| Setting the Stage for the Discussion | | | | A Building Survey is Not Similar to a Land Survey |
| The United States Department of Labor website | | | | The required field work for a building survey is |
| has listings for the occupations of blogger.., | | | | not carried out in the same manner, or even in a |
| botanist..., building inspector..., surveyor..., but not | | | | similar manner, as land surveying is done. A land |
| "building surveyor". Also, Wikipedia makes no | | | | survey is performed by a licensed Surveyor who |
| mention of such a US occupation when it states, | | | | creates from his field work (i.e. survey) a drawing |
| "Building Surveying emerged in the 1970s as a | | | | which is stamped denoting his licensure. On the |
| profession in the United Kingdom by a group of | | | | other hand, a building survey is performed by an |
| technically minded General Practice Surveyors. | | | | unlicensed tradesman, who creates from his field |
| Building Surveying is a recognized profession within | | | | measuring work a drawing that is not stamped. |
| Britain and Australia....There are still many countries | | | | Furthermore, the field work for a land survey |
| where it is not widely recognized as a profession." | | | | may require the use of surveying equipment such |
| In spite of these facts the term "building survey" | | | | as a level, theodolite, total station, and tripod, |
| is still used within the US AEC industry. | | | | whereas the field work for a building survey |
| The Purpose of a Building Survey | | | | would simply consist of taking measurements of a |
| Often times a building survey is required on an | | | | building using a hand held tape measure and a |
| AEC industry building restoration, remodel or | | | | hand held laser distance measuring device. |
| similar type of project, when no plans for the | | | | Who Could Do Such Work? |
| building can be found. A typical scenario would be | | | | Building surveying is basically a trade. Therefore it |
| something like this: A building owner would like to | | | | could be performed by someone who has the |
| gut out and remodel a six story building that he | | | | understanding of what would need to be |
| owns, and so he hires an Architect to design the | | | | documented, subsequently created, and would |
| interior renovation. At the start of the project the | | | | have the skill to accomplish it. Such qualifications |
| Architect cannot find plans for the building that | | | | often times come through architectural or |
| would show the existing structure and mechanical | | | | engineering training and experience. |
| systems, and these plans are what would be | | | | For example, in the scenario project that I have |
| needed in order to design the renovation. | | | | previously cited, the Architect's office personnel |
| Therefore, a building survey would need to be | | | | would probably perform the building survey. They |
| performed in order to create as-is plans of the | | | | would assumably be able to do so because of |
| building. | | | | their architectural training and experience. |
| A Definition Given | | | | In Closing |
| In short, a building survey is simply measuring a | | | | One could also pose the question, "Could a |
| building and then creating CAD drawings of it from | | | | licensed Surveyor perform a building survey?" The |
| the measurements taken in the field. | | | | answer is, yes and no. Yes a licensed Surveyor |
| "Measuring a building" could consist of only | | | | has the skill and ability to do so, but he would |
| measuring the floor plans and elevations, or it | | | | probably not take on such work. One reason for |
| could include documenting the building mechanical | | | | this would be that a skilled tradesman could |
| systems and more. The scope of any given | | | | provide the level of accuracy required, using less |
| building survey would be defined on a | | | | technology and without the need of a license. |
| project-by-project basis. | | | | |