Site surveys
Site surveys are detailed studies carried out to supplement and verify site information provided by the client and site appraisals carried out by the consultant team.
They may begin with a simple walkover survey and then progress to more detailed surveys focusing on specific issues.
Site surveys might be carried out by members of the consultant team if they have the required skills, or might be commissioned from specialists. The consultant team should assess what surveys are required (generally after initial feasibility studies have been carried out), and request approval from the client to commission those surveys or carry them out themselves.
Site surveys might include:
- Existing buildings (including valuation, measured surveys, structural surveys, structural investigations, condition surveys, and demolition surveys).
- Geological and geotechnical.
- Topographical surveys, perhaps including laser scanning, Lidar or photogrammetry.
- Contamination.
- Ecological survey.
- Archaeological (see Archaeology).
- Traffic and transport.
- Local climate.
- Flood risk.
- Air quality.
- Acoustic.
- Photographic.
- Historic use.
- Boundary surveys.
- Structural surveys (including retained structures, underground structures and obstructions).
- Unexploded bomb survey.
- Railway and tunnel search.
- Asbestos and other hazardous materials surveys and registers.
- Fire hydrants.
- Telecommunications.
- Wireless networks and satellite reception.
- Electrical infrastructure and capacity.
- Gas network infrastructure and capacity.
- Foul sewers and drains infrastructure and capacity.
- Existing water supply infrastructure and capacity.
- Soil survey.
Wherever possible, any information prepared or obtained should be in a format which can be readily shared and used, and should be stored and named in a way consistent with the long-term project and operational needs.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- 3D laser survey.
- Archaeology and construction.
- Building People.
- Building survey.
- Condition survey.
- Desk study.
- Development appraisal.
- Easements.
- Ecological survey.
- Environmental Impact Assessment.
- EWS1 forms not required for buildings without cladding.
- Ground conditions.
- Ground investigation.
- Interferometric synthetic aperture radar InSAR.
- Interview with Elly Ball, co-founder, Get Kids into Survey.
- Land surveying.
- Laser scanning.
- Levelling.
- Measurement of existing buildings.
- Pre-construction information.
- RICS publishes Land Measurement for Planning and Development Purposes.
- Site appraisals.
- Soil survey.
- Surveying instruments.
- Surveyor.
- Technical due diligence.
- Vendor survey.
- Walkover survey.
- What is a valuer?
Featured articles and news
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Why talking about prostate cancer matters in construction.
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch up for free, subscribe and share with your network.
The Association of Consultant Architects recap
A reintroduction and recap of ACA President; Patrick Inglis' Autumn update.
The Home Energy Model and its wrappers
From SAP to HEM, EPC for MEES and FHS assessment wrappers.
Future Homes Standard Essentials launched
Future Homes Hub launches new campaign to help sector prepare for the implementation of new building standards.
Building Safety recap February, 2026
Our regular run-down of key building safety related events of the month.
Planning reform: draft NPPF and industry responses.
Last chance to comment on proposed changes to the NPPF.
A Regency palace of colour and sensation. Book review.
Delayed, derailed and devalued
How the UK’s planning crisis is undermining British manufacturing.
How much does it cost to build a house?
A brief run down of key considerations from a London based practice.
The need for a National construction careers campaign
Highlighted by CIOB to cut unemployment, reduce skills gap and deliver on housing and infrastructure ambitions.
AI-Driven automation; reducing time, enhancing compliance
Sustainability; not just compliance but rethinking design, material selection, and the supply chains to support them.
Climate Resilience and Adaptation In the Built Environment
New CIOB Technical Information Sheet by Colin Booth, Professor of Smart and Sustainable Infrastructure.
Turning Enquiries into Profitable Construction Projects
Founder of Develop Coaching and author of Building Your Future; Greg Wilkes shares his insights.
IHBC Signpost: Poetry from concrete
Scotland’s fascinating historic concrete and brutalist architecture with the Engine Shed.