Plain-language guide
Which survey do I need?
Choose the survey by the outcome: drawings of land you'll build on → topographic survey; drawings of an existing building → measured survey or as-built drawings; knowing what's underground → utility survey; a 3D model to design in → Scan to BIM.
Last updated 18 September 2026
Choose by outcome, not by method
Nobody wakes up wanting a “topographic survey”. You want to build, renovate, dig or design; the survey is just the data that makes it safe. Here’s the decision, by what you’re trying to achieve:
| You need… | The right survey | You receive |
|---|---|---|
| Drawings of land you’ll build on | Topographic survey | Levels, contours, feature plan (DWG/PDF) |
| Drawings of an existing building | Measured building survey | Plans, sections, elevations (DWG/PDF) |
| Your design marked out on site | Setting out survey | Marked points + setting out record |
| To check what was built against the design | Deviation & flatness reports | Colour deviation maps + pass/fail report |
| Record drawings after construction | As-built drawings | Submission-ready DWG + PDF set |
| To know what’s underground before digging | Utility mapping (GPR) | Marked site + utility map + clearance report |
| To drill or core concrete safely | Concrete scanning | Marked safe-to-drill zones + report |
| A 3D model your design team works in | Scan to BIM | Revit model at agreed LOD |
| A large site mapped fast | Drone survey | Orthophoto, terrain model, volumes |
The four questions that decide it
1. Does the thing you need drawings of already exist? Open land → topographic. Existing building → measured survey (or as-builts, if construction just finished and you need the record set).
2. Is the risk above ground or below? If your project’s risk is what you can’t see (buried services, embedded cables in a slab), you need a scanning survey before anyone digs or drills, not drawings.
3. Is it already built, and you need to check it? Specific positions (a column, a slab edge, a level) are a verification survey. Whole surfaces (is the floor flat enough, is the core plumb, does the façade match the model) are a deviation report from a laser scan.
4. Will your team design in 2D or 3D? If your designers work in AutoCAD, measured drawings do the job. If they coordinate in Revit, especially with MEP, go straight to Scan to BIM; it’s the same site visit, better output.
One scope note, honestly: legal plot-boundary (cadastral / affection-plan) surveys are a government-licensed category we don’t currently offer. Everything else on your site (shape, levels, buildings, underground) is exactly what we do.
Still unsure? Send us what you’re trying to achieve and we’ll recommend the right survey the same day.
Related questions
What are the main types of surveying?
In practical terms there are four: land surveys (the shape and levels of a site: topographic), building surveys (the dimensions of existing buildings: measured and as-built), subsurface surveys (what's underground or inside concrete: GPR), and aerial surveys (large areas mapped by drone). Choose by what you need to know, not by the method name.
What is a type 2 survey?
"Type 2 survey" is a US home-buying term (a level of home inspection), not UAE surveying practice. If you've seen it in a requirement list, what's usually meant here is a measured building survey; send us the wording and we'll tell you exactly what you need.
Do I need a survey before renovation?
If reliable current drawings don't exist: yes. Renovating from wrong or missing drawings is how fit-outs end up with rework, failed approvals and slab surprises. A measured survey is typically a small fraction of project cost.
How much does a survey cost in the UAE?
There is no single number: a survey is priced from the site's size, complexity, access and the deliverables you need. What you should expect from any good provider: a fixed quote before work starts, not an hourly meter. Cost factors per service are explained on each Dervoss service page, and in depth for concrete scanning in the cost guide.
Do you do plot boundary surveys?
Legal plot-boundary (cadastral) surveys are a licensed category we don't currently offer; see the honest scope note on the surveying hub.
Need this done?
Not sure which service fits? Send us what you're trying to achieve and we'll recommend the right survey the same day.