Once you decide to build on a property you own, we have to prepare Civil Engineering Site Plan drawings for the proposed improvements (house, driveway, garage, etc). Before we can begin on the site design for your property we have to collect topographic and existing conditions data as the basis for design.
What is a Topographic Survey?
A topographic survey, also known as a land survey, is essentially a 3-dimensional map of a property that shows all the natural and man-made features on the land. With a topographic survey, we measure the location of all existing improvements (fences, trees, buildings, driveways, power lines, etc) and ground elevations to determine how your land slopes and drains surface runoff. With this survey data, we are then able to design the limits of disturbance and blend in new proposed improvements with the existing land. The more detailed survey data we have to work with in the office, the better our civil engineering designs will be. Therefore, it is very important to have a detailed topographic survey performed before beginning on a civil engineering design.
Our topographic survey services range from surveying small 2,000 S.F. townhome properties in Washington DC for DC Water Plans and DOEE Erosion & Sediment Control Plans, to surveying 5,000 – 12,000 S.F. properties in Arlington County, VA and 0.25 Acre to 1+ Acre properties in Fairfax County and McLean, VA.
For rural economy and larger farm development projects in Loudoun County, our topographic survey services range anywhere from 5 Acres to 200+ Acres.
For our Northern Virginia projects in Loudoun County, Fairfax County, and Arlington County, a Boundary Survey may be required to locate property corners prior to our Topographic Survey. For more information about when a Boundary Survey is required, read our blog post, Do I Need a Boundary Survey?.
Please note that we do not provide standalone Land Surveying services unless they are part of our Civil Engineering Design & Consulting Services.
For more information, please contact us for a quote on your next Land Development project.
