Topographical Survey in London 2025
| Site Size | Typical Use | Price (ex VAT) | | --- | --- | --- | | Up to 0.25 acres | Residential plot | £595–£800 | | 0.25–0.5 acres | Medium residential | £795–£1,000 | | 0.5–1 acre | Commercial site | £995–£1,500 | | 1–3 acres | Larger development | £1,500–£3,000 | | 3+ acres | Infrastructure | POA (£3,000–£5,000+) |
Small-to-medium London plots: from £895 + VAT. Most standard residential surveys: £800–£1,200 + VAT.
What Affects Cost
| Factor | Impact | | --- | --- | | Site size | More ground = more instrument positions | | Complexity | Steep slopes, vegetation, dense drainage add time | | Contour interval | 0.5m requires more spot levels than 1m | | Detail level | Invert levels, tree canopy, utility markers increase cost | | Access | Difficult access or overgrown sites add time | | Travel | Inner boroughs cheaper than outer/Home Counties |
Standard Deliverables
| Deliverable | Format | Typical Inclusion | | --- | --- | --- | | 2D topographic plan | DWG + PDF | Standard at 1:200 or 1:500 scale | | 3D terrain model | CAD/3D | Available as option | | Contours | DWG/PDF | 0.5m or 1m intervals | | Spot heights | DWG | OS National Grid referenced | | Features mapped | — | Buildings, boundaries, trees, kerbs, drainage | | Site photos | JPEG | Included by most providers | | Methodology report | PDF | Confidence levels, equipment used |
Optional add-ons: GPR/underground utility survey (PAS 128), river cross-sections for flood modelling, 3D BIM/Revit models (LOD 2–4), property boundary survey.
All 32 London Boroughs Coverage
We provide topographical surveys throughout all 32 London boroughs plus the City of London:
Turnaround Time
| Phase | Duration | | --- | --- | | Booking/lead-in | 5–10 working days | | Fieldwork (5,000m²) | 1 day | | Drafting and QA | 1–2 working days | | Total | 2–3 weeks |
Expedited service available on request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What file formats will I receive?
AutoCAD DWG and PDF as standard. Confirm OSGB36 grid requirement.
Q: What contour interval do I need?
Most planning uses 1m contours. Drainage and earthworks design typically requires 0.5m. Confirm with your design team.
Q: Do I need a measured building survey as well?
Often yes — for a full site record, combine topographical (land) and measured building (structure) surveys on one visit to save mobilisation cost.