Surveying for Residential Building Projects

House Setouts and Certification

A House Setout is a small but critical component of the initial stages of constructing a new dwelling.

• Calculate from approved plans the proposed house or extension.
• Setout the new building in relation to the properties boundaries
• Project Builders, Custom Builders, Renovations, Pool Builders

There is a high risk that a building may not be constructed in the right location on the property, and may not comply with the approved plans and Council setback requirements.  With small lots and zero boundary setbacks now becoming more and more common for new buildings, the importance of ensuring a new building is in the correct location is more important than ever.

We can minimise the risk of a building being constructed in the incorrect location or even worse encroaching into the neighbouring property.  We will setout the external corners or outline of the proposed building accurately onsite in relation to the property boundaries.  A Certificate will also be provided confirming the house has been setout in the correct location as per the approved plans.

The marks we place onsite can then be used by Plumbers and Concreters to ensure the piers, drains and final slab are not only constructed in the correct location in relation to the boundaries, but to also ensure they are in the correct location for the construction of the frame.

Common projects where a building setout is recommended include:

• New House
• Raising an existing House
• Renovating/Extending a House
• Shed Construction
• Pool Construction
• New Carport or Garage

In areas where the property is more than 15 years old, additional survey work may be required in order to determine the exact location of the boundaries prior to the completion of a House Setout.  In these areas, the location of the boundaries is often not that clear as the original boundary pegs usually long gone.  There is also a higher risk that existing fences may not actually be on the boundary line.

In these cases, an Identification Survey may be required to reinstate the properties boundary pegs, before the House Setout can be completed.  Please see our Identification Survey tab for more information.

Contour Surveys

A Contour Survey is a critical component of the initial design stages of a new home or building project.

In order to accurately design a building to fit a specific lot, a Contour Survey is required to show the designer critical features of the site required for the design and site specific costings of the build.

A Contour Survey involves the survey of a vacant site and preparation of a plan to show the contours/lay of the land and all existing site features including services.

Project Builders, Custom Builders, Renovations, Architects, Drafting and Design Professionals, Public.

Our Contour Surveys will locate the following features

• Contours of the site to Australian Height Datum (AHD)
• Temporary Benchmark for Construction
• Site Boundaries, including bearings and distances from the original Survey Plan
• Existing fences and retaining walls
• Vegetation, including trees spread, trunk diameter and height
• Kerb, Footpaths, Traffic Islands
• Existing visible services including Power, Water, Telstra/NBN, Sewer and Stormwater
• Adjoining building setback locations (Where applicable)

The Contour Survey Plan we prepare will be provided in both PDF and DWG format.

This plan will form the basis of the Site Plan for the new build, and will be used by the designer or Architect to determine a number of site requirements including but not limited to; cut/fill volumes, new retaining, engineering design, setbacks, services available to the site and where to connect, driveway location, new fencing, building height limits (including overall building height, or minimum floor levels), building aspect, vegetation clearing and root barrier systems.

A Contour Survey is a cheap and small component in the design and construction process.  However, is critical to ensure there are no hidden cost surprises or hold ups to the build once construction commences.

Don’t risk missing something in the design process such as a retaining wall, sewer line, driveway location, or minimum building height.  Once Construction commences onsite it could either be too late, or become quite costly to resolve design issues resulting from not knowing the exact location of all features on a site.

Identification Surveys

Determining the location of the legal position of the cadastral boundary is fundamental for the design and implementation of any successful land development project.

Our approach is to provide cost efficient, sensible advice regarding boundary locations tailored to your specific project requirements.

Including (where required):

• Investigation of encroachments
• Replacing missing boundary marks and
• The preparation lodgement of Identification Survey plans with Dept of Natural Resources when required in accordance with the requirements of the Land Survey Act 2003.
• Boundary locations are a common cause of disputes between neighbours, particularly when it comes to construction close to a dividing boundary. Existing site features such as fences and retaining walls are often not a true representation of the actual boundary position, and should not be relied upon as depicting the property boundary line.  Ensure you know exactly where your boundary is with the completion of an Identification Survey.
• It is important to take into consideration the 3 dimensional aspect of encroachments, problems often occur above and below ground level.
• Don’t risk your next project to the consequences of encroachments, resulting in potential lengthy and costly legal disputes.
• Contact us today for advice on the boundary location of your property.

As-Constructed Surveys and Certification

Often upon completion of a new building, the Certifier will request an As Constructed Certificate from a Surveyor to confirm that the building has been constructed in the correct location onsite as per the Approved Plans and that all building work is contained wholly within the property boundaries.  These surveys are becoming increasingly common, particularly on small lots with a zero lot side setback.

Allow us to measure the constructed location of the building, including critical walls, eaves and gutters, to confirm there are no encroachments into neighbouring properties and the building location complies with the designed setbacks.

Detail Surveys

A Detail Survey is basically a more involved Contour Survey Plan to show the contours/lay of the land and all existing site features including services on a block that is more than just a clear vacant lot.

A Detail Survey will be required when there is an existing building/ structure onsite, the site is heavily vegetated, or the area to be surveyed is greater the 1500m2.

Project Builders, Custom Builders, Renovations, Architects, Drafting and Design Professionals, Engineers, Public.

A Detail Survey is a critical component of the initial design stages of a renovation/extension/addition, knock down rebuild or development of a site .

In order to accurately design a project to fit a specific lot, a Detail Survey is required to show the designer critical features of the site required for the design and site specific costings of the project.

Our Detail Surveys will locate the following features

• Contours of the site to Australian Height Datum (AHD)
• Temporary Benchmark for Construction
• Site Boundaries, including bearings and distances from the original Survey Plan
• Existing fences and retaining walls
• Existing Buildings (including outline, eave and ridge heights where applicable)
• Vegetation, including trees spread, trunk diameter and height
• Kerb or edge of bitumen and footpath
• Existing visible services including Power, Water, Telstra/NBN, Sewer and Stormwater
• Adjoining building setback locations (where applicable)

The Detail Survey Plan we prepare will be provided in both PDF and DWG format.

This plan will form the basis of the Site Plan for the new project, and will be used by the designer to determine a number of site requirements including but not limited to; cut/fill volumes, new retaining, engineering design, setbacks, services available and where to connect, driveway location, new fencing, building height limits (including overall building height, or minimum Floor Levels), building aspect, vegetation clearing and root barrier systems.

Don’t risk missing something in the design process, such as a retaining wall, sewer line, driveway location, or minimum building height.  Once Construction commences onsite it could be either too late, or become quite costly to resolve design issues resulting from not knowing the exact location of all features on a site.

Height Certification

There are a number of factors that need to be considered when designing and building a dwelling to ensure it complies with the site specific height requirements.

Many councils will impose a maximum building height above Natural Ground Level, and the Certifier will often require a certificate from a licensed surveyor confirming that the new dwelling has not exceeded this limit.

There may also be a Minimum Finished Floor Level requirement to comply with Flood Levels, or a Maximum Finished Floor Level requirement to comply with Acoustic reports.

Before you commence construction, contact us and we can advise you of the right way forward to ensure your build will comply with the height requirements stipulated by your Certifier or Council.