What is a Measured Building Survey?
posted 1st July 2024
A measured building survey is an important part of any construction project. The survey is carried out before any building work starts. A measured building survey is an accurate survey that produces detailed drawings, including elevations, sectional drawings, and floor plans.
Measured building surveys are digitalised models of the building, helping designers and architects with their building design proposal. They take accurate measurements to produce CAD drawings, either in 2D or 3D. They provide outstanding detail with good accuracy, delivery times, and costs.
They vary in detail based on the type of survey you need. A basic survey includes walls, windows, doors, and any level changes, while complex surveys includes plumbing, electrical, and other precise information.
When Do I Need a Measured Building Survey?
Measured building surveys are essential at the start of a building project, serving as the foundation of the design process. Without the accurate data provided in the survey, you can experience a number of problems during the building process, including:
- Incorrectly sized designs
- Over ordering of materials
- Local planning authority issues
- Over running costs
- Delays with your project
With inadequate data, you can experience a wide range of problems. As the project develops, you can find various issues that can increase the cost and cause expensive delays. These surveys ensure that architect plans are accurate in terms of floor areas, heights of rooms, room widths, and more.
How is a Measured Building Survey Carried Out?
The survey is carried out on-site, capturing every detail specified by the client. The survey is completed to accurately measure and capture data that can be drawn up using specialist software to produce 2D or 3D models.
Traditional surveys were carried out using tape measures, rulers, measuring wheels, and laser disto metres This often resulted in the surveyor having to be on site for extended periods, also increasing the risk of human error. Thanks to advancements in technology, today’s measured building surveys are carried out using 3D laser scanners that emit thousands of laser pulses a second. Each pulse bounces from the scanner to the object and back, measuring the distance with high accuracy.
The laser scanner is able to gather a lot of data quickly and accurately. Once the data is collected, the surveyor will upload the information using the specialist software in their office, stitching the data together to create accurate drawings, maps, and plans.
How Long Does it Take to Complete a Measured Building Survey?
There are a number of factors that will determine how long it will take for your measured building survey to be completed. The size of the property, along with the details required, all play a role in the time it takes to complete.
On average, you can expect a surveyor to be on-site for three to four hours if they are measuring a three bedroom house. Once returned to the office, it will take an additional few days to get the drawings requested.
What Does the Office Work Involve?
Once the surveyor returns to their office with the data captured by the scanner, they need to analyse and sort the information, drawing up the information using CAD software.
Based on your project requirements, they can draw up:
- Floor plans
- Elevations
- Roof plans
- Sections
- Street elevations
- and more
Conclusion
Whether you are extending your family home or you are planning on building a large shopping centre, you will need a measured building survey before any work begins to ensure accurate data that can be used in creating floor plans, elevations, and more. With the accurate data provided by the survey, you reduce the risk of expensive delays and problems during the build process.