directly. Both are common; we will explain the trade-offs when we quote.
What you get at handover
- A hosted, shareable 3D twin with walkthrough, dollhouse and floor-plan views
- Schematic floor plans with measurements, as PDF and image files
- Point cloud and mesh exports in standard formats for design teams
- High-resolution still images pulled from the capture
- Tags carrying the asset, safety or marketing information you specified
- Guided tour routes for inductions or viewings, where requested
- Embed code for your own website, plus a short session on sharing and access control
About the capture
How long does a scan take?
It depends on floor area, complexity and how much detail you need. As a rough guide, a straightforward office floor is usually a few hours, while a large warehouse or multi-building site is planned across one or more days. We confirm timings when we scope the job.
Do we need to shut down or clear the site?
No. Scanning is quiet, cable-free and works around normal activity. For live production areas we often work out of hours or in phases. We do ask that areas are reasonably tidy, since the twin records exactly what is there on the day.
Who can see the twin, and can we restrict it?
Access is yours to control. Twins can be fully private, restricted to named people, unlisted by link, or public and embedded in your website. Sensitive areas can be excluded from the capture entirely.
What happens when the building changes?
Buildings move on, so twins are usually refreshed periodically or after a significant fit-out. Re-scanning a changed area is quicker and cheaper than the original capture, and older versions can be kept as a historic record.
Can it work with our BIM or CAD models?
Yes. Alongside the hosted twin we can supply point cloud and mesh exports in standard formats for your design team to bring into their own software.
Ready when you are.
Tell us the site and the deadline. We will confirm what is achievable before you commit to anything.