The Virtual Job Site: Skender's Workflow for Measurable, Photorealistic Construction Documentation

Case Studies2025.05.167 min read

How a single technology pivot can compress field time from days to minutes while giving every trade partner access to a virtual jobsite.

Skender Construction's reality-capture program shows how a single technology pivot can compress field time from days to minutes while giving every trade partner access to a virtual jobsite. By enhancing isolated tripod laser scans and scattered 360 photos with XGRIDS Multi-SLAM plus 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) solutions, the leading general contractor in Chicago now hands stakeholders a photorealistic, measurable model within hours of capture—driving faster bids, tighter estimates, and fewer change orders.

Client Profile

Company: Skender Construction

Industry: Construction

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Project Types: New construction and interior buildout for office, multifamily, healthcare and life sciences.

Tech Champion: Ben Stocker, Senior Construction Technologist

Why Traditional Workflows Fell Short

Skender's existing documentation methods faced several operational inefficiencies:

Time-Intensive Scanning: Site documentation with tripod scanners required 7-8 hours for a 50,000 sq ft space, delaying critical data delivery to decision-makers.
Fragmented Documentation: During pre-construction site walks, each trade partner collected their own disconnected photos, measurements, and notes, leading to gaps and more time spent comparing and collating findings.
Limited Verification: Teams couldn't easily revisit site conditions after initial walkthroughs, leading to missed scope items and inaccurate estimates.
Technical Barriers: Point clouds alone were difficult for non-technical stakeholders to interpret, while traditional photography provided limited spatial context.

"When I first started in this industry, we were just going around with point-and-shoot cameras. At best, you would have numbers on a PDF with arrows pointing to photo locations,” explains Ben Stocker.

The XGRIDS Solution

Skender implemented XGRIDS' Multi-Slam + 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) technology, which combines:

Handheld SLAM-based LiDAR scanning (K1 and L2 Pro devices) for centimeter-level rapid spatial capture with simple walkthroughs
Multi-camera visual capture for photorealistic representation

The XGRIDS LixelCyberColor (LCC studio) software enables:

Merging point cloud data with visual information to create measurable, stunning photorealistic models
Shareable web links for easy distribution to all project stakeholders

This integrated solution enables Skender to:

Create measurable, photorealistic 3D captures of construction sites with centimeter-level accuracy
Document progress consistently with precisely aligned repeat scans
Generate shareable web links for easy distribution to all stakeholders
Dramatically reduce documentation time while improving data comprehensiveness

Implementation: Real-World Applications

Skender deployed the technology across multiple project types, showcasing its versatility:

Office Renovation

https://lcc-viewer.xgrids.com/?data=https://da9i2vj1xvtoc.cloudfront.net/prdfr/user-pub/18923282/18923282522136624/1673/Vital+Proteins+L2.lcc

For a two-floor office space where the previous tenant had moved out, Skender needed comprehensive documentation for the new tenant build-out.

Challenge: Traditional documentation would have required multiple team members spending 2-3 hours walking the space, taking photos, and notes, with inevitable gaps in coverage.

Solution: Using the K1 scanner, Skender Captured complete floor documentation in just 12 minutes per floor—a task that would have taken hours with traditional methods.

Results:

Complete documentation finished in under 30 minutes

Every room, stairwell, and specialized space fully captured in measurable point cloud and colored model that stakeholders could interact with
All trade partners received comprehensive data through shareable links

"I was there with about 20 other subcontractors, and they had about two or three hours to walk around taking pictures and notes. I was out of there in under half an hour while capturing everything. I went into every office, stairwell, and even their yoga room—I guarantee all those other people just took a handful of pictures and missed a lot of things," notes Stocker.

Preconstruction for Scan to BIM

https://lcc-viewer.xgrids.com/?data=https://da9i2vj1xvtoc.cloudfront.net/prdfr/user-pub/18891609/18891609522644641/1794/meta.lcc

Documentation of a 50,000 sq ft per floor, four-story commercial building demonstrated internally to showcase XGRIDS capabilities for scan-to-BIM workflows.

Challenge: Traditional tripod scanning required 5 full days (4 days for interiors, 1 day for exterior) plus significant post-processing time.

Solution: Skender deployed the XGRIDS K1 scanner to capture comprehensive spatial data for scan-to-BIM conversion.

Results: 97% reduction in scanning time (8 hours to 17 minutes per floor)

Total project time reduced from 5+ days to a few hours
Processing time reduced from manual intensive work to automated processing
Point cloud data quality sufficient for architectural modeling requirements

"That level of increased efficiency means getting the data to the right people quicker and making decisions quicker. And time is money!" emphasizes Stocker.

Tenant Expansion Project

https://lcc-viewer.xgrids.com/?data=https://da9i2vj1xvtoc.cloudfront.net/prdfr/user-pub/18923282/18923282511660680/1025

Challenge: A tenant sought to expand into an adjacent 40,000 sq ft empty space. Traditionally, trade partners would conduct a single site walk, each collecting their own disconnected documentation—often missing critical details after returning to their offices.

Solution: Skender deployed XGRIDS scanning technology to capture comprehensive spatial data of the entire expansion area in a single walkthrough.

Process:

Complete site scan performed in minutes versus hours for traditional documentation
LCC model processed and shareable link generated within hours
Link distributed to all project team members and trade partners bidding on the project

Results: The shareable documentation eliminated information silos, enabled virtual site revisits, and ultimately improved bid accuracy by minimizing missed scope items.

"Giving everyone great documentation like this means they have more information when bidding the job. That means their bids will be more accurate, and there will be less missed scope items and rework while building the job," explains Stocker.

Pre-Pour Concrete Documentation on New Construction

https://lcc-viewer.xgrids.com/pub/dbaxkd-jpmc-l1-deck

Skender needed to document in-slab components for a new three-story building prior to concrete pouring to preserve critical reference information.

Challenge: Tight timeframe between completion of in-slab component installation (evening) and scheduled concrete pour (early next morning). Traditional documentation methods like photos would be time-consuming and lack spatial context.

Solution: Skender deployed the XGRIDS L2 Pro scanner to rapidly capture all in-slab elements including sleeves, rebar, and post-tension cables before they were permanently concealed. The 11,000 sq ft area was captured in 15 minutes, where the operator carefully navigated around tripping hazards in the construction environment.

Results:

Complete documentation captured within the critical window before concrete pouring
Photorealistic gaussian splat model clearly shows thin elements that point clouds typically struggle to represent
Measurable model provides ongoing reference for future work requiring knowledge of concealed components

"The result is great. This should be highly recommended to all teams for pre-pour documentation. So much easier than a million photos, 360 photos, etc.," reported the project superintendent after reviewing the deliverable.

Hospital Above-Ceiling Scanning

Skender needed to document structural steel in the ceiling of an active hospital lab to analyze structural capacity.

Challenge: The team could only open one ceiling tile at a time, required dust containment "tents" for each opening, and couldn't remove the entire ceiling due to the active hospital environment.

Solution: Using the L2 Pro's superior overhead scanning capabilities, Skender created isolated scans at seven critical locations.

“The L2 Pro was perfect for this because we could only open one ceiling tile per location. Being able to just raise the scanner above the ceiling and scan in a very tight environment, we captured critical structural elements that would have been impossible to document with a tripod scanner," explains Stocker.

Measurable Business Impact

Dramatic Time Savings

97% field-time reduction: 7-8 hours with a tripod to just 17 minutes with XGRIDS for a 50,000 sq ft space
Same-day deliverables: raw data processed in ~3 hrs on a single workstation; links sent before end-of-day.
Modeling efficiency: L2 Pro clouds accepted for production Revit models, avoiding dual-capture workflows.
Virtual verification: Eliminated the need for multiple return site visits for measurement verification

Enhanced Bidding Accuracy

Provided comprehensive site information to all trade partners simultaneously
Reduced missed scope items through complete spatial documentation
Improved estimation accuracy with measurable 3D documentation

Workflow Integration

Housed all reality capture data with links to LCC models
Enabled strategic selection between K1 (for general architectural documentation) and L2 Pro (for detailed MEP documentation)
Supported architectural BIM modeling with comprehensive point cloud data
Included reality capture data with DroneDeploy
Gauzilla Pro for AI segmentation

Implementation Strategy and Training

Skender has taken a phased approach to implementation:

Proof of Concept: Initial demonstrations with both K1 and L2 Pro devices on a 50,000 sq ft space
Strategic Adoption: Started with K1 for general documentation needs
Specialized Use Cases: Borrowed or rented L2 Pro for specialized needs like above-ceiling scanning
Training Approach: Custom video tutorials showing team members how to use the viewer with their own project data

"I like making narrated videos for each new team using the technology. I'll open up their data in the LCC viewer and show them how to take measurements and navigate. People always learn better when they see their own project data," explains Stocker.

Key Differentiators

The XGRIDS platform provided several advantages over previous documentation methods for construction documentation:

Feature	Previous Limitation	XGRIDS Solution
Measurement	Visual documentation typically separate from measurement	Direct measurement within photorealistic view
Capture Speed	Extensive photography required for photogrammetry	Walk-and-capture workflow similar to 360° photography
Material Handling	Glass and reflective surfaces problematic	Properly renders all material types
Context	Limited to immediate construction area	Maintains full environmental context
Processing	Cloud training required for most solutions	Local processing option for sensitive projects, cloud option for sharing
Progress Tracking	Manual alignment of different time points	Automated alignment of repeat scans via Gauzilla Pro

Conclusion

The implementation of XGRIDS' 3D Gaussian Splatting technology has fundamentally transformed how Skender captures, measures, and communicates construction progress. By combining the measurement precision of point clouds with the visual fidelity of neural rendering, the solution bridges the gap between technical requirements and stakeholder communication.

"Most of the capabilities I've demonstrated didn't exist just one year ago," notes Stocker. "It's a really exciting space right now where things are moving fast. New features and capabilities are emerging rapidly."

For construction firms facing similar documentation challenges, the XGRIDS solution offers a compelling alternative to traditional methods with immediate benefits for project teams, management, and clients.

Learn More

Stay Updated

Follow the LCC product launch updates for more case studies and use cases of 3D Gaussian Splatting in construction and beyond.

Watch Ben's Presentations

Watch Ben's GTC Presentation: “Revolutionizing Construction Visualizations and Analyses with GeoAI, Radiance Fields, and Gaussian Splatting"

Watch Ben's GeoWeek Talk: "3D Gaussian Splatting in Construction"

Connect

Connect with Ben Stocker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bstocker/