Combined vs Separate Survey: What You Get
| Factor | Combined Survey | Separate Surveys | | --- | --- | --- | | Site visits | 1 mobilisation | 2 mobilisations | | Total site time | 4–8 hours | 6–12 hours | | Drawing production | 5–8 days | 8–14 days | | Total delivery | 7–12 days | 10–18 days | | Price | £900–£1,500 | £1,200–£2,000 |
When to Choose a Combined Survey
| Scenario | Why Combined Works | | --- | --- | | Extension with garden | Single visit covers both | | New build with site | One site covers building + land | | Planning application | Both drawings from one survey | | Party wall award | Single schedule of condition |
Combined Measured Building and Topographical Survey Template
A well-defined survey brief produces better survey results. This template helps you specify combined measured building and topographical surveys accurately.
Site Information
Site address and postcode. Extent of survey area. Existing structures on site. Adjacent properties. Access arrangements and parking.
Site information should include: site address, postcode, and site plan showing the survey extent. Identify all buildings on site and any neighbouring properties that may require monitoring or party wall surveys.
Survey Scope
Measured building survey: buildings to be surveyed, floor plans required, elevations required, sections required, level data required for basements or multi-level structures.
Topographical survey: site extent, levels to drainage outfalls, boundary features, existing structures on site, levels to adjacent properties.
Deliverables
Drawing formats: DWG files for CAD workflows, PDF drawings for reference and submission. Coordinate reference system and datum. Contour interval and spot level density.
Specify deliverables clearly. DWG format for AutoCAD and Revit workflows. PDF for reference and planning submissions. Contour interval of 0.5m or 1m depending on site complexity. Spot levels at regular intervals and at level-change features.
Accuracy Requirements
Measured building survey accuracy: positional accuracy typically plus or minus 20mm, level accuracy typically plus or minus 15mm.
Topographical survey accuracy: level accuracy typically plus or minus 15mm for standard surveys. Higher accuracy for engineering or drainage applications.
Programme
Survey date and access requirements. Turnaround time required. Report and drawing delivery dates.
Programme should confirm: date of site visit, number of days on site, date of deliverables delivery. Allow time for senior surveyor review and quality assurance.
Surveyor Requirements
RICS-accredited surveyors with professional indemnity insurance. Senior surveyor review of all deliverables before delivery.
Surveyor requirements should include: professional qualification, insurance levels, experience on similar projects. Ask about surveyor qualifications before commissioning.
Fixed-Fee Pricing
Fixed-fee survey packages confirmed before instruction. No hidden charges. Scope confirmed in writing.
Fixed-fee pricing provides budget certainty. Confirm all elements of the survey scope are included in the fixed fee. Ask about additional charges for extended scope or rush turnaround.
Contact and Brief
Provide site address, survey scope, deliverables required, programme, and contact details when requesting a quote.
Measured Building Survey Elements
Measured building surveys should include: all floor levels of the building, external elevations on all sides, sections through the building at key locations, stair dimensions and headroom measurements, window and door positions and dimensions, ceiling heights at each floor level, feature details for period properties, and boundary and party wall positions.
Measured building survey elements vary by property type. Victorian properties require detailed feature recording. Contemporary buildings require accurate floor plans and elevations. Basement areas require level measurements and section cuts.
Measured building surveys reviewed by senior surveyor before delivery. Measured deliverables include DWG files for CAD workflows and PDF drawings for reference. Measured surveys referenced to Ordnance Survey datum or site-established datum.
Topographical Survey Elements
Topographical surveys should include: site boundary and extent, ground surface levels at regular intervals, levels to all drainage outfalls and inspection chambers, boundary features including walls, fences, and gates, existing structures on site including outbuildings and hardstanding, levels to adjacent properties and highways, and trees and vegetation with trunk positions and canopy spread.
Topographical survey elements vary by site complexity. Simple sites require spot levels at regular intervals. Complex sites require detailed level capture at all level-change features.
Topographical surveys include contour plans and spot levels. Topographical deliverables in DWG and PDF formats. Topographical surveys reviewed by senior surveyor. Topographical surveys referenced to Ordnance Survey datum.
Coordinate Reference and Datum
All survey data should be referenced to a defined coordinate system and datum. Ordnance Survey National Grid for coordinates and Ordnance Survey datum for levels. Site-established coordinate system for projects with local reference.
Coordinate reference should be confirmed before surveying begins. Changing coordinate reference after surveying is complete is difficult and may introduce errors.
Datum for levels should be Ordnance Survey datum. Site benchmarks should be established and documented. Level datum should be consistent throughout the survey deliverables.
Surveyor Selection
Select surveyors based on: professional qualification, RICS accreditation preferred, professional indemnity insurance, experience on similar projects, fixed-fee pricing, and senior surveyor review of deliverables.
Surveyor selection criteria should include: professional qualification and insurance, experience on similar property types and survey requirements, fixed-fee pricing with no hidden charges, and quality assurance processes including senior surveyor review.
Ask about surveyor qualifications before commissioning. Confirm professional indemnity insurance levels. Confirm deliverables will be reviewed by senior surveyor before delivery.
Brief Template Summary
Survey brief summary: site address and postcode, survey scope including measured surveys and topographical surveys, deliverables including drawing formats and coordinate reference, programme including site visit dates and delivery dates, surveyor requirements including qualifications and insurance, fixed-fee pricing confirmed before instruction.
Use this template to brief surveyors accurately. Clear briefs produce accurate surveys. Accurate surveys support successful projects.
Revision and Additional Charges
Confirm what is included in the fixed fee and what constitutes additional scope. Additional areas, additional deliverables, and extended programme all constitute additional scope.
Survey scope should be confirmed in writing before instruction. Any changes to scope should be agreed in writing with revised pricing confirmed.
Survey Report
Survey reports should include: survey date and site conditions, methodology used, coordinate reference and datum, accuracy statement, deliverables provided, and any limitations or access restrictions.
Survey reports provide professional documentation of the survey methodology and results. Reports should be reviewed by senior surveyor before delivery.
Contact icelabz
icelabz provides combined measured building and topographical surveys. Fixed-fee pricing with no hidden charges. Senior surveyor review of all deliverables.
Contact icelabz with your survey brief for a fixed-fee quote.