How Much Does a Measured Building Survey Cost?

How much does a Measured Building Survey cost?

When it comes to provide you with an answer to how much a measured building survey costs, as with our other discussions about the cost of delivering specialist commercial building surveying services our advice is caveated – and fees will of course depend on exactly what the client wants, and why, and on what type and size of commercial property.

Measured building surveys are one of the survey disciplines which can be (but are not always) ideal for CAD technicians, architectural technicians or trainee surveyors to undertake, supervised and directed of course by a surveyor with the appropriate experience and knowledge. This can help make the fee competitive.

A ‘basic’ measured survey of the floor plan of a property – say a simple shop with a single flat over, and reasonable access to all the key parts to be measured, might require three or four hours measurement time on site and a days work to generate a CAD drawing, in plan view only, of each floor. A simple plan/ measured building survey such as this might cost, say, £1000 plus VAT.

As soon as levels of detail are added the time and fee will increase. Do you require elevations to be drawn? If you do, is the commercial building ornate and a high level of accuracy required – perhaps for Listed Building Consent alterations?

Is there sufficient safe access available? If not will a laser scanning drone be needed? (Expensive). Or can data be interpolated from survey imagery and a laser theodolite survey? (Accurate enough for most purposes where sufficient, if not complete, access is available).

A small site which needs the topography mapped and levels recorded on a grid on the commercial survey drawing might add upwards of another £1000 + VAT

The drone might add three or four thousand pounds or more to the cost.

As soon as fully detailed sub-site surveys are required to record underground services prices are likely to increase by a minimum of £2500+ VAT.

Boundary dispute? The survey may prove to be the cheap element. Remember the commercial surveyor undertaking the project needs suitable litigation experience and the hourly fee rate may be rather more than usual.

Consequently it is important to be clear about why the measured building survey is needed so the appropriate level of technology can be applied and fees charged for exactly what is needed or a contingency allowed for any additional work which might, or might not, be required.

We hope that’s a helpful indication of how much your measured building survey is likely to cost, use our instant commercial building survey quote calculator to get a quote for your measured survey today.