Topographical Surveys
Accurate site surveys of levels, boundaries and existing features — for architects, planning consultants, landscape designers, developers and homeowners across the UK.
What is a topographical survey?
A topographical survey, also called a land or level survey — measures and maps the natural and man-made features of a site and the shape of the ground itself: levels, contours, buildings, boundaries, trees, drainage and hard landscaping, each in its true position.
It's the existing-conditions base every design starts from. Get the levels or a boundary wrong and it shows up later — in a floor level that doesn't meet the garden, a fall that won't drain, or a planning drawing that has to be redone.
Topographical survey of a farm
What the survey shows
Scope is agreed against your brief before the visit. A typical topographical survey picks up:
Levels & contours
Spot levels across the site and contours at an agreed interval, shown in 2D and, if needed, as a 3D model.
Boundaries
Walls, fences and hedges with type and height — the physical boundary as it stands on site.
Buildings
Footprints, threshold and floor levels, eaves and ridge heights — on the site and immediately next to it.
Trees & planting
Tree positions with trunk girth, height and canopy spread; hedges and planted areas.
Drainage & visible services
Manhole cover and invert levels, gullies, stop taps, poles and other above-ground utility features.
Hard landscaping & roads
Paths, patios, steps, retaining walls, kerbs, footways and changes of surface.
Total station
Precise angle and distance measurement for detail and levels, especially in tight gardens and under tree cover.
GNSS
Ties the survey to OS National Grid and Ordnance Datum Newlyn, so it lines up with OS mapping and other consultants' data. A local grid or benchmark can be used instead.
3D laser scanning
For complex frontages, dense features or where a full 3D record of the site is useful later.
How it's surveyed
The method is chosen to suit the site. Surveys are carried out to RICS guidance on measured surveys of land, and every drawing states its accuracy.
What the survey shows
After the site visit, the data is processed in professional survey software e.g. N4CE, quality-checked against the control network, and drawn by the surveyor who measured the site.
Drone survey
Aerial capture for roofs, larger or inaccessible sites and context a ground survey can't reach — tied to the same control as the ground survey.
What you receive
Drawn to your layer and block standard if you have one.
2D topographical plan
DWG / DXF
Layered, with spot levels, contours and feature annotationa
Plotted drawing
At an agreed scale (typically 1:100 or 1:200), for planning and non-CAD users
3D surface model
3D DWG
On request — for sections, cut and fill, and massing
Point cloud
E57 / RCP
Where the site is laser scanned
Coordinates & datum
OSGB36 / ODN
Or a local grid — confirmed in the quote
Who it's for
Architects
An existing site plan and levels for extensions, garden buildings, basements and new-build plots.
Planning consultants
Accurate existing site plans and sections to support householder and full applications.
Landscape designers
Levels, trees and hard landscaping for garden and external works design.
Engineers
Ground levels and invert levels for drainage, retaining walls and flood-risk work.
Developers
Feasibility and layout on infill and small development sites.
Homeowners
When your architect or the council asks for a measured site survey before design starts.
Getting a quote
Send a plan of the area you need surveyed and what it's for. You'll get a fixed quote within 24 hours, setting out the scope, deliverables and timescale.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a topographical survey cost?
It depends on site size, the detail needed, access and vegetation, and the deliverables. Every quote is fixed once agreed.
Do I need one for a planning application?
Not always by name. Most councils don’t list a topographical survey as a requirement for a householder application — but they do need accurate existing and proposed drawings, and many local validation lists ask for existing and proposed site levels where the ground slopes or changes level. A topo survey is the reliable way to provide them.
It’s usually worth having one when the site slopes or steps down, the work sits close to a boundary or a neighbour’s window, there are trees nearby, the site is in a flood zone (floor levels shown in metres above Ordnance Datum), or it’s a new-build or infill plot. If in doubt, check your council’s local validation checklist or ask your architect.
Is underground utility tracing included?
No. Visible covers and invert levels are included; PAS 128 utility tracing and CCTV drainage surveys are separate specialist work.
Does the survey show the legal boundary?
It shows the physical features on the ground — walls, fences, hedges. The legal boundary is a separate matter.
Which areas do you cover?
We’re based in London and survey sites across the UK. Send the site postcode and any travel is included in the fixed quote.
Getting in touch
To discuss opportunities in our services, please get in touch — I'll get back to you personally.
Phone
info@certus-spatial.co.uk
+44 (0)773 777 2182
Certus Spatial Solutions Ltd is registered in England and Wales, company no. 17364270
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Registered Office
Office 749, 60 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 2EW
