Christian contacted us for help with an existing residential property on Priory Road in North London. He needed a full measured survey and existing drawings so he could move ahead confidently with design and planning on the house.
He also mentioned he had another project in the pipeline and wanted a survey partner he could use more than once – so getting the communication and delivery right on this first job was important.
Before we booked anything in, we:
- Confirmed that we could provide existing plans, elevations and a section as part of a single package.
- Set expectations on turnaround time – explaining that, due to a high workload, we would need 5–6 working days after the survey to issue the draft drawings.
- Checked that this timing worked for him; Christian confirmed that Monday the following week would be a perfect target for the draft pack.
- Issued an invoice and asked him to confirm payment so we could formalise the survey date.
Once payment was received and the survey was booked, we moved the project into our “In Progress” pipeline.
How we carried out the survey
Because Christian wasn’t necessarily going to be on site himself, we needed clear coordination around who would let the surveyor in and how they could recognise him. We therefore:
- Shared surveyor details upfront
- Name: Sean, our regular residential surveyor.
- Mobile number so the client’s contact could reach him directly on the day.
- Requested on-site contact info
- We asked Christian to confirm who would be present at the property and to share their mobile number, so Sean could call or text if he was early, delayed, or needed help with access.
On the day of the survey, Sean:
- Used a Disto laser and tape to measure all primary rooms, circulation spaces and the external envelope.
- Followed a consistent route through the house to avoid missing any spaces or floor areas.
- Took a full photo set of elevations, key junctions and features so the CAD team could model the building accurately back at the office.
With this, we had enough data to produce accurate existing plans, elevations and a section at true 1:1 metric scale.
Turning the survey into drawings
Back in the office, our CAD team:
- Built the ground and upper floor plans from Sean’s measurements, ensuring wall thicknesses, openings and stairs were correctly located.
- Generated front, rear and side elevations, using the site photographs to pick up window proportions, door positions and facade details.
- Cut a main section through the house to show floor levels, ceiling heights and overall building form.
Once the model passed our internal checks, we:
- Exported a draft PDF drawings pack and uploaded it as a zipped folder.
- Emailed Christian to confirm the project was “now complete” at draft stage, attaching the draft pack and the final invoice.
- Explained that, once the invoice was settled, we would release the final drawings, including the CAD file, PDFs and supporting photographs.
Christian reviewed the drawings (from a skiing trip, no less) and replied that the “drawings look super” and that he would pay the invoice straight away.
After payment, we:
- Confirmed receipt and issued a payment receipt for his records.
- Shared the final drawings and related files – PDFs, CAD, photographs and any supporting media – so he had everything in one place.
Managing changes and expectations
There were a few small but important moments where we managed expectations and responded quickly:
Turnaround and workload
- From the start, we were transparent that we needed 5–6 working days to complete the drawings after the survey, due to a high workload.
- We gave Christian a specific target (draft pack by Monday) rather than a vague “next week”, and he confirmed he was happy with that.
This helped avoid any stress or chasing while he was away skiing; he already knew what to expect and when.
CAD version compatibility
Once Christian received the final CAD files, he realised he was using an older version of AutoCAD and couldn’t open the latest format. He emailed to ask if we could resend the files saved back to around the 2017 version.
We:
- Acknowledged the request and confirmed there was no rush, but that we would:
- Re-export the DWG files to an older AutoCAD version.
- Re-upload them to the same Google Drive location.
- Let him know when the older-version DWGs had been uploaded, so he could download them directly and start work without any further delays.
This is often a small detail, but it makes a big difference when architects and designers are working with different software versions.
Reviews and ongoing relationship
At the end of the project, once everything was paid and delivered, we:
- Sent Christian a friendly note thanking him for his trust and asking, if he was happy, to leave a quick Google review via a dedicated link.
- When he replied that he had submitted a review, we:
- Thanked him again.
- Explained that Google is our main review platform, so there was nothing else he needed to do.
In parallel, Christian mentioned he was “waiting for instruction on the other project”, and we later provided two survey options for another address he’d asked about (one including 3D internal scanning, one as a leaner survey), showing that this first job had already led to follow-on work.
Final outcome
By the end of the project, Christian had:
- A full measured survey of his Priory Road property carried out by a named surveyor with clear contact and arrival arrangements.
- A complete set of existing drawings:
- Floor plans
- Elevations
- A main section
- Deliverables in both PDF and DWG formats, with DWG files saved back to an older AutoCAD version so they slotted straight into his current workflow.
- A simple review link and clear communication at each stage – from survey booking, to draft issue, to final file delivery.
For us, the project delivered:
The opportunity to price and support a second project for the same client, confirming that a smooth process and good communication on a relatively standard survey can quickly turn into a longer-term working relationship.
A happy client who explicitly said the drawings looked “super”.
A positive Google review, strengthening our online reputation.
Project Details
| Service Type | Measured Survey and Existing Drawings (Plans, Elevations and Section) |
| Time Taken | Around 1–1.5 weeks from survey to final drawings (staged issue) |
| Budget | £400–£520 |
| Location | Priory Road, North London |
