Two Questions, Two Answers
When clients ask how long a survey takes, they're usually asking two separate questions: how long will someone be in my property, and how long until I get my drawings? Both have different answers, and both depend on the size and complexity of the building.
All timings are confirmed in writing before any work begins. We agree the delivery date at the time of booking — not after the survey.
Time on Site
On-site time varies primarily with the size of the building. Here are real figures based on actual SurveyX projects:
| Property Type | Time on Site |
|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat | 2–3 hours |
| 3–4 bedroom house | 3–5 hours |
| Large or extended house | Full day |
| Small commercial building | Full day |
| Large commercial / multi-floor | 1–2 days |
These timings assume laser scanning is being used. Traditional tape surveys on simple buildings can be faster on site but typically require more return visits when features are missed.
What Happens After the Survey
The survey day is only the start of the process. Here's what happens between us leaving site and your drawings arriving:
- Day 1–2 — Point cloud processing. All individual scan positions are registered together in Autodesk ReCap, creating a single unified point cloud of the building. Each scan is checked for accuracy and any gaps are identified.
- Day 2–5 — Drawing production. Floor plans, elevations and sections are extracted from the point cloud in AutoCAD. Every line traces a real measurement from the scan data — nothing is estimated.
- Day 5–6 — Quality check. All dimensions are cross-referenced against the raw scan data. Drawing annotations, title blocks and layer naming are checked against the agreed CAD standard.
- Day 6–7 — Delivery. Invoice issued. Drawings released via shared Dropbox folder on the same day payment clears.
Standard vs Expedited Turnaround
We offer two turnaround options on most projects:
| Option | Timescale | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 5–7 working days from survey | Available on all projects. Included in standard price. |
| Expedited | 72 hours from survey | Available on most residential. Surcharge applies — quoted upfront. |
If you have a planning deadline, a contractor start date or any other fixed date you're working towards — tell us when you enquire. We'll confirm immediately whether we can meet it and factor it into the fixed price quote.
- On-site time ranges from 2–3 hours (small flat) to 1–2 days (large commercial)
- Standard turnaround is 5–7 working days from survey to delivery
- Expedited 72-hour turnaround available on most residential projects
- Delivery date is confirmed in writing at the time of booking
- Drawings are released via Dropbox on the same day payment clears
Need Drawings
By a Specific Date?
Tell us your deadline when you enquire — we'll confirm whether we can hit it and give you a fixed price the same day.
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