Updated June 2026 — prices reflect 2026 market conditions
What Is 3D Laser Scanning?
3D laser scanning fires rapid laser pulses at a surface and builds a dense point cloud — a three-dimensional map of millions of measured coordinates. Handheld units are portable and ideal for awkward spaces; terrestrial units (on tripods) capture full rooms and buildings. Multiple scan positions are stitched together through point cloud registration.
Common deliverables include registered point clouds (.RCP, .e57), 2D as-built drawings, 3D BIM/Revit models, orthomosaic imagery, and topographic survey integration.
When Should You Use It?
- Pre-design and feasibility — capture existing conditions before refurbishment or extension
- Post-demolition and pre-fit-out — verify stripped structure matches design intent
- Quality control during build — compare as-built vs. designed positions of steel, concrete, MEP
- Heritage and listed buildings — non-contact measurement with no risk of surface damage
- Industrial plant — map complex pipework without halting production
- Dispute evidence and as-built records — defensible, RICS-aligned spatial records for final account or claims
For NEC4 contracts, it is particularly useful for creating an accurate Scope baseline and supporting early warning and compensation event records where geometry is disputed.
Hounslow Coverage
We provide handheld 3D laser scanning services throughout the London Borough of Hounslow — including Hounslow town, Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Osterley, Cranford, Heston, Feltham, Heathrow, Whitton, and surrounding areas.
THS Concepts explicitly lists Hounslow as a named service borough. Specialist platforms including 3D Laser Scanning UK and others cover the area.
Typical Costs (UK 2025)
| Project Scale | Typical Cost (ex VAT) | | --- | --- | | Small objects / parts | £80–£150 | | Medium objects / components | £200–£600 | | Building survey (small) | £450–£1,000 | | Building survey (large/complex) | £1,500–£4,500+ | | Large on-site scanning (day rate) | From £800/day |
Key cost drivers: number of scan positions, Level of Detail (LOD) for BIM, colourised photography requirements, and complexity of the internal environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What accuracy does 3D scanning achieve?
Professional scanners achieve ±1–3mm accuracy for terrestrial units and ±6–15mm for SLAM-based handheld units — well within construction documentation tolerances.
Q: What deliverables can I get?
Registered point clouds (.RCP, .e57), 2D AutoCAD drawings (floor plans, elevations, sections), 3D Revit/BIM models (LOD 200–400), and orthomosaic imagery.
Q: Is 3D scanning useful for NEC4 contracts?
Yes — it creates an accurate Scope baseline and supports early warning and compensation event records where geometry or existing conditions are disputed.
Q: What does scanning cost in Hounslow?
Small projects: £80–£600. Building surveys: £450–£4,500+. On-site day rate: from £800/day. Always confirm deliverables (point cloud, CAD, or BIM) at the quote stage.