What Are Measured Building Surveys?

Conducting Specialist Structural Analysis For Your Property

The lowdown on what a measured building survey consists of, and the circumstances in which you might require one.

If you’re redeveloping a property, perhaps adding an extension or changing the structure in some way, then it may be necessary for you to have a measured building survey conducted. This type of specialised survey is an accurate and to-scale representation of your property and contains complex details regarding ceiling heights, room widths, elevation and cross-sections that are essential in the work that architects, builders and planning inspectors carry out.

Innovative Technology

Surveyors are typically armed with tablets and a Bluetooth laser distance meter to gather the data they require to calculate the area and put together a plan. This may include components such as a basic floor plan, or a 3d model of the building. They must adhere to the RICS regulations which outline the various standards for carrying out measured surveys of buildings. The latest technology allows all the floors of the property to be linked, so that an image of the entire structure is available to view in real-time. This allows for quick diagnostics when necessary, for instance in establishing a safety plan.

Intricate Details

The purpose of the measured building survey dictates the type of detail that you might expect to see in it. For instance, some surveys might only provide outlines, whereas others might elaborate to include a roof plan, fixtures and fittings or columns and beams. If the surveyor is attending a large building, then it is likely that the property will need to be surveyed in sections to provide a more accurate report.

A surveyor will often start in one corner of the building and then move round in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction until they’ve completed the job. Precision is everything when it comes to measured building surveys – mistakes cost money and waste time on projects, so it pays to work with professional surveyors with plenty of experience under their belt.