We rely on buildings. For most of us, they are where we work, rest and play. Given we spend so much time inside them, we really do need to know they’re safe. History and daytime television are full of buildings that haven’t come up to scratch with often inconvenient, sometimes fatal, results. A measured building survey provides an accurate record of a building: a record which can be used for fire risk assessment, licensing and lease applications, refurbishment, extension or as built plans, or any number of the other tasks through which we have to consider the places in which we reside.

Depending on what the client needs, a measured building survey can take a wide variety of forms. Modern laser scanning technology can produce 3D models of any building or structure, replicating in three dimensions all of its intricacies. Laser surveys can be used for floor plans or for a full 3D elevation.

Two-dimensional elevations can also form a part of a measured building survey. These are traditionally a two-dimensional image depicting the exterior of the building and all its features in outline. Some elevations might only show the major features, but can give brick-by-brick detail for those projects which need a greater level of detail, such as historic records. As well as laser scanning, digital photography and reflectorless technology can be used to produce elevations.

Floor plans are perhaps the form of measured building survey with which the general public are most familiar from countless films, comic strips and the like. They show both the net and gross internal area of a building, as well as marking out significant features such as doors, windows, power sockets, etc where appropriate. Floor plans of existing buildings are most commonly used where refurbishment or space planning is being considered. As with elevations, reflectorless and laser technology are used to take measurements.

Sections are, as their name suggests, cross sections of either an entire building or particular elements thereof. They can be produced in order to show a cross section of any part of the building and can show either visible detail, or additional aligned detail up to a certain distance away (e.g. the side of an arch and all structural detail that lies directly behind it). While sections are usually produced by combining and comparing information from elevations and floor plans, they can be produced independently if required. Sections allow surveyors and others to directly asses the alignment of structural features and note problems or issues that may not be immediately obvious from an elevation or floor plan.

As well as these more technical elements, a measured building survey can also include high quality internal photo imaging. Detailed colour photographs highlight key parts of the structure and give solid images to go with all the technical drawings and numbers. Where once a series of flat photographs may have been used, nowadays a 360° panorama can be generated from a sequence of digital photographs, allowing users to zoom, rotate and explore the space in almost the same detail they would be able to were they actually there.

A measured building survey can take many forms. It can be a 3D model, a set of floor plans, a section and internal photographs, or all or some of these things depending on the client’s particular needs. The product is an accurate and detailed record of all important details of the concrete cocoons in which we while away our days.

A reputable building surveyor will offer you an excellent, thorough service and will be able to provide you with professional and accurate advice on all property and building aspects..The building surveyor will conduct an in depth survey of your home or site and, if you plan to build, restore or carry out foundation repairs, then a utility detection survey will also be performed to ensure that you will not be excavating any crucial utility pipes or cables.Utility detection can certainly determine, with accuracy, specifically where and how deep the utilities are.

A geophysical survey may also be carried out if you are building your property from scratch or adding on to it, this will ensure that you are not starting construction on a site prone to subsidence or flood risk or other high risk factors and will actually be able to determine whether your chosen site is suitable or the reconstruction/maintenance work is viable

Professional building surveyors will conduct the survey and deliver accurate survey data in an easy to understand format.

You will get premium quality colour drawings of your plot or property generated using laser scanning which will create a 3D plan. Building surveying covers any sort of property from the most modest of buildings to much larger industrial premises. Elevations will provide essential facts about the functions of the structure and floor plans may also be provided, ranging from the basic layout to more informative plans with the addition of outlet and radiator positioning.

A building surveyor will provide sound advice at every stage of the build and offer tips and suggestions on energy efficiency as well as sustainable construction and materials.

 As we all know, asbestos will cause health risks while undertaking construction or maintenance work.

Building surveyors will give you the appropriate advice on how to deal with both this and other potentially hazardous substances and can also prepare an insurance assessment, followed up by a claim should you require..

All aspects of the build, restoration or repair will be thoroughly tracked and noted by the building surveyor and they will make sure that the functions ore executed under the correct procedures and that stringent building regulations are adhered to.

Should building surveyors notice that building laws have been breached, either by your building contractors or whilst undertaking the building surveying of other properties, they may well, depending on the nature and severity of the breach, be asked to supply explanation in court, acting as an expert witness on the defectiveness of the construction work. If you are looking to finish the work quickly and only looking to save a few pennies ,yo will regret.,without the help of a building surveyor you can't do the job wisely. You will truly end up investing more time and money on the job in the long run.

When digging takes place on a construction site, there's every chance that the worker(s) will come across a range of utility lines. In order to avoid any prospective costly damage to these lines, it is crucial to hire the expertise of a utility mapping company, that will show the construction business a layout of where utility lines can be found.

What's utility mapping?

Utility mapping is a modern-day technology that gives construction companies data showing the whereabouts of various utility lines underground. Utility lines which might be found underground range from mains water lines along with sewer piping, to power cables, television wires and also phone lines.

How does utility mapping work?

Utility mapping companies give the customer an up-to-date utility lines layout in the form of 2D and three dimensional maps. This doesn’t take a lot of time, and is done via GPS (global positioning system) tools. The utility mapping data is referenced to an arbitrary grid and level datum as standard. The drawing may also be supplied to a specified grid & level datum and/or overlaid on an existing topographical survey. Many different colours may also be used to outline every different utility line - e.g. a different colour for water lines along with a different colour for sewerage lines.

Utility mapping technology

A range of technologies are employed by these companies in order to locate different utility lines. Utility mapping technologies include electromagnetic detection, acoustic detection, ground penetrating radars and live-line detectors. Different techniques must be implemented to spot different types of matter such as metal, plastic, concrete, ceramic or fibre optic components.

Further utility mapping details

The customer can also ask for extra details from their utility mapping company. These additional details include things like fixed surface utility features including inspection chambers or perhaps telegraph poles, as well as key topographic features like fence lines as well as kerb lines. Street names, building names along with house numbers can also be in the client’s map to assist in the site location.

Why hire the services of a utility mapping business?

1.    Gain confidence and trust from utility owners

If the business has proof that they've employed the services of a utility mapping firm, then the specific owners of the utility lines will have much more trust and confidence in the specific building project (they won’t fear damage to utility lines.)

2.    Utilities can be easily located

By using the services of a utility mapping company, a site’s construction and maintenance teams can readily identify several utility lines.

3.    Accurate utility map guaranteed

It is necessary to contact a utility mapping company prior to any new construction project. Even if a company has a utility map already, that particular map might be outdated where recent upkeep, repair or modifications may have occurred. It may also show utility lines that never actually materialised.

4.    Avoid liability

Utility mapping data is frequently added to building designs or construction plans. If this specific data isn’t included in the design or plan, your company could be held accountable for damaged utility lines, resulting in a costly outcome.

5.    Health and safety regulations

Businesses can also use utility mapping to comply with health and safety regulations. A utility mapping service is a safe and cost-effective solution for clients who need to undertake excavation works on sites where a record is required for future reference or as part of the pre-construction feasibility and design works.

Bearing all these factors in mind, it is also important to use a company with experience and expertise in the field of utility mapping.Detailed maps of underground utilities should be presented in an easy-to-use format and should provide a colour coded drawing of known utilities and key topographic features.

All in all, utility mapping has come a long way with its various modern and advanced technologies. It is a legal requirement to contact the authorities before undergoing any construction process. However, by employing the services of an underground utility mapping service will save your company both money and time.