When people think of land surveying, they immediately picture a duo of high-vis workers blocking the footpath with their tripod and… is that a camera? Sure, land surveying is a mystery to people outside of the industry, but this makes sense – after all, it is a complex field!
But if you’re interested in the craft or, of course, looking for the right type for your application, it’s important to know that there are four main types of land surveying, including the following:
1.Boundary surveying
The boundary survey, commonly referred to as identification surveying, is a type of cadastral surveying used to define a property’s specific borders. They are a routine part of all development projects to understand the land and any potential problems that may arise in the future.
As the land’s boundaries change over time, confusion can grow, and therefore it is essential to evaluate the property to clear up these issues before they come to fruition. Throughout the evaluation, the experts will perform original property title research, enlisting specific measuring equipment to form the borders, property size and location. This is why they are so important for subdivision projects, development and new builds.
2.Feature surveying
The property’s size and location aren’t the only form of surveying that must be conducted for development projects. Therefore, feature surveying is employed to learn more details about the property, including:
- Pre-existing structures & buildings
- Trees & other vegetation
- Fences
- Service runs & utilities
- Surrounding properties & builds
- Retaining walls
This information is incredibly useful for large scale builds, and can be utilised to improve timeline and trade estimates, as well as avoiding damaging any important features or utilities throughout the building process.
3.Topographic surveying
A property’s contours and terrain are crucial to designing and planning new developments. Even small issues like gentle slopes can completely alter a project’s trajectory, so this form of evaluation is employed to provide information that is imperative to planning.
Modern cadastral surveyors typically utilise LiDAR sensors to evaluate the land. Depending on your requirements, the professional could even utilise aerial techniques like drones to produce a 3D render of the property that can be enlisted for modelling the development utilising CAD technology.
4.Construction & engineering surveying
Finally, construction and engineering evaluations are performed to assist in the planning and approvals stage of development. The experts are typically required throughout this process to ensure the work being undertaken is highly accurate. These evaluations are performed before, throughout and once the job is completed.
Typical evaluations include:
- Preconstruction: Before the job can begin, preconstruction evaluations are enlisted to help identify pre-existing site damage and other problems that could cause issues for the job at hand;
- Set-out: Professionals utilise high quality measuring technology to pinpoint the exact location of anything being built and this is done in alignment with the approved plans;
- Site monitoring: Monitoring surveys can pinpoint small changes on structures and development sites. This type of evaluation includes making multiple trips to the site to search for any changes;
- Constructed evaluations: Once building is complete, the builders should produce an ADAC or constructed survey to show the finished work.
We hope this piece has shed some light on a field that runs so much deeper than what you may have thought about it before having a read! What’s more, if you’re in need of professional surveyors to evaluate your property, perhaps this can help you decide on which style is ideal for what you need done.
Of course, you can always contact the experts for a chat about the work you need completed – they will be happy to help!