Why You Need to Commission Contour Surveys Before You Buy Any Land

Posted on

If you're planning to build a nice home on a plot of land and have your eye on certain areas, you will know that you are only at the beginning of the process. A lot of research is needed, and you need to compile a lot of data before you even think about the construction process. What is one of the most critical parts of this process, as far as surveying the land is concerned?

Getting the Dimension

A typical map will contain a lot of information, but it is one-dimensional. In order to design and build your new home accurately and successfully, you need to know a lot more than that. You need to be able to develop a topographical view, which is only possible if you get a comprehensive contour survey done.

Completing the Survey

This type of survey is able to identify elevation changes on any parcel of land, which will be crucial to the development of the property. Information related to specific spot heights is correlated, and individual contours can then be rendered to show the real world view. All of this information can then be deciphered by architects and engineers, as they determine how the individual contours affect what they are planning.

Observing the Details

A civil engineer will have to plan for the introduction of drainage ditches in certain cases. A planner will have to take into account how the various contours fall off towards the boundaries of the property, as this will have an effect on any future extensions to the home.

The contour survey is a very important part of the process and needs to be carried out well. If not, very small errors can lead to ongoing problems with the integrity of the building. Specialists need to be brought in to use measuring tools that can identify the data points, generate the information and put all this data into software programs. Digital terrain models will then be developed and these can be accessed by all of the other experts involved in the overall project.

Bringing in the Specialists

With so much on the line, it's important to engage a land survey specialist who has experience of creating these contour surveys. Ensure that you have all the information necessary before you consider making any offer for the land in question. The more emphasis you put on precise data now, the happier you're going to be in the long run.


Share