Getting existing conditions into Revit usually means a site visit with a laser measure, a hand sketch, and an hour of redrawing walls. If the space already exists, an iPhone LiDAR scan can collapse that first pass into a few minutes: BeaverPlot captures the room and exports it as an IFC model you can open or link directly in Revit. This guide covers the full path from walk-through to a model in your project.

Good to know

This is a head-start on an as-built, not a replacement for a measured survey. iPhone LiDAR is close, but treat the result as a starting model to verify and refine — not survey-grade geometry to build off blindly.

Why IFC

IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) is the open BIM standard. Rather than a flat drawing or a raw mesh, BeaverPlot exports parametric building elements — walls, doors, windows, openings — that Revit reads as real objects with dimensions. That means you land in Revit with editable geometry, not a picture to trace over.

What you'll need

An iPhone 12 Pro or later Pro model (or a recent iPad Pro) with a LiDAR scanner, on iOS 17+.
BeaverPlot with a Pro subscription — IFC export is a Pro feature.
Revit (2021 or later handles IFC linking well).

From walk-through to Revit

Scan the space

Walk the room slowly with the camera on the walls, doors, and windows so RoomPlan can detect them. New to scanning? The room-scanning guide covers the technique. Scan each connected space you need in the model.

Calibrate against a known dimension

For BIM work this step matters. Measure one wall with a tape, select it, and enter the true length — BeaverPlot scales the whole model to match. Use the longest wall you can for the tightest result.

Export to IFC

Open the project, choose Export, and select IFC. The parametric data (dimensions and layout — not raw point cloud) is processed into an IFC file. Share it to Files, AirDrop, or email straight from the iOS share sheet.

Bring it into Revit

In Revit, use Insert → Link IFC to bring the scan in as an underlay you can trace and model against, or Open → IFC to convert it into native Revit elements. Linking keeps your project model clean and is the usual choice for an existing-conditions reference.

Tip

Set the IFC as a linked reference on its own workset or phase ("Existing"). You keep the scan geometry cleanly separated from new design work and can toggle it off anytime.

Where this fits in a real workflow

The scan gets you a dimensionally close shell fast — ideal for renovation and retrofit work, feasibility studies, or any time you need existing conditions to start designing. Snap Revit's walls to the linked scan, correct anything the tape measure disputes, and you've skipped the blank-canvas redraw entirely.

Common questions

Is IFC export free?

No — IFC export (like DXF and PDF export) is a Pro subscription feature. Scanning, editing, and the on-device USDZ preview are free.

How accurate is it for BIM?

Close enough to start from, especially after you calibrate against a measured wall — but verify critical dimensions on site. It's a head-start on an as-built, not a certified survey.

Can I also get a DXF for AutoCAD?

Yes. The same scan exports to DXF (and PDF) too — pick whichever format your downstream tools use.

A five-minute walk-through, a quick calibration, and an IFC link later, you're modeling in Revit instead of measuring on graph paper.

How to Export an iPhone Scan to Revit (IFC)