New Year New Project: Survey Planning for Architects and Developers in Q1
Q1 (January to March) is the peak commissioning window for UK architects and developers. Design teams start the year's projects, planning submissions need to be in front of local authorities by the end of Q1 for an early-Q3 determination, and construction programmes that target a spring start need setting out in March. This guide walks through the Q1 survey priorities, the commissioning windows for each survey type, and the 2026 cost bands as a planning reference.
Why Q1 is the peak window
Three things drive Q1 demand:
- Design teams start new projects — the architecture and planning studios that have been quiet over the December break are commissioning surveys from the first week of January.
- Planning deadlines — most local authorities target a 13-week determination for major applications and 8 weeks for minor applications. To get a Q3 determination, the application needs to be in by mid-Q1, which means the surveys need to be commissioned in Q4 of the previous year or early Q1.
- Spring construction start — projects targeting a spring start need setting out in March, and the surveys that feed the setting out (topographical, measured building) need to be in place by the end of Q1.
The five Q1 survey priorities
| Priority | Survey type | Why commission in Q1 | | --- | --- | --- | | 1. Pre-planning measured building | Measured building survey | Architect needs existing drawings to start the design | | 2. Pre-planning topographical | Topographical survey | Planning submission needs the site in OS coordinates | | 3. Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) baseline | Habitat survey | Statutory requirement under the Environment Act 2021 | | 4. BIM | Scan to BIM | Early BIM data feeds the design development | | 5. Setting out | Setting out survey | Construction start in March or April |
The Q1 commissioning programme
| Month | Surveys to commission | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | January | Pre-planning measured building and topographical | Architect needs existing drawings for design; planning submission by end of Q1 | | February | BIM surveys (scan to BIM) | Design development in March needs the BIM model | | March | Setting out | Construction start in March or April |
Q1 by project type
| Project | Survey needed | Commission when | | --- | --- | --- | | Rear or side extension | Measured building | January | | Loft conversion | Measured building | January | | New build on a cleared site | Topographical + setting out | January (topo) and March (setting out) | | New build on a site with existing building | Combined (topo + measured building) | January | | Basement excavation | Combined + monitoring | January (combined) and ongoing (monitoring) | | Conservation-area project | Measured building + topographical | January | | BIM Level 2 project | Scan to BIM | February | | Listed-building heritage recording | Scan to BIM (high accuracy) | February | | Section 80 / party wall works | Measured building + monitoring | January |
2026 Q1 cost bands (ex VAT, UK planning reference)
| Survey | Cost band | | --- | --- | | Measured building (small house) | £595–£1,500 | | Measured building (large or complex) | £1,500–£3,500+ | | Topographical (small site) | £595–£800 | | Topographical (medium or large) | £800–£2,500+ | | Combined (measured + topographical) | £900–£2,000 | | Scan to BIM (LOD 200) | £1,200–£2,500 | | Scan to BIM (LOD 300) | £2,000–£5,000+ | | Setting out | £400–£1,200 per stage | | Monitoring | £295–£495 per visit |
These are 2026 UK planning-reference figures. icelabz provides fixed-fee quotes within 24 hours, and survey work typically starts within 5–10 working days of instruction.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) — the Q1 gotcha
Since the Environment Act 2021 came into force, most planning applications in England need to demonstrate a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain. The baseline habitat survey needs to be commissioned before the planning application is submitted, and the survey must be no more than 3 years old at the date of application. For a Q1 planning submission, the habitat survey needs to be in the field in Q4 of the previous year or very early Q1.
If you are submitting a planning application in Q1 and have not yet commissioned a BNG baseline habitat survey, contact icelabz urgently. The BNG assessment is a separate engagement from the topographical survey and typically needs a different specialist (an ecologist), but the survey windows overlap.
The icelabz Q1 service
icelabz provides fixed-fee surveys for UK architects and developers, with a senior surveyor reviewing every project before issue. Q1 is our busiest period, so book early — fixed-fee quotes are issued within 24 hours, but the site-visit window can run 2–3 weeks ahead in January and February.
Contact icelabz with your Q1 project requirements for a fixed-fee quote.