Compared paper plans to my iPad on a job in Houston last month

I was running a small commercial build out near the Galleria and my GC handed me a full set of printed blueprints. I usually run everything off my iPad in PlanGrid, but I figured I'd give paper a shot for old times sake. By day two, I had coffee rings on half the sheets and a tear where I folded it wrong. The kicker was when I needed section A7.1 and realized I left it back in the trailer. On my iPad I just tapped and zoomed. Paper made me walk 200 feet every time I needed a detail. Who else has gone digital and never looked back? What app do you use for redlines?

3 comments

3 Comments

young.kim9d ago

Man that coffee ring story hits close to home. I remember rolling up a set of plans that got soaked in a light rain and the ink started bleeding all over. Digital saved me too but I gotta ask - how do you handle the battery situation on longer days? My iPad dies around 3pm if I'm running PlanGrid and the sun is bright, so I keep a backup battery pack in my vest. Do you ever run into that problem or did you find a good way to manage battery life on site? Also curious about your redline workflow - are you using the iPad pencil or just typing notes?

drew559d ago

That first rain bleed is what finally got me to switch too... but nobody ever talks about how paper plans can mess up your back. I had to carry around a 2-foot roll of 24x36 sheets for a week and my shoulder was shot. iPad weighs nothing compared to that.

the_sam9d ago

The battery thing is real but I found a different fix. I just keep my iPad brightness cranked down and wear a wide brim hat most of the time. The hat makes me look like I am about to start fly fishing but it cuts the glare enough that I can keep the screen dim. My real problem is the pencil. I lost three of them on different jobs before I just gave up and started using my finger for redlines. The notes look like a toddler drew them but at least I am not buying a forty dollar pencil every month. Your backup battery vest sounds smart though. I might steal that idea.