surveying for Garden Designers

Garden too large or complex ?

Do you need to survey a garden that is either too large or complex to accurately measure but cannot justify the cost or waiting time needed to secure the services of a Chartered Land Surveyor?

If so, I may be able to help. I am a qualified garden designer who uses a Leica Total Station to accurately undertake garden surveys at a level of accuracy and detail suitable for use as a base survey for designing from.

I need to recoup some of this significant investment so offer use of my Leica Total Station and myself as operator to assist you in surveying your garden. You choose the points that you want to include, hold the reflector pole at the position and I measure and record the position in 3 dimensions typically accurate to less than 10mm depending on suitability of point and your ability to hold the reflector pole in an upright position. When all points are measured, I will produce an electronic CAD (PDF, DXF or Vectorworks) survey file indicating the positions of the measured points, their level if appropriate and their relationship to other points - ie whether it is a wall, window, tree, level etc.

For smaller gardens, even those of complex shape, surfaces permitting, it may be possible for myself alone to survey an area, or a significant part of it, utilising the reflectorless laser mode of the Leica Total Station and a ZipLevel for taking levels. This frees up your time to undertake a site analysis, take a brief from the client etc.

This plot of land, in excess of 80m long and was measured from 4 station points to capture the front and rear areas. In total, around 450 points were measured and recorded. 5-6 hours surveying time + assistant.

 

This courtyard garden below did not have a right angle in it and was measured by single operator from a single station point. Two hours survey time.

what is involved ?

I am quite flexible in my arrangements and am happy to see if I can accommodate your requirements. If you wish not to be involved in the survey, for an additional charge I can arrange for an assistant and select what I believe are the most pertinent points needed to be surveyed.

Please note that I am not a Chartered Land Surveyor nor is this a replacement service for a Chartered Surveyor but I offer a service that allows you to accurately survey in a cost effective way, gardens that are larger or more complex than would be possible or convenient to survey using tapes, levels, triangulation and other equipment and techniques that garden designers would typically use.

Whilst my equipment is as accurate (to within 3mm at 150m + operator movement) as that of a Chartered Surveyor, a Chartered Surveyor would normally use single operator robotic Total Station or GPS based devices and advanced software at base to allow on site labeling and larger areas to be covered so they can capture significantly more points in the same time frame. However you choose the points that you wish to include in the survey so you get exactly the information that you need.

Cost is £50/hr survey time, min 2 hours, plus £0.50p/mile travel and any fixed costs such as parking or cc zone at cost price. A garden of size and complexity to require this type of equipment would typically take 3-8 hours survey time. The cost of assistant is not included but typically the garden designer themselves would perform this function. The survey will then be drawn up and be ready to email in typically 1-3 working days.

Please contact me to discuss your surveying requirements.