Mark, a chartered architect we’d previously worked with on a South Woodford project, got in touch about a new empty property in Ongar, Essex.
He wanted “a survey similar to the one you did for me at Pulteney Road”, specifically:
- All floor plans and elevations;
- Site boundaries clearly shown;
- Everything laid out at 1:100 scale on PDF sheets, with drawn scale bars and north points;
- Clean enough for his team to drop straight into their design work.
Mark was acting for his client, Bill, who was looking to refurb and potentially extend the property. The priority was a robust, planning-ready measured survey that could underpin design, planning and any later structural work.
We responded with a formal quotation and a note that, while we were at full capacity, we would still aim to hit the agreed timeframe – being clear about expectations from day one.
Coordinating access – surveying an empty property without the owner on site
Once the quote was approved, Bill emailed to confirm they were “happy to go ahead” and asked about our next availability.
We proposed a date in late June and, after correcting an initial “Monday/Tuesday” typo, settled on:
- Survey date: Tuesday 24 June
- Arrival time: 10:30 am
Because the property was empty, access was the main practical concern:
- Bill explained he might be out on another job by 10:30.
- He asked whether he needed to stay for the entire survey.
We confirmed:
- He only needed to provide access, not stay on site;
- Our surveyor would lock up securely and let themselves out once finished;
- We would be fully insured and follow our usual security protocol.
To make things smoother, Bill set up a lock box and sent us:
- His mobile number, and
- Instructions to call when the surveyor was on the way so he could share the lock box code.
We then:
- Issued the initial invoice, explaining that payment would secure and activate the survey slot.
- Confirmed receipt of payment, shared the surveyor’s details (Mustafa, our senior surveyor) and ensured everyone knew how access would work on the day.
How we carried out the measured survey
On the day, Mustafa arrived within the agreed window and followed our standard workflow for an empty house:
1. External shell & site boundaries
Because Mark specifically requested site boundaries and a properly set-out plan, we:
- Established a reference line and checked key dimensions around the perimeter.
- Measured the front, sides and rear, including any changes in fence/wall type that might matter later.
- Captured the relationship between the house and the plot so that hardstanding, garden depth and boundary positions could be drawn accurately at 1:100.
2. Internal measured survey
Inside, the empty property made for a very efficient run:
- We used a laser distance meter (Disto) for quick, accurate room dimensions.
- Verified floor-to-ceiling heights, stair geometry and key structural features.
- Noted thicker walls, nibs and beams where they might affect future structural design.
Because no furniture was in the way, we could take clear, unobstructed measurements, which improves accuracy and speeds up drawing.
3. 3D scanning & photographic record
To give Mark’s team more than just 2D plans, we also:
- Completed an internal 3D scan of the property, capturing geometry, levels and spatial relationships.
- Took a photo set of each room and key external elevations.
This would later allow us to:
- Cross-check the CAD model against the 3D data, and
- Provide a browser-based 3D walkthrough so Mark and Bill could revisit the property virtually at any time.
After the survey, Bill checked in asking when he could expect the drawings. We replied:
- Confirming the survey had gone well;
- Setting a target of 8 working days for the drawings;
- Being upfront that if the project turned out more complex than expected, we might need a little extra time but would inform him if so.
Turning the survey into a planning-ready drawing set
Back in the studio, our CAD team converted the raw survey data into a clean, annotated drawing pack.
Deliverables included:
- Existing floor plans (at 1:100)
- Roof plan and site boundaries on a combined sheet
- Front and rear elevations
- Fully set-up PDF sheets with:
- Title blocks;
- Scale bars;
- North points;
- Clear annotation ready for use in design and planning.
We worked from:
- The 3D scan point cloud as our primary geometric reference;
- Hand-measured control dimensions to remove any residual scan drift;
- On-site photographs to confirm opening directions, sill heights and any subtle details.
Once the set was ready, we issued:
- A draft drawings pack (ZIP) for Bill and the architect to review;
- A final invoice, explaining that once settled we would release:
- The final DWG CAD file;
- Final PDFs;
- The photographic record;
- A link to the 3D scan viewer.
Bill replied quickly to say he would settle the invoice as soon as he was home, and later confirmed payment had been sent.
Final issue & outcome
With payment confirmed, we sent a closing email:
- Confirming that the project was now fully paid and complete;
- Attaching the payment receipt for Bill’s records;
- Providing download links to:
- Final existing CAD files (DWG);
- PDF drawing sheets at 1:100 with scale bars and north points;
- 3D scan link so they could explore the property virtually;
- The photo set.
The Trello card was moved to Completed, and Bill replied that he was “looking forward to receiving the rest” and was happy with how things had gone.
For Mark and his client, the key benefits were:
- A survey and drawings package tailored exactly to their brief – same format and quality as a previous successful project.
- The ability to progress design work without repeated site visits, thanks to the 3D scan and photos.
- A smooth access arrangement that didn’t require the owner to stay on site for hours.
- A clear paper trail of quotation → invoice → receipt → final files.
In summary
This Ongar project shows how we support architects and homeowners when:
- The property is empty or lightly occupied;
- They need a repeatable, standardised survey format;
- And they want a combination of 2D CAD, scaled PDFs and 3D scan access.
If you’re an architect or homeowner needing a similar measured survey and existing-drawings pack for a property outside central London, this is exactly the process we can follow – from quote and access coordination through to final CAD, PDFs and 3D scan.
Project Details
| Service Type | Measured Survey, Existing Drawings, Site Plan & 3D Scan |
| Time Taken | Around 1–2 weeks |
| Budget | £700–£850 |
| Location | Ongar, Essex |
