Automated Plan Checking

Plan checking — the formal review of construction documents for code compliance — is one of the biggest bottlenecks in the building permitting process. A single plan examiner might have 15 projects on their desk, each requiring hours of careful review against a complex web of code requirements. The result is plan review cycles measured in weeks or months.

AI-powered plan checking automates the dimensional and quantitative checks that consume most of a plan examiner's time. Does the corridor width meet egress requirements? Is the plumbing fixture count adequate for the occupancy? Are the accessible parking spaces the right size and in the right location? Do the fire-resistance ratings meet the construction type requirements? These checks are tedious for humans but straightforward for AI that can read drawings and count.

For design firms, running automated plan checks before submitting for permit catches issues that would otherwise come back as plan review comments. For jurisdictions, AI-assisted plan checking allows examiners to focus their expertise on the complex judgment calls — design alternatives, performance-based approaches, unusual conditions — rather than spending hours counting fixtures and measuring corridors.