Measured Building Surveys — Hertfordshire, Essex, London and the South East
Accurate Floor Plans, Elevations and Sections for Architects and Design Teams
CALL US: 01279 927 033
AKN Engineering provides measured building surveys for architects, architectural technologists, structural engineers and developers across Hertfordshire, Essex, North and East London, Kent, Surrey, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and the wider South East.
When an architect needs to design a refurbishment, plan an extension or submit a planning application, the project starts with reliable existing condition drawings. AKN delivers that foundation — accurate, clean CAD drawings produced using Trimble X9 laser scanning and precision total station equipment, ready to work from immediately.
AKN holds Constructionline Gold and SSIP accreditation and works regularly alongside architectural practices of all sizes, from sole practitioners to multi-disciplinary design teams on larger development projects.
A measured building survey is a precise, instrument-based record of an existing structure. Our surveyors capture the dimensions, internal layouts, external elevations, structural features and key architectural details of a building and convert that data into accurate technical drawings.
Standard deliverables include:
Floor plans — internal layouts showing walls, partitions, columns, openings, stairs and fixed features
Elevations — all external building faces with window, door and façade detail
Cross sections — structural profiles showing floor-to-ceiling heights and internal relationships
Roof plans — ridge lines, eaves, plant, rooflights and drainage where required
Internal feature surveys — for heritage buildings, listed structures or complex architectural detail
All drawings are delivered in AutoCAD DWG format as standard. Where a practice uses Revit or requires BIM-compatible outputs, this can be discussed and agreed at the quotation stage.
What Is a Measured Building Survey?
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Design work cannot begin with confidence until accurate existing condition drawings are in place. Builder’s measurements, old planning drawings and estate agent floor plans are rarely reliable enough for architectural design or planning submission.
Measured building surveys are typically required for:
Refurbishment and change-of-use projects
Residential and commercial extensions
Planning applications requiring accurate existing drawings
Permitted development and prior approval submissions
Listed building consent and heritage recording
Structural alteration and building regulation packages
Pre-acquisition surveys for developers and property professionals
Dilapidations and lease reinstatement assessments
For architects, receiving survey data in clean, layered DWG format — rather than sketched dimensions or PDF scans — means design work can begin without rework or guesswork.
Why Architects Commission a Measured Building Survey
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AKN uses Trimble X9 laser scanning alongside precision total station equipment to capture building data efficiently and to a high degree of accuracy.
The Trimble X9 captures dense point cloud data across the full building envelope in a single site visit. Complex geometries, curved walls, irregular floor levels and areas that are difficult to physically measure are all recorded accurately. Point cloud data can be supplied alongside CAD drawings where useful to the design team.
For straightforward structures or where scanning access is restricted, we use Trimble total station equipment with digital field recording. All data is processed and quality-checked before drawings are issued.
Drawings are typically delivered within 3–5 working days of the site visit for standard residential and commercial properties. Programme for larger or more complex buildings is agreed at quotation stage.
Survey Equipment and Approach
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We understand how architectural practices work and what the drawings need to do. When briefing AKN on a measured survey, the more context you can give us about the project — whether it is a loft conversion, a listed building extension, a commercial fit-out or a development site — the better we can tailor the survey scope and drawing content to your design requirements.
We produce layered AutoCAD drawings with consistent layer naming, georeferenced where required, and drawn to standard architectural scales (1:50 and 1:100 as default). Drawings are issued as DWG with a PDF set included.
Where projects require underground utility information alongside the measured building survey, we can carry out a PAS 128 utility survey on the same visit, avoiding a second mobilisation and reducing overall survey cost.
Working With Architects — What to Expect
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FAQs
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Using Trimble X9 laser scanning, we achieve point cloud accuracy well within 5mm at typical internal survey distances. CAD drawing accuracy for standard floor plans and elevations is typically ±5–10mm depending on building complexity. For heritage or highly detailed work, tighter tolerances can be discussed at the quotation stage.
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Standard delivery is AutoCAD DWG plus PDF. Point cloud data in .RCP or .E57 format can be supplied on request. If your practice requires Revit-compatible geometry or specific BIM outputs, let us know at the start of the project.
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Yes. We regularly survey listed buildings and structures requiring detailed heritage recording. Laser scanning is non-contact and non-intrusive, which is particularly well-suited to sensitive and protected buildings.
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Yes. Point cloud data from the Trimble X9 can be supplied alongside the CAD drawings where this is useful — for example where your team wants to interrogate specific areas in detail or use the data for visualisation or modelling.
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Most residential properties and smaller commercial buildings are completed within a single day on site. Larger or more complex buildings may require two days. We confirm the programme when reviewing the project brief.
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Drawings are typically delivered within 3–5 working days of the site visit for standard residential and commercial properties. We confirm the turnaround at the time of instruction.
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Not usually. For most projects we can provide a fixed fee quotation based on a description of the building, its floor area and the drawings required. We will ask the right questions upfront to ensure the scope and fee are accurate.
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Yes. Where underground service information is also required, we can carry out a PAS 128 utility survey on the same visit, avoiding a second site visit and reducing overall cost.
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Yes. We regularly work across North and East London boroughs as well as our core areas of Hertfordshire and Essex. The M25 corridor and Greater London fringe are well within our regular working area.
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Yes. AKN holds Constructionline Gold and SSIP accreditation. These are commonly required by architectural practices and main contractors as a minimum for supply chain approval.
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AKN Engineering Ltd -Measured Building Survey — Guide Pricing 2026
All prices are guide rates for budgeting purposes. Fixed-fee quotations are provided for every project.
Residential & Commercial
Small flat / simple building
1–2 floors, straightforward layout — from £850 + VAT
Mid-size residential
3–4 bed house, 2–3 floors — from £1,300 + VAT
Large residential / listed building
Complex layout, heritage detail, multiple floors — from £2,000 + VAT
Small commercial unit
Office, retail, single floor — from £1,500 + VAT
Multi-floor commercial
Office block, mixed-use, 3+ floors — from £4,000 + VAT
Hotels, Care Homes & Student Accommodation (Per Room Pricing)
Up to 30 rooms
Boutique hotel, small care home — from £2,000 + VAT
31–100 rooms
Mid-size hotel, care facility, student halls — £125 per room + VAT
100+ rooms
Large hotel, budget chain, large PBSA — £100 per room + VAT
Additional detached block
Spa, function suite, outbuilding — +£500–£800 + VAT
Minimum charge: £2,000 regardless of room count.
Hotels and care homes benefit from efficient point cloud capture due to repetitive layouts, with cost savings passed on at volume.
Deliverable Options
Standard survey package
Floor plans, elevations, sections — DWG + PDF (Included)
Point cloud data only
E57 / RCP files, no CAD drawings — from £600 + VAT
Revit / BIM output
LOD 2 or LOD 3 model (scope dependent) — +£500–£2,500 + VAT
Combined MBS + PAS 128 utility survey
Both surveys in one site visit — 10–15% saving vs separate mobilisation
Notes
All prices exclude VAT.
Travel is included within AKN’s standard working area: Hertfordshire, Essex, North and East London, and Cambridgeshire.
Projects outside this area are confirmed at quotation stage.
Drawings are typically delivered within 3–5 working days of the site visit.
Turnaround for time-critical projects can be discussed at quotation stage.
Laser scanning is carried out using Trimble X9.
CAD drawings are produced in AutoCAD.
Revit outputs are available on request.
Combined MBS + PAS 128 utility surveys can be completed in a single visit, reducing mobilisation costs.
Request a Quote
T: 01279 927033
E: office@aknengineering.co.uk
W: www.aknengineering.co.uk
Areas Covered for Measured Building Surveys
AKN Engineering is based in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, and provides measured building surveys across the South East and East of England. We work regularly in Hertfordshire, Essex, North London, East London and Cambridgeshire, and cover the wider South East including Kent, Surrey, Suffolk, Norfolk and Bedfordshire.
HERTFORDSHIRE
BEDFORDSHIRE
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
LONDON
ESSEX
KENT
OXFORDSHIRE
BERKSHIRE
NORFOLK
SUFFOLK
LINCOLNSHIRE
RUTLAND
Related Survey Services
For projects requiring underground utility detection alongside a building survey, see our PAS 128 utility survey services.
For new-build and infrastructure projects requiring topographic site data, see our topographic survey services.
For construction verification and handover documentation, see our as-built survey services.
Request a Quote
Ready to request a quote for a measured building survey?
Fill out the form below, and you can expect to hear from us within 24 hours.
(If you do not receive a response within 24 hours (Mon-Fri) please email office@aknengineering.co.uk)
Book Your Measured Building Survey today
Call us on
01279 927033
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