Repurposing mid-century labs: Identifying hidden conditions before they become change orders

The shortcomings of early-to-mid-20th-century science buildings are well known—limited flexibility, low floor-to-floor heights, and failing infrastructure—but the most expensive surprises remain hidden until demolition. Undocumented hazardous materials, framing not designed for modern mechanical loads, floors failing vibration-sensitive stiffness, seismic shortfalls, record drawings that disagree with reality, and slabs with significant slope or deflection routinely emerge when design options have narrowed. Presenters distill lessons from multiple case studies and illustrate practical strategies for identifying and quantifying risk early through targeted investigations, laser scanning, and coordinated design—reducing the surprises that drive change orders, schedule slip, and budget pressure during construction.