Blog>Cost Guides>Land survey cost
Last updated: 30 November 2023
Land survey cost
Whether you’re buying a plot of land or want to confirm the exact boundaries of the land your property is on, you’ll most likely need a land survey. In this guide, we look at the average land survey cost in the UK. Keep reading to find out more.
Whether you’re buying a plot of land or want to confirm the exact boundaries of the land your property is on, you’ll most likely need a land survey. In this guide, we look at the average land survey cost in the UK. Keep reading to find out more.
Psst! If you’re looking to have a survey carried out on a specific property, rather than the land it’s on, head over to our guide to house survey costs. Our guides to measured surveys and the cost of splitting title deeds may also be handy.
What is a land survey?
A land survey typically locates, describes and maps the boundaries and corners of a plot of land. In some cases, it might also include the topography of the land, including the location of any building present within the plot.
Standard topographical or site surveys are traditionally conducted by land surveyors. The results of the land survey are then turned into official drawings to document the findings.
| Item | Range - Low | Range - High | Average cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land survey cost (per day) | £300 | £1,000 | £650 |
| Land survey drawings (per day) | £300 | £600 | £450 |
| Total cost of a land survey | £600 | £1,600 | £1,100 |
| Contaminated land survey | £445 | £1,900 | £1,200 |
| Boundary survey for a fence | £350 | £500 | £425 |
| Soil survey - geotechnical engineer | £750 | £12,500 | £6,625 |
| Soil survey - equipment hire | £200 | £250 | £225 |
| Land survey cost per acre | £200 | £500+ | £350 |
| Boundary survey | £400 | £1,000 | £600 |
| Residential land survey | £300 | £800 | £550 |
| Last updated: May 2024 Our costs are ballpark averages - get a local tradesperson to quote now | |||
How much does a land survey cost in the UK?
A land survey in the UK is typically split into two parts: the survey itself and the preparation of the land survey drawings. Both of these pieces of work are usually charged at a day rate.
The average land survey cost for the topographical surveying work in the field can vary from £300 to £1,000 per day for the land surveyor’s time.
A typical land survey cost estimate to draw up the survey findings using computer-aided software design is somewhere in the region of £300 to £600 per day.
Land survey cost calculator
To calculate the cost of a land survey based on the above costs per day, you should expect that there will be a day’s worth of drawing work for every day that a land surveyor is on-site doing the fieldwork.
The time it takes a land surveyor to carry out the survey will depend on a number of factors. These include the size and topography, as well as the complexity of any buildings or access issues to the entirety of the plot of land.
As a rough guide, most standard sites for residential, offices or small plots of land, typically take one day to survey and one day to produce the drawings. With that in mind, you can expect to pay a total price of around £1,100 – depending on the cost of the surveyor(s) you hire.
What does a typical land survey cost per day?
You’ll often be quoted a day rate when it comes to land survey costs. The average cost of a residential land survey in the UK will be in the region of £300 to £1,000 per day for the land surveyor – depending on the surveyor you hire.
For accurate day rates for a land survey in your area, we always recommend speaking to local land surveyors and asking for a detailed breakdown of their costs.
See the tradespeople we've checked and recommend for your job
Contaminated land survey cost
If you’re dealing with potentially contaminated land, the contaminated land survey cost will vary depending on the nature of the survey itself. A basic desktop survey with no walkover can start from around £445, with a full intrusive investigation costing up to£1,900.
Cost of land survey for fence
For the purpose of planning fencing around a property, a physical boundary survey can be done. The average cost of a land survey for a fence is around £350 to £500.
What's the average soil survey cost?
Before buying a plot of land, it's advised to carry out a soil survey. This will highlight any contamination, unstable ground, or troublesome soil that could cost you to correct unless negotiated beforehand as part of the purchase price.
A soil survey costs anywhere from £750 to £12,500. for a geotechnical engineer to complete this task. Equipment hire will come at an additional cost, typically around £200 to £250 for a machine and driver.
Whether you choose an engineer to carry out a hand-augered approach, or a specialist firm, you'll need to factor in the cost of laboratory soil analysis to your soil survey cost.
Factors affecting the cost of a land survey
If you ask local land surveyors for a land survey cost estimate, their quote will depend on a number of factors. Here are some of the main elements that can affect how much a land survey costs:
Size of the land
Topography of the land
Access to the plot
Level of detail required
Time to carry out the fieldwork
Time to design the drawings of the survey results
Any specialist equipment needed (such as drones or laser scanners)
The experience of the individual land surveyor
Land survey quotes
We always recommend obtaining at least three quotes from our trusted tradespeople. Our request a quote feature is perfect for getting quotes. You just post details about the job you want doing and we’ll send it out to local tradespeople in your area. Try it out!
Alternatively, simply enter your postcode into the search box below to browse a selection of top land surveyors in your area.
See the tradespeople we've checked and recommend for your job
FAQs
What does a land survey include?
A land survey will typically include the fieldwork carried out by a land surveyor, as well as the design time for a specialist survey designer to produce official drawings illustrating the findings of the survey.
What is the difference between a land survey and a boundary survey?
A land survey will generally be a more detailed survey of the topography of a whole plot of land. Meanwhile, a boundary survey is typically focused on establishing the boundaries and corners of a plot of land.
See the tradespeople we've checked and recommend for your job
More Cost Guides
More Land Surveyors Articles
See the tradespeople we've checked and recommend for your job