Surveys for Building a House

Our suite of measured survey services support you from site selection to post-construction. They provide key information to inform the design process and house construction plan. Setting out services ensure the plans for building a home on your land are translated onto the ground with accurate positioning. Clear data and reporting will ensure the numerous professional parties involved all have the same detailed information throughout your project.

Surveys can ensure your project is compliant in various legal areas, including boundaries, planning permissions and building regulations. They also help prevent delays at the planning stage as we can advise you and make sure you have the right information for planning applications.

Getting quality survey information upfront will have a trickle down effect and benefit you throughout the process of designing and building your house. By identifying any issues or alterations needed before construction starts, you can avoid delays and some unexpected costs. Monitoring surveys can also support construction of a more complex site, helping you to keep the build safe and on track.

With the right surveys for building a house in place, you are less likely to have issues arranging connections into utility supplies. They can also show how your site’s proposals interact with the surrounding or built environment. Early surveys provide an accurate and reliable record of the project’s starting point, which helps avoid misunderstandings between different parties.

All new building projects in England must achieve a 10% net gain in biodiversity, so when building your new home you should either create or enhance existing habitats. Getting surveys that look at what’s already on site can help you to make it as sustainable as possible, including for renewable energy.

Whether or not you’ve bought your land yet, ensure you’re clear about the property boundaries and anything that could impact your ability to build a house on your land. Are there utility connections in place? Do you have legal access from a public road? Are there public rights of way? Can your design ideas meet the minimum space standards? All the paperwork will need to be in order before construction can start.

Ensure you’re clear on what rules and regulations you need to consider as part of your house build. You’ll need to apply for planning permission from your local authority. Your local planning department can provide guidance.

Explore your local council’s website for planning applications similar to your own project. This will show you what reports accompanied the application, giving you an idea of the required surveys for building a house like yours. You can also speak to experienced land surveyors, who will be able to advise you on what’s needed for a successful application.

You will probably have made a rough budget early on. However, you should now have a more detailed idea of the costs to build your house. As well as land and construction costs, consider the fees to obtain planning permission, architect designs and other professional services.

You might have the cash to finance the whole build yourself or you might need to obtain a build mortgage. Either way, you should have a contingency fund for anything unexpected, like a sudden jump in the cost of materials.