If you have never commissioned a land survey before, the process can feel a little opaque. What information do you need to provide upfront? How long will it take? What do you actually receive at the end of it? These are questions we hear regularly from developers, architects, contractors and homeowners who are approaching a survey for the first time.
The good news is that the process is more straightforward than it might appear. This guide walks you through each stage, from making first contact through to receiving your finished survey data, so you know what to expect before you pick up the phone.
What Information Do You Need Before Getting in Touch?
You do not need to have everything figured out before contacting a surveying company. In fact, an initial conversation is often the best way to establish exactly what type of survey you need and what the scope of the work should be.
That said, having a few things to hand will help the conversation move quickly. A rough idea of the site location and its approximate size is useful, as is a sense of what the survey is for: planning permission, a construction project, a refurbishment, asset records, and so on. If you have any existing drawings or OS maps of the site, sharing these early gives the surveyor a better feel for the job before they visit.
You do not need to know which type of survey you need. That is part of what the initial conversation is for.
How Do Surveyors Assess and Quote for a Job?
Once you have made contact, a surveyor will typically ask a series of questions to understand the scope of the work. They will want to know the size and nature of the site, the intended use of the survey data, the level of detail required, and any access considerations that might affect how the survey is carried out.
For straightforward jobs, a quote can often be provided quickly based on this information. For larger or more complex projects, the surveyor may carry out a desktop assessment first, looking at the site using mapping data and satellite imagery before providing a detailed proposal.
The quote should set out clearly what is included: the type of survey, the deliverables, the scale and format of the finished drawings, and the expected turnaround time. If anything is unclear, ask. A good surveying company will be happy to explain exactly what you are paying for.
What Happens on Survey Day?
The site visit is where the data collection takes place. Depending on the type of survey, this might involve a team using GPS equipment, laser scanners, ground penetrating radar, or a combination of tools. For a topographical survey of an open site, the team will typically work systematically across the area, capturing ground levels, site features, boundaries, trees, services and any other relevant detail.
For a measured building survey, the team will work through the structure room by room, capturing internal and external dimensions, heights, openings and any fixed features required by the brief.
Access to the site needs to be arranged in advance, and it is worth flagging anything that might complicate the survey: locked areas, restricted access zones, or any utilities or hazards the team should be aware of.
Survey day is generally unobtrusive. You do not need to be present throughout, though someone being available to answer questions or provide access to specific areas is always helpful.
How Long Does a Land Survey Take?
This varies considerably depending on the type and scale of the survey. A topographical survey of a modest residential plot might be completed in a single day. A large and complex site could take several days of fieldwork. A measured building survey of a multi-storey commercial building will take longer than a survey of a single-storey structure.
Turnaround time for the finished drawings also varies. Straightforward surveys can often be turned around within a few days of the site visit. More complex jobs, or those requiring a high level of detail, will take longer. Your surveyor should give you a realistic estimate at the quoting stage, and flag anything that might affect the timeline.
What Does the Final Deliverable Look Like?
Most surveys are delivered as CAD drawings in DWG or DXF format, along with PDF versions for reference. The specific content depends on the type of survey and what was agreed at the outset.
A topographical survey will typically produce a scaled plan showing ground levels as contours or spot heights, along with all relevant site features. A measured building survey will produce floor plans, elevations and sections. A utility survey will produce a plan showing the location, depth and type of underground services.
If you need the data in a specific format or at a particular scale for your design software, let the surveyor know at the start of the project. It is much easier to agree on the deliverable format upfront than to request changes after the drawings have been produced.
What Should You Do With Your Survey Data?
Survey data is only useful if it gets to the right people in the right format. Share the CAD files with your architect, engineer or contractor as soon as they are ready. Make sure everyone working from the drawings is using the same version. Using outdated survey data is a surprisingly common source of problems on construction projects.
Keep the original files somewhere accessible and backed up. Survey drawings are often referred back to throughout the life of a project, and occasionally years afterwards when further works are planned.
At GeoShape Surveys we carry out topographical surveys, measured building surveys, underground utility surveys and setting-out services across the South West and beyond. If you have a project coming up and want to talk through what is involved, get in touch with our surveying experts for a no-obligation conversation.