Measured Building Surveys: Everything You Need to Know
Engineering and building surveys are used for a wide range of purposes, but selecting the right type of survey is crucial. Depending on the information you need or the stage you’re at when a project is underway, varying types of surveys may be required. However, one of the most commonly requested – and most useful – is a measured building survey.
What Is a Measured Building Survey?
Before you can determine what type of survey you require, it’s important to understand exactly what each type of survey offers, and one of the most frequent questions we get is, what is a measured building survey?
As the name suggests, a measured building survey is an accurate representation of a building that details every structural or architectural elements. While a measured building survey will show you what a building looks like, more importantly it will detail the specific dimensions of the building and its exterior and interior features.
How Detailed Is a Measured Building Survey?
A measured building survey can be as detailed as you require. In some instances, a developer or architect will request that the measured building survey details the exterior and interior elevations, for example.
Alternatively, a full measured building survey may be carried out, which will detail a wider variety of features, such as:
- Staircases
- Doors
- Windows
- Guttering
- Beams
- Furniture
- Electricity sockets
As you can see, measured building surveys are capable of providing a high level of detail and are frequently used to access accurate data pertaining to both the exterior and interior of a property.
What Are Measured Building Surveys Used For?
Measured building surveys are commissioned and used for a wide variety of purposes, including planned remodels and renovations as well as to preserve records and data relating to historical buildings. In addition to this, a measured building survey may be requested for:
Refurbishments and Structural Changes
If you’re planning to make any changes to a building or to redevelop a property, it’s first necessary to acquire the exact measurements of the building and a measured building survey allows you to do just that.
Sales and Letting
Prior to selling or letting a property, it may be necessary to commission a measured building survey so that prospective buyers or tenants have access to specific measurements and the scope of the property.
Health and Safety
If you want to enhance the health and safety of a building, then a measured building survey can help you to achieve this. Once you have accurate data relating to every aspect of the property, you can identify potential health and safety risks and implement effective mitigation procedures.
Dispute Resolution
On some occasions, a measured building survey may be undertaken to assist in resolving a dispute relating to a property or the land surrounding it. If neighbours disagree over a party wall issue, for example, a measured building survey can be conducted to help determine who is in the right.
While there are many reasons for measured building surveys to be completed, they are most frequently requested when structural changes, interior design updates or redevelopments are planned.
In these circumstances, a measured building survey provides accurate property data that can influence decision-making and prevent potentially costly mistakes. Furthermore, the outcome of a measured building survey allows all parties to agree on subsequent steps to be taken, such as the scope of the redevelopment, the nature of the changes the expected outcome.
How to Do a Measured Building Survey
As well as understanding what is a measured building survey, it’s important to know how a measured building survey is carried out. As you might imagine, the level of detail and accuracy required means that a variety of technologies and in-house expertise are utilised when conducting a measured building survey.
At GeoCart, we use cutting-edge measuring equipment, such as laser scanning technology, to collect detailed building data accurately and efficiently. This allows us to collate data pertaining to the interior and exterior of any property, as well as to produce cross-sections of the building, if required.
As the laser scans the building, it creates a point cloud model, which is essentially a 3D replication of the building that is reduced in size. The point cloud model can then be used in BIM or REVIT applications in conjunction with 3D CAD software to create realistic 3D modelling of the structure.
How Long Does a Measured Building Survey Take?
The time it takes to carry out a measured building survey varies depending on the needs of the client and the scope of the project. A measured building survey on a flat will take substantially less time than a comparative survey on a large-scale commercial property, for example.
Similarly, the scope of the survey and the level of detail required will impact how long it takes for the survey to be completed. If you require just the exterior elevation to be recreated, for example, this will take less time than a more in-depth survey that covers the exterior and interior of the property down to the tiniest feature.
However, our in-house expertise, combined with our range of advanced technology, ensures we’re able to complete any measured building survey with optimal efficiency and in accordance with a pre-agreed timeline.
How Much Does a Measured Building Survey Cost?
Again, the cost of a measured building survey varies depending on the scope of the survey and the building that is being assessed. As our advanced technology allows us to operate with maximum efficiency, this naturally reduces the associated costs and ensures our clients benefit from professional, accurate and cost-effective measured building surveys.
Measured Building Surveys from GeoCart
Whether you’re ready to commission a measured building survey or you’d like to find out more about our range of professional engineering and building surveys, our friendly team is on hand to help. Simply email us at office@www.geocart.co.uk or send us a message here to find out more.
