What is land surveying?

So, you’ve just bought your first property - a big congratulations! This is an exciting time that while challenging results in the development of an awesome new home for you or your soon-to-be tenants. Now that you’ve bought your first property, you will soon become aware that there are numerous property professionals on hand to ensure your new home is as stunning as you always thought it would be.

There are project managers, buyer’s agents, architects, conveyancers, mortgage brokers - the list goes on! But what about land surveyors? What do these people with their random gadgets do all day when standing out in the field?

It’s important to know a thing or two about land surveying to get the most out of their service and to get the best surveyor costs in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney or wherever you have bought.

So, what exactly is land surveying?

If you have bought vacant land or a property worth renovating, it’s important to understand land surveying. You would have seen land surveyors a thousand times over the years without knowing that was their job title. They are the ones standing in the fields or on the footpaths with their tripod cameras, looking through them like scientists.

Land surveyors provide their service on a range of projects from design and planning to existing or new infrastructure, building and land management, environmental measuring and construction (roads, buildings, farms etc.).

Land surveyors are professionals that determine land measurements and size. They also determine topographic heights. The surveyor then provides advice and information to town planners, geologists, developers, engineers, architects, builders - whoever is needed to complete the project’s design. They also work closely with the government in fields like power, sewers and water.

Surveyors are typically the first people utilised in a development or construction site, as they are needed to measure and map the land before designs can be made. Their measurements are then taken by architects to interpret and optimise when designing. They are also given to engineers to plan structures safely. In this way, they help ensure buildings will fit into a property but also can be constructed on the land.

Their work is pivotal to ensuring the form and function of a project meets the provided brief.

Why do developers and renovators need land surveyors?

Having a detailed understanding of the topography and dimensions of a site is vital to ensuring your plan will comply with town plans, building guidelines and how you want your project to look at its outcome.

For example, if your development or renovation project requires building new rooms or extra buildings after subdividing a block, you have to know where everything will fit on the divided block. You have to adhere to town planning requirements, like the distance of the home from the property’s fenceline.

Furthermore, if you’re proposing to develop, subdivide, change the land use, renovate or build, you may require a permit to do so. These permits are applied for when local government departments are assessed considering permitted land uses, land zoning, overlays, municipal strategic documents and a host of other factors. To make a solid case, you have to provide a professional land surveyor’s report.

It’s vital to know that there is a whole range of different zones that allow for different land uses to be fulfilled on a property. There may be extra overlays like vegetation and wildlife protection on the land as well as certain local provisions such as building heights, plot ratio and minimum and maximum land size for subdivision. Having your topographic and boundary lines accurately reported can help address these provisions and help you achieve your goal.