Guide
What is a measured building survey, and when do you need one?
Updated
A measured building survey is the accurate record of a building as it stands: its dimensions, turned into drawings or a model your designers can rely on. It says nothing about the building's condition, that is a different survey entirely.
What it is
A surveyor measures the building, traditionally with laser distance measurement and total stations, increasingly by laser scanning, and produces scaled outputs: floor plans, elevations, sections, and where specified roof plans, reflected ceiling plans, or a 3D model. The outputs are drawn to an agreed detail and accuracy specification: RICS guidance (Measured surveys of land, buildings and utilities) describes how that specification should be agreed between client and surveyor, and a professional firm will confirm it in writing before attending site.
What it is not
- Not a condition survey
- It records geometry, not defects. A RICS Home Survey or building pathology inspection is the product that reports on condition.
- Not a valuation
- It contains no opinion of value; lenders do not commission measured surveys.
- Not a topographical survey
- That is the equivalent product for land rather than buildings, see the comparison guide, though the two are often commissioned together.
When you need one
- Extensions and planning applications: existing drawings are the base layer of any planning submission, and councils expect them to be accurate.
- Refurbishment and fit-out: designers cannot detail against guesswork; a measured survey de-risks the whole drawing set.
- Lease plans and legal matters: demised areas need measuring to the relevant convention before they can be drawn.
- Record drawings: owners of older or altered buildings often hold no accurate drawings at all; the survey creates the record.
Fees for all of the above are set by floor area and specification, typically £400–£900 for a house (typical 2026 fees), see the cost guide, or get quotes for your property directly.