Setting Out Survey

This is the process of transferring architectural proposals from drawings onto the land itself. It establishes controlling dimensions and references from the architect’s plans on the land, that will determine the positioning of the building, and in particular its foundations. These include; overall length and width, distances to road centre-lines and to other structures, internal structural measurements, approaches and rights-of-way and so on. Additionally, it establishes the building's correct extent, angle and level.

The controlling points of the structure can then be clearly shown with physical markers so that the construction team is able to easily identify them. This usually consists of marking the building’s corners plus horizontal and vertical positions by using stakes, batter boards with string lines, drill holes, cut-and-fill notations, and other methods. Based on physical markers set out by a surveyor, the construction team will start their building work.

WHY is this IMPORTANT?

Accurate setting out is therefore a fundamental starting point for construction works, as even a negligible degree of inaccuracy can prove to be very expensive and time consuming to correct. It should only be undertaken by qualified professionals with the correct equipment.

These surveys are important because:

They allow for construction to be done within the legal boundary, thus eliminating the chance of boundary disputes later on
They enable the construction team to build exactly to the architect’s / engineer’s plans

(Setting out is usually undertaken once the site has been subject to a condition survey and desk study, and has been cleared of any debris, unwanted vegetation or obstructions. Works necessary to create required levels may also have been completed before the layout process begins.)