Commercial real estate companies have long struggled to accurately and efficiently document large-scale properties, especially when managing multiple locations. Traditional surveying methods remain expensive and slow, often requiring coordination with several local providers. Advances in 3D scanning technology are changing how businesses approach property documentation and analysis, delivering faster, more consistent results across national portfolios.
VIRTUALSPACE, founded by Basm Mohsen in 2018, is at the forefront of this shift. The company has created a national network of technicians who use Matterport 3D scanning technology to document hundreds of commercial properties at once. What began as a small operation in New York has grown into a platform serving enterprise clients with sites across the United States and Canada.
Building a Technician Network for National Scale
Most Matterport service providers operate as individual photographers who add 3D scanning to their existing services. VIRTUALSPACE chose a different path, recruiting and training a network of technicians across the US and Canada. “We focused on building a network of technicians all over the US and Canada,” Mohsen explains.
This approach addresses a major challenge for large commercial clients: coordinating documentation across multiple sites without managing dozens of separate vendors. “We used those partnerships to take on large-scale projects where a client may need scans all over the country, and they don’t want to manage 30 different vendors, each with their own billing and standards,” Mohsen says.
To manage this distributed workforce, VIRTUALSPACE developed proprietary software. Clients can log in to a central platform to view all scans, invoices, and project details, while technicians receive assignment-specific instructions. “Whenever they show up to a job, they log into the platform, access the mission, and make sure they’re scanning the space according to the scope of work,” Mohsen explains.
Enterprise Projects and Expanded Services
VIRTUALSPACE’s commercial focus has led to projects with major national brands. Recent work includes scanning approximately 500 locations for a quick-service restaurant chain and around 1,000 sites for a major retailer, both completed within 60 days.
The company’s services go beyond basic 3D imaging. Technicians conduct digital surveys that include photos, measurements, and site-specific details. “We do a lot of surveying, not in the traditional sense, but there is some overlap,” Mohsen says. For example, on the restaurant chain project, VIRTUALSPACE documented electrical panels, rooftop units, and other critical infrastructure, enabling the client to create accurate as-built drawings.
Matterport technology provides both visual tours and raw point cloud data, which can be converted into CAD files or Revit models. This streamlines the process of creating documentation for renovations, maintenance, or compliance purposes.
Compared to traditional surveying, the efficiency gains are clear. “If you were to send a surveyor out to get all these measurements manually, it’s very time-consuming and costly, and mistakes are common,” Mohsen notes. 3D scanning allows for rapid, accurate data collection at scale.
Pricing and Market Position
VIRTUALSPACE positions itself between standard photography and high-end laser scanning. Traditional laser scanning from companies like Leica or Faro can cost $5,000 to $10,000 per project. By contrast, VIRTUALSPACE’s pricing starts at $360 for spaces up to 3,000 square feet.
“The Matterport filled in the gap between folders of photos and videos, which lose all context, and expensive high-end laser scanning,” Mohsen explains. The $360 price point was chosen to reflect the camera’s 360-degree capture, and it remains much closer to standard photography rates than to laser scanning fees.
This pricing strategy helps dispel the notion that 3D scanning is prohibitively expensive. “The first thing clients think is that it’s a costly service. It’s not, so they’re usually pleasantly surprised,” Mohsen says.
Organic Growth and Shifting Demand
The COVID-19 pandemic marked a turning point for VIRTUALSPACE. “Once COVID hit, it went from us looking for clients actively to them looking for us,” Mohsen reports. The company has spent little on marketing, relying on word-of-mouth referrals.
This shift reflects growing awareness of the value of 3D scanning in commercial applications. “We’re noticing that it keeps getting busier and there’s more awareness of the use cases outside of residential real estate,” Mohsen observes.
A persistent challenge for clients, however, is finding providers who can deliver consistent results nationwide. Local providers are easy to find, but few companies can offer a single point of contact for national deployments. Mohsen says, “Companies have a difficult time finding someone who can be a one-stop shop and do it all for you.”
Technology Expansion and Future Plans
Looking ahead to 2026, VIRTUALSPACE is broadening its technology stack. The company is integrating with NavVis, a competitor offering higher accuracy than traditional laser scanning systems. “NavVis is more on the accuracy side, up there with Leica and Faro,” Mohsen explains.
Drone services are also being added as a complementary offering, enabling aerial capture and site analysis. “Matterport is more of a base service, and then you have all these upgrades, CAD, BIM for a Revit model, drone capture, NavVis capture, pictures, videos,” Mohsen says.
A major platform update is underway after more than two years of development. The new system will provide instant quotes, educational resources, and interactive demonstrations, with a focus on transparency and ease of use. Mohsen describes it as “more of a platform than a website,” designed to streamline the ordering and project management process for clients.
Industry Impact and Future Outlook
VIRTUALSPACE’s approach demonstrates how specialized technology companies can add value by focusing on operational scale and consistency rather than on technical features alone. By building infrastructure to deploy 3D scanning at scale, the company has solved a real problem for enterprise clients who need reliable, nationwide service.
As commercial real estate firms increasingly adopt digital documentation and analysis tools, companies like VIRTUALSPACE are likely to play a larger role in property management and decision-making. The combination of accessible pricing, national reach, and comprehensive documentation suggests that 3D scanning will move further into the commercial mainstream.
For enterprise clients managing portfolios across multiple locations, the benefits are clear: comprehensive, accurate property documentation at a fraction of traditional costs, delivered by a single vendor with national capabilities. As more businesses recognize these advantages, the demand for scalable 3D scanning services is set to grow, pushing the technology beyond its residential roots and into the core of commercial real estate operations.
