Topographical Survey

What the survey finds

LevelsSpot levels, changes of level, banks and contours

Hard featuresKerbs, walls, fences, steps and surfacing edges

BuildingsExternal outlines, doors and threshold levels

Street furnitureLamp posts, signs, bollards, gullies and covers

Trees and plantingPositions, with spread and trunk size where needed

BoundariesVisible boundary features such as walls, fences and hedges

When you need a topographical survey

Architects, engineers and developers use a topographical survey as the base drawing for a scheme. Typical reasons are:

planning applications and feasibility studies
designing new buildings, extensions, car parks and roads
drainage design, where falls and invert levels matter
highway and kerb-line alterations
checking site levels before groundworks or earthworks

If the survey is the basis for design, it should be done before the design starts. Errors in an old drawing tend to surface later, when they cost more to fix.

Topo and utility survey together

Most of our topographical work is combined with an underground utility survey. One team covers both, and you get a single CAD drawing showing the surface features and the buried services in the same coordinates. Manhole covers, valves and other surface features then sit in the right place relative to the services traced between them.

This saves a second mobilisation, and it removes the job of fitting two drawings from two contractors together.

How the survey is done

We measure the site with survey-grade Carlson and GeoMax instruments. On most sites, that means GNSS (satellite positioning) in the open and a total station where buildings, trees or narrow streets block the satellite signal.

We can tie the survey to the Ordnance Survey National Grid and Ordnance Datum, so it fits with mapping and other surveys. Where a project already has a site grid or established control, we work to that instead. Tell us at the quotation stage which you need.

The level of detail is agreed before we start. A planning drawing for a house plot needs less than a highways scheme with drainage design, and the price reflects that. Below-ground detail such as invert levels and pipe directions is not part of a standard topographical survey. It is normally covered by a utility survey, or we can add it to the topo on request.

What you get

A CAD drawing in DWG and PDF, with layers set up for design use
Spot levels across the site, with contours if requested
Building outlines, boundary features, street furniture, trees and surfacing
Drainage covers, with cover levels
The survey control used, so others can work from it

Drawings are normally issued within 15 working days of the site work.

Limits to be aware of

A topographical survey records visible features. It does not establish legal boundaries, which are a matter for the deeds and the Land Registry. Areas we cannot safely reach, such as private gardens or dense undergrowth, will have less detail. We note any gaps on the drawing.

Questions we're asked

How long does a topographical survey take?

It depends on the size of the site and how much detail it has. An open field covers quickly but may need many levels. A busy town-centre junction is smaller but full of features. Most residential and small commercial sites take a day or two on site.

How much does a topographical survey cost?

Each survey is priced individually, based on the time on site and the detail required. Send us a site plan or red-line boundary and tell us what the drawing is for, and we will quote.

Can you combine it with a utility survey?

Yes, and we recommend it for most design work. You get one drawing showing the site surface and the buried services in the same coordinates.

Will the survey be on the Ordnance Survey grid?

It can be. We can tie the survey to OS National Grid and Ordnance Datum, or work to a local site grid if your project already has one.