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 |
Measured Building Survey Brief Template for Architects
Commissioning a measured building survey requires a clear brief. The quality of the brief affects the quality of the survey — a vague or incomplete brief leads to a survey that does not meet your needs, while a well-specified brief produces a survey that provides exactly the information you need for your project. This article provides a practical brief template for architects commissioning measured building surveys, with guidance on each element.
What Is a Survey Brief?
A survey brief is a document that tells the surveying company what you need from the survey. It includes the property details, the purpose of the survey, the deliverables required, and any specific requirements or constraints. A good brief ensures that the surveying company understands what you need and can price and deliver accordingly.
The brief also forms part of the contract between you and the surveying company. If the surveying company delivers drawings that do not meet the brief specification, you have a clear basis for requesting corrections.
Survey Brief Template for Architects
Below is a template brief for a measured building survey. Use this as a starting point and adapt it to your specific project requirements.
Property address: [Full address including postcode]
Property description: [Type of property, approximate floor area, number of floors, approximate year of construction, any notable features]
Purpose of survey: [What will the survey be used for? E.g. planning application for single-storey rear extension; design development for loft conversion; party wall awards for basement excavation]
Survey type: [Measured building survey / Scan to BIM / Topographical survey / Combined survey — delete as applicable]
Deliverables required:
- Floor plans at [scale] — all levels
- External elevation drawings — all faces
- Building section(s) — [number] sections
- Reflected ceiling plans — [yes/no]
- Detail drawings of [specific features if required]
- File formats: [DWG / PDF / RVT / IFC / point cloud — specify which]
- Any other specific deliverables
Property access: [Times when site is accessible, any restrictions, key contact on site]
Occupancy: [Occupied / vacant / partially occupied — and any access constraints]
Planning authority: [If applicable, the planning authority and any specific requirements they have]
Programme: [Required delivery date, any key deadlines]
Contact details: [Name, email, phone for the person managing the survey commission]
Key Elements of the Brief
Property address and description: The surveying company needs the full address — including postcode — to confirm availability and travel logistics. The property description should include the type (house, flat, commercial unit), approximate floor area, number of floors, and any notable features (listed building, complex roof structure, unusual layout). This information allows the surveying company to assess the scope of the survey and provide an accurate quote.
Purpose of the survey: The purpose affects the survey specification. A survey for a planning application may need to meet specific requirements of the planning authority — for example, a particular drawing scale or contour interval. A survey for a party wall award requires specific party wall measurements. A survey for BIM coordination needs to be produced in Revit format with appropriate LOD. Always specify the purpose.
Survey type: Specify whether you need a standard 2D measured building survey, scan to BIM, or another survey type. If you are not sure what type of survey you need, describe the deliverables you require and the surveying company will advise. For most architectural design projects, a standard measured building survey is sufficient. If you need a BIM model for design coordination or FM, specify scan to BIM.
Deliverables: List the specific deliverables you need. For a standard architectural design project, this typically includes floor plans, elevation drawings, and sections in DWG and PDF format. If you need additional deliverables — reflected ceiling plans, detail drawings, BIM models — specify these clearly. Ambiguous deliverables specifications can lead to disputes about whether the surveying company has fulfilled the brief.
File formats: Specify the file formats you need. DWG (AutoCAD) is the standard format for architectural drawings. PDF is the standard format for viewing and printing. If you need Revit format (RVT) for BIM workflows, or IFC for open BIM exchange, specify this. The surveying company should confirm that they can deliver in the formats you need before you instruct them.
Scale: Specify the drawing scale. For residential projects, floor plans are typically at 1:50 or 1:100, and elevations at 1:50 or 1:100. For commercial projects, scales may be 1:100 or 1:200. The appropriate scale depends on the size of the property and the level of detail required. The surveying company should confirm the scale they will use before the survey begins.
Level of detail: Specify if you need detailed measurements of specific features — original cornices, fireplaces, ornamental features, structural elements. Standard surveys capture the basic geometry of the building, but detailed feature surveys require additional time and may cost more. Be clear about what you need.
Access arrangements: Confirm the access arrangements before the site visit. The surveying company needs to know when the property is accessible, who will be present, and any restrictions on access. If there are locked rooms, areas with hazardous materials, or other access constraints, flag these in the brief.
Planning authority requirements: If the survey is for a planning application, confirm any specific requirements of the planning authority. Some authorities have specific requirements for drawing scales, contour intervals, or file formats. The surveying company should be familiar with the requirements of the major London planning authorities and can advise on what is needed.
Programme: Confirm your required delivery date and any key milestones. The surveying company should confirm whether the required delivery date is achievable and flag any conflicts with their current workload. If you need a rush survey, specify this in the brief — it affects the pricing.
Common Mistakes in Survey Briefs
Not specifying the file formats: DWG is not universally compatible — if your design team uses Vectorworks, ArchiCAD, or another CAD package, confirm that the surveying company can deliver in a compatible format. DXF may be a fallback, but it has fewer features than DWG.
Not specifying the survey scale: Different surveying companies use different default scales. If you have a specific scale requirement, state it in the brief.
Not specifying the deliverables: Vague deliverables specifications — "floor plans" without specifying the level of detail, the scale, or the file format — can lead to deliverables that do not meet your needs.
Not specifying access restrictions: If the property has access restrictions — locked rooms, restricted hours, hazardous materials — flag these in the brief. The surveying company can plan around access constraints if they know about them in advance.
Not specifying the purpose: The purpose of the survey affects the specification. A survey for a planning application may need to meet specific requirements that a survey for a design project does not. Always specify the purpose.
How to Use This Template
Copy the template above and complete each section with the specific details of your project. Send the completed brief to the surveying company — ideally by email, so there is a written record of what was agreed.
The surveying company should respond with a quote that confirms the scope, the deliverables, the file formats, the scale, and the delivery date. Before you instruct them, confirm that the quote matches the brief — if there are any discrepancies, resolve them before the site visit begins.
icelabz provides a clear brief template for all measured building survey commissions. When you contact us with your project details, we will confirm the scope and provide a fixed-fee quote that matches your requirements. We are happy to receive briefs in any format — our template is provided as a guide, not a requirement.
Contact us to discuss your project and receive a fixed-fee quote for a measured building survey.