Measured Building Surveys
Working across London & The UK, we help Architects & designers start their building projects with confidence.
Working with architects and designers across London & United Kingdom, our survey team has undertaken over 1500 measured surveying projects ranging from small apartments to large multi-story commercial properties.
We provide our clients with accurate, easy to use CAD, Point Cloud & PDF drawings of their projects.
Why Use THS Concepts?
Excellent 5 Star Reviews
We are proud of the service we provide our clients which is demonstrated in our 5 star Google & Trustpilot reviews left for us.
Experienced Company
As of December 2020, we have completed over 1572 small and large surveying projects across the UK and internationally.
Customer Care
We ensure you are 100% satisfied and happy with the surveys, drawings and service we provide before and after the project is completed.
Environmentally Responsible
We are corporate supporters of the Essex Wildlife Trust and are actively working on projects to reduce waste in Surveying.
What are measured surveys?
A measured building survey is undertaken to obtain dimensional information of a building in order to produce accurate drawings to scale. The level of detail is often dependent on the type of project being undertaken. For instance an estate agent plan doesn’t require the same level of accuracy as a project requiring bespoke steelwork.
Measured building surveys are undertaken by Surveyors using a range of measurement equipment from tape measures to 3D laser scanning devices. The scaled drawings produced are usually provided in CAD (computer aided design) format.
A poor set of measured survey drawings from the outset of your project can have drastic effects on how your build may look when it is finally completed. At best this may be an aesthetic issue, at worst you may have contravened the conditions of your planning application.
In extreme examples, local councils have ordered houses to be demolished as a result of planning conditions not being met.
We have undertaken measured survey work on a number of jobs where elements such as the roof have been built slightly too high, or an extension has been built too far into the garden. The council has then asked for a survey and the new construction had to then be adjusted.
This caused the owners of the properties serious headaches as they had to go back to the planning stage and submit post build applications. Looking back, each owner managed to get their project over the line. However, if they had a measured survey from the outset then the risk of these types of errors happening would be minimal.
A measured survey should be undertaken prior to any construction or refurbishment work so you can correctly design and plan your project. Measured surveys are typically utilised for:
- Planning applications.
- Building regulations.
- As built documentation.
- Quality control during construction works.
- Refurbishment works.
Frustratingly we haven’t got an easy answer this question as the cost of a measured survey has so many factors that influence the price.
Key things that influence the cost of a measured survey include:
- Size of the property to be surveyed.
- The level of detail to be required.
- The distance from the survey companies office (travel costs).
- How accurate the survey needs to be.
For a typical 3 bedroom house with measured survey drawings such as floor plans, elevations and sections you can expect to pay between £1000 and £2000 from an experience measured building survey company.
The cost of the survey includes the actual site visit to measure up and the production of drawings in PDF and CAD formats. This all depends on the size and location of the site, the surveyors’ experience and greediness of the surveying company!
Getting the best price combined with a great survey that is useful, accurate and produced by a reputable company is important! The worst-case scenario is paying over the odds for a measured survey and receiving poor quality drawings that are inaccurate, difficult to manipulate and turned around late.
Example Measured Survey Costs
Here we give you three examples of how much we charged to undertake three fairly standard measured building surveys. The costs quoted included a site survey and producing drawings in CAD and PDF format. We have listed the drawings we provided for each job.
Please note that the costs quoted are heavily based on the distance to the site. Our travel costs are charged from our office in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
4 Bedroom House
- Survey with 3D Scanner
- Floor Plans x 2
- Elevations x 4
- Loft Plan x 1
- Sections x 1
£1650 + VAT
6 Bedroom House
- Survey with 3D Scanner
- Floor Plans x 5
- Elevations x 4
- Sections x 2
- Roof Plan x 1
£3200 + VAT
2 Bedroom Flat
- Survey with 3D Scanner
- Floor Plans x 1
- Elevations x 2
- Sections x 1
- Socket Locations
£900 + VAT
In this guide, we give approximate costs for measured building surveys and provide you with cost-saving tips to reduce the costs of your measured survey.
Tip 1 – Reduce The Measured Survey Scope
Think about where you are undertaking your proposed works. If you are simply adding a loft extension then it may only be necessary to produce floor plans for the top floor of the house. There is no need to survey the whole property as it simply isn’t required for the proposed work.
Tip #2 – Do You Need All That Detail?
The level of detail required can have a massive impact on your measured survey costs. If you need a large property surveyed then a good tip is to specify the areas where you need more detail and where you need less.
There is sometimes no need to survey all areas in high detail. This will save your surveyors’ time and ultimately lower your costs.
Practical Tip: When specifying the area of a property to be surveyed, consider marking up a Google Earth overhead image. Using a program like MS Paint to simply mark up the boundaries of what you need surveying as well as areas where you need less or more detail will help reduce costs.
Tip #3 – Can You Make the Survey Process More Efficient?
The location and type of property that needs surveying can make a huge difference in your survey costs. For instance, surveying a multiple-roomed old house will be more complicated than surveying an open-plan office.
If you have particularly odd-shaped room in your property, it may be worth emptying it so it’s easier and quicker to navigate. Your surveyor will thank you… your bank balance will too!
Tip #4 – Give a Detailed Specification to Avoid Doubt
When getting in contact with a surveying company for a measured survey cost, you must give them all the information they need to accurately price the required works.
Outlining your exact requirements will potentially save you money as the company will know exactly what you do and don’t need out of the survey.
In the specification, you must state elements such as the types of drawing you need, which features are important, etc. Another good idea is to provide photographs of the property if you have them. Photos are really helpful as it gives the survey company a better idea of what the site is like in person.
Tip #5 – Check the Surveyor’s Credentials and Don’t Get Ripped Off!
A measured survey is an important part of any building project and serves as a key component when planning out your property development projects. If you want to save on future costs then ensure the survey company you employ is:
Experienced
Are they a new company that has just started? This may be a sign of inexperience.
Suitably insured
If things do go wrong then it’s comforting knowing that the company you are dealing with is insured.
See previous measured survey projects.
Have a look at examples of work they have produced, does it come across as professional?
Practical Tip: A legitimate survey company should be able to demonstrate their level of customer service through positive reviews from clients, good quality drawings and they should be able to provide insurance certificates.
Tip #6 – Thoroughly Check Your Quote
When you receive a quote from the surveying company, check that it contains all the relevant information you need for your survey. Your company must understand your specification – you don’t want them coming back and asking for more money because they either didn’t understand your specification or they misunderstood it.
It is also worth checking terms and conditions to check there are no additional fees for revisions to the drawing or returning to the site if they haven’t picked something up correctly.
Tip #7 – Request Example Drawings in PDF & CAD
When getting quotes for your measured survey ask for example drawings in both PDF and CAD format. You can then have a little look at the measured survey drawings to see how organised they are, level of detail they typically pick up, etc.
Having a poor quality survey drawing will cost you time and money as you may need to send the surveyor back to site to pick up more detail, thus causing delays!
When getting quotes for your measured survey ask for example drawings in both PDF and CAD format. You can then have a little look at the drawing to see how organised they are, level of detail they typically pick up, etc.
Having a poor quality survey drawing will cost you time and money as you may need to send the surveyor back to site to pick up more detail, thus causing delays!
Site Survey
Our surveyors visit your property and undertake a detailed 3D scan of all the required areas. This allows us to accurately represent your property in an accurate 3D point cloud model.
Office
In the office we take the data from site and begin the process of converting the point cloud data into 2D floor plans, elevations, sections etc. If you wanted a copy of the point cloud file then this is no problem at all.
Sending Drawings
Once the office work has been completed and checked we then send you your DWG & PDF files. The CAD file is very well organised making it easy to undertake the next steps of your project.
A measured survey is a crucial part of any design development and should be undertaken prior to any design development. The end result of a measured survey is the production of computer-aided design (CAD) drawings which your architect/designer uses as a base for their new design.
When sending a measured survey specification to your survey team, your architect will ask for a number of different drawing types depending on the size and complexity of the proposed design. This article aims to outline the various types of drawings they may specify.
Floor Plans
Floor plan drawings are one of the most common drawing types in architecture and building engineering projects. A floor plan is a scaled drawing showing a view from above which clearly defines the relationship of rooms and areas to each other. Floor plans are important as they show elements of a building and where they are positioned. Elements include doors, windows, walls, stairs, overhead beams etc.
A floor plan is one of the first places a designer will start when coming up with their designs. They can help to understand the layout of a room and see whether furniture fits, and obtain accurate floor areas for contractor pricing.
Sections
A section drawing shows a cut through a building as if it has been sliced with a knife and one part has been removed. A section through a building is very useful for a designer as they can clearly see the relationships of the spaces to each other, which may not be clear on a plan.
They are also useful for getting a clearer picture of heights within a building and can show important relationships between items such as ceiling and floor levels. The direction and location of the section lines are usually stated on the floor plan drawing and if drawn correctly will show the section as it is at that exact location.
Elevations
An elevation drawing is a view showing one side of a building. It’s the most common method to show the outside of a building and is useful as it can clearly show what an existing or proposed situation looks like. An elevation drawing can pick up basic information such as the location of doors, windows and steps, as well as more complex features of the building’s façade, such as architectural details above windows and ironmongery.
Depending on the building works taking place an elevation will be required on the building faces that are being changed. For example, a rear extension may require both a rear elevation and a side elevation drawing.
Site Plan / Topographical Plan
A site plan can be defined as a slightly simplified topographical survey. This will show your building in relation to important features such as property boundaries, other buildings on site, large trees etc.
A site plan may also show where inspection chambers are and note their details, including invert levels and drain run directions. Sometimes it is crucial to know where your proposed development sits in regards to other features so issues like planning permission are nullified.
Roof Plan
A roof plan is a view looking from overhead, and it details the arrangement of the roof layout. It will outline the arrangement of the roof as well as noting where items such as the ridges, chimneys, eaves extents are. Roof plans are useful for designers as the layout of a roof could impact a new construction such a loft conversion. Having a good idea of the roof’s specifications can help save money and avoid future problems as issues can be sorted prior to construction.
Surveying a roof can be difficult due to access issues and not being able to see it from ground level. If this is the case then sometimes a roof plan will need to be assumed using internal measurements within the loft area.
A professional survey company have a range of tools and equipment at their disposal to quickly and accurately measure a building. Surveying a building with only a tape measure only is slow, cumbersome and often less accurate. Equipment in a modern surveying companies arsenal include:
- Laser measurer
- Total station
- GPS Equipment
- 3D Scanner
- Cameras
Laser Measurer
A laser measurer device sends out a beam of light and a visual red dot, the distance between the device and where you pointed at is then recorded.
Typically laser measure devices can record distance up to 100 metres. The key advantage of using a laser verses a tape is that a laser is a more consistent, accurate and quicker way of measuring.
Lasers don’t sag over distance, blow around in the wind or require 2 people for big distances!
Total Station
A total station is a very accurate piece of equipment that is used to record existing features and position things you want to build. It is a vital piece of equipment in the construction industry.
A total station is a tripod mounted machine that is setup to record individual measurement points. The measurement points can then be joined together like a dot to dot drawing to form an overall picture. Points can be classified on the instrument as “walls”, “ceiling levels”, “window openings” etc to easily distinguish and draw up in a CAD program.
GPS Equipment
GPS equipment is used to accurately position items to real world co-ordinates. The GPS equipment we use is capable of recording positions to the UK’s national ordnance grid to within 15 mm in height and position. Having your proposed design / existing survey positioned to GPS is useful because:
- Useful for future contractors to position your build (all they need is their own GPS)
- Sometimes a planning requirement to provide heights and positions to an ordnance survey grid.
- You can overlay OS block plans of the local area and everything will fall into the correct position.
3D Scanner
A 3D scanner is a relatively modern piece of equipment that sends out millions of light beams and uses this to form a point cloud. A point cloud is a 3D representation made up of millions of dots.
The point cloud data can then be translated into traditional drawing types such as floor plans, elevations and sections.
Camera
A camera is an important part of the measured survey process. Following the survey works, photos are taken of the survey area and beyond. Often 100’s of photos are taken and are vital to remember how certain areas are arranged when drawing up in CAD. The photos taken can also help designers in the future to match materials or see before and after shots!
The software we use depends on what types of drawings we are producing.
For our point cloud files we issue these as RCP utilising Autodesk Recap.For 2D drawings such as floor plans, elevations and sections we use Autodesk Autocad. For 3D models we use Autodesk Revit.
Yes. The land around your building is often very important when planning a project. We can undertake topographical land surveys to pick up all the detail you require.
Why Do Our Clients Choose Us?
Excellent 5 Star Reviews
We are proud of the service we provide our clients which is demonstrated in our 5 star Google & Trustpilot reviews left for us.
Experienced Company
As of December 2020, we have completed over 1572 small and large surveying projects across the UK and internationally.
Care For Our Customers
We ensure you are 100% satisfied and happy with the surveys, drawings and service we provide before and after the project is completed.
Environmentally Responsible
We are corporate supporters of the Essex Wildlife Trust and are actively working on projects to reduce waste in Surveying.
What Will You Receive?
Site Survey Service
Our experienced surveyors visit your property and undertake a 3D scan of your property. We work to your specifications or suggest our own based on previous jobs.
CAD Drawings
Following your survey, you receive your DWG CAD file showing plans, elevations, sections etc. The drawings will be presented in an organised, easy-to-manipulate format.
PDF Drawings
We also provide your drawings in PDF format, allowing you to easily print, mark up and measure both in the office and while out on site.
Photographs
Our surveyor takes plenty of photos on site, which are often useful during your project. We can send these in an easy-to-download Dropbox Link.
After Care
We ensure you are 100% satisfied with the drawings and service we provide. Updates and amendments are no problem and are undertaken quickly to get your project moving.
CAD Advice & Tips
We love helping you with projects! If you have an issue with CAD or need some tips to work effectively then we are quite happy to help, free of charge.
Get A Quote For Your Project Today
Tell us about your project and we will get straight back to you with a formal quotation for the works. Your quote will include:
- Fixed price to undertake the required works.
- Proposed survey & drawing return date.
Alternative Ways To Contact Us
- Phone: 020 8935 5160
- Email: info@ths-concepts.co.uk
- 92 Bellhouse Lane, Leigh-On-Sea,Essex,SS9 4PQ
Get A Quote For Your Project Today
Tell us about your project and we will get straight back to you with a formal quotation for the works. Your quote will include:
– Fixed price to undertake the required works.
– Proposed survey & drawing return date.
Alternative Ways To Contact Us
- Phone: 020 8935 5160
- Email: info@ths-concepts.co.uk
- 92 Bellhouse Lane, Leigh-On-Sea,Essex,SS9 4PQ
Case Studies & Drawings Examples
