What are the key stages in a construction site survey?
posted 29th October 2024
A construction site survey should always be carried out before any construction work begins. This provides insights into the constraints, size, and quality of the location, assisting in the launch of a successful building project.
What are Construction Site Surveys?
Construction site surveys gather valuable information on a specific piece of land before you start your new build or renovation. It identifies the physical condition of the land, along with the topography, man-made structures, and environmental conditions, highlighting any issues that may arise during the building process.
Construction site surveys are a detailed and complex process of collecting data using a variety of specialist tools, providing valuable information regarding the surface profile, boundaries, soil quality, and other important factors. This is an accurate view to support any design and planning processes, along with influencing land purchases, viability decisions, and zoning options. It can be used as a risk assessment, highlighting hazards and obstacles that could potentially cause problems for your project.
Site surveying involves intensive data collection using tools like tripods, digital levels, and soil augers to gather information on the boundaries, surface profile, and soil quality of the site, along with other factors of interest. This review must be detailed and accurate enough to support subsequent design and planning processes or influence on-site purchases, zoning, and viability decisions. A site survey is also a type of risk assessment since it is used to identify construction hazards and obstacles.
Key Stages in Construction Site Surveys
Construction site surveys vary in how long they take to complete, based on the size and complexity of the piece of land we need to survey. Whatever survey you have chosen for your construction site, there are some key stages that need to be kept in mind:
- Planning - the survey planning stage is where the scope and schedule for the survey is established. Our surveyors research the site before they visit the area, learning about its history, the surrounding environment, and area elevation
- Analysis - this includes the actual on-site survey where our surveyors collect data on drainage patterns, wildlife, and soil composition, to name a few. This is analysed, providing real time data
- Boundaries - specialist equipment is used, along with traditional surveying techniques to determine property boundary lines, enabling your building project to go ahead with confidence, without the risk of encroaching on your neighbours property or easements
- Review infrastructure - this is a very important step to determine gas and sewer lines, determining the land viability for your new build. The physical condition of your neighbours properties are also evaluated during this step
- Report - the final step of the construction site survey is to provide you with a comprehensive and accurate report that can be presented to stakeholders, architects, designers, and contractors
Steps to a Successful Construction Site Survey
There are some important steps to ensure the success and accuracy of your construction site survey:
- Collect accurate data using the latest technologies, including existing property data and topographical information
- Use latest technologies such as GPS mapping, 3D laser scanners, and drone technology
- Ensure you use a professional and experienced land surveyor with experience in the area
- Ensure regulatory compliance, checking the site against local building codes
Conclusion
Construction site surveys rely on advanced equipment and computer software to capture information from a piece of land in a timely manner. With updated and advanced technologies, we are able to capture, analyse and share important information in real time, ensuring the reports we provide are updated and accurate. The MB Survey Solutions team also provide As-Built surveys, which are valuable in helping you keep track of your build, along with the final construction, ideal for maintenance and management. Give the MB Survey Solutions team a call if you need an accurate and reliable construction site survey.