Traditional handover is a filing cabinet problem. Owners receive PDFs they can't search, warranties they can't track, and as-builts that don't match what was actually built. The GC spends the final weeks of a project scrambling to compile a documentation package — and the FM team spends the first months of occupancy trying to make sense of it. This is not a process failure. It is a structural problem with paper-based handover.

Digital handover doesn't just digitise the filing cabinet — it replaces it with a structured, navigable model where every room, asset, and system carries its own data. The industry is moving fast in this direction. Here's what it actually means and what a good digital handover package contains.

What digital handover actually means

A digital handover is not a PDF sent by email or a folder of files in a shared drive. It is structured data tied to model elements — not documents in a folder. Every room in the building has a data sheet. Every piece of equipment has its make, model, serial number, warranty expiry, and O&M manual linked directly to its location in the model.

The FM team navigates to a room, clicks on an asset, and sees everything they need — without opening a search engine or calling the GC. This is the difference between a digital handover and a digitised handover. One is a new workflow. The other is the old workflow on a screen.

What a complete digital handover package contains

• As-built BIM model (IFC-compliant, verified against site conditions)
• Room data sheets linked to each space in the model
• Equipment registers with make, model, serial number, and install date for every asset
• Warranty and maintenance schedules tied to individual equipment records
• O&M manuals linked to the equipment elements they describe
• Commissioning records and test results attached to the relevant systems

The cost of getting it wrong

A delayed or incomplete handover adds three to six months to FM onboarding on mid-size commercial projects. In that window, maintenance teams are operating blind — they don't know where assets are, what their service history is, or when warranties expire. This creates liability gaps that owners only discover when something fails. The cost is not just inefficiency — it's risk.

How WeReno structures handover

WeReno builds the handover package continuously throughout the project. As trades install equipment, they populate the asset register in the twin. As commissioning is completed, records attach to the relevant elements. There is no scramble at closeout — the package assembles as you build, and it's complete by practical completion.

The result is a handover that takes hours to receive, not weeks to compile. FM teams are operational from day one. Warranty claims are filed correctly because the data is accurate and attached to the right asset. The building owner gets a digital asset that improves in value as the building operates.

What owners should demand

• A structured BIM file (IFC) that reflects as-built conditions, not design intent
• Room-level data sheets for every space in the building
• A linked asset register with complete equipment records
• A compliance trail for warranties — who installed it, when, and what the terms are