Digitize Old Floor Plans: From Paper, PDF or Sketch to a Correct AutoCAD Drawing

Digitizing an old floor plan means the plan that exists only on paper, as a PDF or as a sketch is redrawn by hand in AutoCAD — the result is a to-scale, correct and fully editable DWG file plus a clean PDF. This guide covers what can be digitized, how the work proceeds step by step, what you get back and what the price depends on. We write from experience: since 2023 we have digitized drawings for clients in 12 countries.

What drawings can be digitized?

Almost any: an old PDF, a scanned paper drawing, a phone photo, a hand-drawn sketch or an outdated DWG file all work as source material. Floor plans and apartment plans are the most common jobs, but the same workflow applies to elevations, sections, site plans, and electrical and other technical drawings.

Poor quality is rarely a problem. If a dimension is illegible or the old plan shows walls that no longer exist, we ask — we don't guess.

How does the digitization process work?

The work takes five steps: you send the files, we estimate the scope and send a free quote, we redraw in AutoCAD, you review the draft, and after the approved corrections you receive the final files.

The key difference from automatic converters: we don't run your file through software — we redraw every line by hand. That is the only way to get logical layers and a to-scale drawing you can actually keep working with. The review draft carries a watermark; the final files are clean. Reasonable adjustments are included in the price; larger changes are agreed separately.

We have also documented the same process with pictures in a step-by-step guide from paper drawing to digital floor plan.

What do you get back?

The standard output is two files: an editable AutoCAD DWG and a correct PDF. The DWG has logically organized layers and the drawing is to scale, so you can use it right away as a basis for design work or renovation. On request we add room names, areas, dimensions, furniture or the north arrow. Real estate marketing plans are styled with your brand colors and logo — many agents order exactly that.

How much does it cost to digitize a floor plan?

The price depends on the number of drawings, the size of the property, the legibility of the source material and the level of detail — which is why there is no fixed price list. The fastest route is to send us the files: we estimate the scope ourselves and reply with a free quote that includes the deadline.

The range is wide: you can order a single apartment plan, and our largest project was over 800 pages of technical drawings for an international marine company. For a mid-size technical project, see the case study on digitizing MEP drawings from paper to CAD.

A real example: a new floor plan from an old house drawing

The most common order looks like this: the client has an old drawing of a house, and a new AutoCAD floor plan is drawn from it. See a before-and-after comparison in a new AutoCAD floor plan from an old house drawing. The most frequent surprise in these jobs is that the old drawing doesn't show later renovations — in that case we clarify the changes with the client's photos and measurements before drawing, not after.

Frequently asked questions

Can you draw a plan from a photo or a hand-drawn sketch? Yes. A clear phone photo or a sketch with the main dimensions is enough. The accuracy of the drawing depends on the quality of the source information.

Is a digitized drawing suitable for a building permit? A digitized drawing is a correct base drawing. It does not automatically include the role of a licensed designer or confirmation of code compliance — if you need permit documents, we agree on that separately.

Is the DWG file always included? DWG + PDF is the usual package, but some jobs are ordered as PDF or image only. File formats are agreed in the quote.

If you have a drawing sitting in a drawer or on a server that you can't do anything with, the solution is simple: send us the files for a quote or write directly to info@ruut24.com — you'll get a free quote, and if anything is missing from the source material, we'll tell you right away.