If you are considering starting building work on any piece of land, it is vital that you have the land properly surveyed before you begin work. It can be tempting rush into planning and developing your new construction but if you don't obtain a detailed survey from a qualified surveying service and arrange for all of the relevant permits then you risk having to tear down your newly completed building at your own expense.

How land surveyors can help

Before a permit can be issued you need to identify exactly where your building will be sited. Hiring land surveyors is the best way to accurately determine the boundaries of your property and to pinpoint the precise location the of the new building. Land surveyors will be responsible for measuring and marking out your land. They will thoroughly investigate the site to find the boundaries and ensure that any legal complications regarding ownership or land usage are avoided.

It is much safer to complete all these investigations at the start before building work has begun. Encountering a legal claim when the building is already under construction or even completed could be potentially disastrous.

What does land surveying look like?

You need to commission a detailed report from your land surveyors. The report will contain all the information needed to support whatever permit applications you will make to your local authorities. The land surveyors will gather the information for their report by measuring your land. They will probably use their theodolites to accurately measure the horizontal and vertical planes of the building site.

Once the physical parameters of the site have been determined and the location of your building work has been pinpointed it will be time to stake out the land. Staking out the land may be completed by the land surveyors although it is often completed by the builder using the information provided by the surveyor. Staking out the land in this way ensures that any building work will take place at exactly the right spot and that the finished building will accurately correspond to the plans submitted for approval.

Your chosen team of building surveyors will be a vital part of your building team. If you have any worries or concerns regarding your land or your building project it is vital that you discuss them with the surveyors. They will be best placed to help you resolve these issues before the building work begins.