What is a Detail Survey?

Contour, Detail or Level Surveys are crucial preliminary steps in any development project, outlining boundaries, structures, features and levels on your land.

Filing a planning application is also a requirement of owning land, in order to accurately appraise all its features for valuation purposes. Furthermore, this step assists builders or architects with designing projects.

Why do I need a Detail Survey?

Detail Survey, also known as Topographical survey is an accurate depiction of natural and man-made features on an area of land, including soil types, vegetation types, buildings structures fences boundaries etc. In some instances this information can include contour maps.

Council requires detail surveys for development applications such as knockdown rebuilds, granny flats and home extensions. Builders and architects also frequently utilize them for designing future works.

Only qualified surveyors are capable of accurately and reliably representing the cadastral property boundaries on plans, as well as conducting comprehensive property surveys. This specialized field requires knowledge and experience gained through university-based surveying training and becoming registered land (cadastral) surveyors.

Why do I need a Contour Survey?

Contour surveys or topographical surveys involve identifying points of land elevation on your property and representing these on a map with contour lines to show any significant variations in elevation.

Contour surveys serve the primary function of determining the slope and gradient of your land, helping both builders and councils assess its value more accurately. By knowing its gradient and degree, contour surveys provide builders with essential information needed for designing homes appropriate to its slope.

Contour surveys are typically required when lodging a Development Application with your local council for projects like knockdown rebuilds, granny flats or extensions on existing lots. They can also be conducted for new home buyers who wish to have their site surveyed prior to construction. CMS Surveyors’ Detail or Topographical surveys will show all features, levels and contours on your site as well as spot heights against Australian Height Datum.

Why do I need a Topographic Survey?

Topographical surveys are essential when preparing a construction site. They serve to identify structures, boundaries, features and levels which allow for building or land development to take place within set parameters, while helping ensure any subsequent developments stay within those confines.

Topographical surveys provide builders with valuable information. Contour lines indicate the undulations in an area and this data helps determine whether a parcel of land is suitable for development – steep slopes may necessitate additional retaining walls for example.

A detailed survey can also help settle potential boundary disputes and accurately determine the size and area of any given property. Therefore, it’s essential that a licensed and experienced surveyor be used for this work; otherwise legal issues or costly delays could occur later on down the line. That is why most councils now mandate that any development starts on site must first have an in-depth survey conducted by a registered land surveyor prior to any construction beginning on site.

Why do I need a Strata Survey?

A strata survey allows for the subdivision of land and structures into multiple titled lots and common property, each owned by individual owners while shared areas like driveways or stairwells are maintained collectively through an Owners Corporation which charges fees. Strata title is commonly used in apartments, town houses and new residential developments.

Licensed surveyors must submit and file a Plan of Redefinition and Strata Plan for all Strata subdivisions in Western Australia. The approval process for such subdivisions resembles that of Torrens title subdivisions and will require detailed surveys such as Detail Survey, Contour Survey and Draft Strata Plan to obtain final approval.

Most strata schemes contain areas of common property shared among all lot owners and managed by an Owners Corporation. Each lot owner’s share in the Body Corporate (known as their Unit Entitlement ) will depend on its total value as determined by titled lots; and will impact how much Strata Levy must be paid each month.

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