2025 Survey Costs (ex VAT)
| Property | Standard | Fast Track (+25%) | Rush (+50%) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2–3 bed | £400–£600 | £500–£750 | £600–£900 | | 4+ bed | £500–£800 | £625–£1,000 | £750–£1,200 | | Commercial | £800–£1,500 | £1,000–£1,875 | £1,200–£2,250 |
Survey Deliverables Reference
| Deliverable | Format | Use | | --- | --- | --- | | Floor plans | DWG + PDF | Design reference | | Elevations | DWG + PDF | Planning submission | | Sections | DWG + PDF | Building regulations | | Site plan | DWG + PDF | Planning boundary |
How Do I Brief a London Surveying Company?
Commissioning a survey can feel like a leap in the dark if you have not done it before. What do you need to provide? How detailed should the brief be? What happens if you get it wrong? icelabz provides a straightforward briefing process for architects, developers, contractors, and property owners across London.
What Information Do You Need to Provide?
When you contact a surveying company to commission a survey, you will need to provide:
The property address: The full address of the property to be surveyed, including postcode. If the property is difficult to find, provide directions or a contact name for on-site access.
The purpose of the survey: What will the survey be used for? A planning application, a design project, a party wall matter, a construction project, a facilities management record? The purpose affects the survey specification — a survey for a planning application has different requirements from a survey for a fit-out design project.
The type of survey you need: Measured building survey, topographical survey, scan to BIM, setting out survey, or something else. If you are not sure what type of survey you need, describe the deliverables you require and the surveying company will advise.
The property size and description: The number of floors, the approximate floor area, the property type (house, flat, commercial unit, warehouse), and any unusual features (split levels, basements, complex roof structures).
The deliverables you need: File formats (DWG, PDF, Revit), the scale of drawings, any specific outputs such as BIM models, point clouds, or level schedules.
Your programme: When you need the survey to take place and when you need the deliverables. This allows the surveying company to confirm availability and agree a realistic programme.
What Happens If You Are Not Sure What You Need?
If you are not certain what type of survey you need or what specification to request, describe the project and the information you need, and the surveying company should be able to advise. A good surveying company will ask enough questions to understand your requirements and recommend the appropriate survey type and specification.
For example, if you need accurate floor plans for a planning application, a standard measured building survey is likely to be sufficient. If you need a 3D model for design coordination and facilities management, you will need scan to BIM. If you need both the site levels and the existing building drawings, a combined survey may be the most cost-effective option.
Do not worry if your brief is not perfectly formed — a surveying company that understands its clients' needs will ask the right questions to get to the right specification.
How to Prepare for the Survey Visit
Once the survey is commissioned, there are a few things you can do to ensure the survey goes smoothly. If the property is occupied, let the occupiers know when the surveyor will be visiting and ensure there is access to all areas that need to be surveyed. If there are areas that are locked, cluttered, or otherwise inaccessible, let the surveying company know in advance so they can plan accordingly.
Clear the floors where possible — not essential, but the surveyor can work more quickly and capture more detail if there is clear floor space. If there are specific features you particularly need captured — a particular room, a structural element, a detailed cornice — point these out to the surveyor on the day.
What to Expect After the Survey
After the site visit, the surveying company will process the data and produce the deliverables. The turnaround time depends on the size and complexity of the property and the survey type. For a standard residential measured building survey, the turnaround is typically five to ten working days. For a topographical survey or a more complex survey, it may be longer.
The deliverables will be delivered by email, typically as a ZIP file containing DWG files, PDF files, and any other agreed outputs. If you need the files in a different format or delivered differently, agree this before the survey begins.
Getting a Fixed-Fee Quote
A good surveying company will provide a fixed-fee quote before the survey begins. The quote should set out exactly what is included — the survey type, the deliverables, the file formats, the turnaround time — so there are no surprises when the invoice arrives.
icelabz provides fixed-fee quotes for all survey types across London and the South East. Contact us with your brief and we will confirm the specification and provide a quote within one working day.