Frequently Asked Questions

We understand that the construction and land development process can seem complicated. Below are some common questions we get asked at SurveyPlus. Expand the boxes below to reveal the answers and complete our short enquiry form for a free fixed price quote.

The cost of a survey depends on many variables:

  • The age of the Deposited Plan that defines the boundaries of the land to be surveyed.
  • The type of survey and amount of detailed information required.
  • The size of the land requiring survey.
  • Whether there has been other recent survey work undertaken in the area.
  • The type of terrain and vegetation on the parcel of land.

If you intend to lodge a Development Application (DA) or Complying Development Certificate (CDC) we recommend engaging a company with experience in your local Council area as some Council’s have specific requirements for survey information. This may mean the cost of the initial survey is a little higher but translates to faster DA or CDC processing times and should eliminate the need for subsequent visits.

Find out what survey you need here or complete our short enquiry form for a free quote.

Generally our survey team can undertake the necessary fieldwork for your project within 5 business days of quote acceptance. We then require a further 1-5 days (depending on the type of survey required) to perform the necessary calculations, plan drafting and quality assurance prior to issue.

Find out what survey you need here or complete our short enquiry form for a free quote and confirmation of timeframes.

While subdivision can be profitable for many landowners, you do need to meet Council requirements to be able to do so. Depending on the type of land subdivision proposed, there is be several different types of surveying and planning services involved. A Development Application (DA) needs to be lodged with the local Council for most types of subdivision.

Assess the feasibility of your site before committing large amounts of money into a potential subdivision. Research the opportunities and constraints of a potential development site and consider issues such as lot size and zoning, sewer and stormwater drainage and existing easements, covenants or restrictions on the land.

Find out more about subdividing your land here or complete our short enquiry form for a free quote.

We provide land surveying and land development services across the entire Greater Sydney Region including the Hills District, Blacktown, Hornsby, Parramatta, Windsor, Penrith, North Shore, Eastern Suburbs, Bankstown, Sutherland, Liverpool and Campbelltown areas. We also service the Central Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong and the Blue Mountains.

Complete our short enquiry form for a free quote.

Are you unsure of what property survey you require? If you’re new to construction or land development, it’s hard to know where to start. We can assist you in selecting the appropriate survey for your needs. Our expert team can deliver innovative and collaborative solutions to turn your vision into reality.

Find out what survey you need here 

Cluster Subdivision, also known as Cluster Development, is a new development concept introduced to The Hills Shire rural area. It involves permitting a smaller allotment size than the normal 10-hectare minimum in the RU2 Rural Landscape zone.

Land is subdivided into a number of Development Lots which are privately owned and Association Property which is jointly owned by all the owners in the scheme (similar to the Common Property in a Strata scheme). Vegetation and biodiversity on the site must be contained within the Association Property and managed and maintained by the Association. The Association Property can also contain common facilities such as access ways or driveways, tennis courts, swimming pools, etc.

Complete our short enquiry form for a free quote.

An Easement is a right applying to a piece of land that gives someone the right to use the land for a specific purpose even though they are not the landowners. There are various types of easements including:

  • Easement for Access or Right of Access
  • Easement to Drain Water
  • Easement for Electricity Purposes
  • Easement for Services

Private easements are made between the owners of two or more parcels of land.

Easements in gross are created in favour of the Crown or a public or local authority (such as a local Council or Sydney Water).

Complete our short enquiry form for a free quote.

Many Councils allow for the construction of a second dwelling on land in residential zones however you must satisfy certain planning criteria to do so.

Depending on the Council, it may be an option to subdivide the land after construction is complete, resulting in separate titles for each dwelling.

Read more about dual occupancy and duplexes here.

Surveying or land surveying measures and maps our surrounds using mathematics and engineering, with specialised technology and equipment to determine the 3-dimensional position of features on the earth’s surface.

Cadastral surveying: which determines and defines land boundaries. Cadastral Surveyors undertake subdivision work, mark boundaries, prepare Identification Survey Reports, prepare Strata Plans, and create easements and rights in land.

Engineering surveying looks at the location, design and construction of engineering works. Engineering Surveyors are engaged in the building industry and generally set out buildings, bridges, airports, tunnels and other forms of major and minor infrastructure.

Geodetic surveying is the precision measurement of the earth’s surface for the determination of nationwide coordinate systems or geographic meridians of latitude and longitude.

Topographic surveying maps the features on the earth’s surface

Hydrographic surveying maps the marine environment and seabed

Mining surveying deals with the positioning and layout of above-ground open cut mines and below-ground mines and tunnels.

For more Land Survey information, read about our different surveys here.

The Board of Surveying and Spatial Information (BOSSI) in NSW has assessed a Registered Surveyor as being professional and competent to perform cadastral surveys.

To be deemed competent, a Registered Surveyor must hold a tertiary qualification, gain the required practical experience, have passed a series of Board examinations and comply with continuing professional development requirements set by BOSSI.

In Australia, only a Registered Surveyor can perform cadastral surveys and Registered Land Surveyors are the only Surveyors who can prepare and sign survey plans for lodgement at the NSW Land Registry Services (LRS).

Our Registered Surveyors are available to assist and advise you.
Complete our short enquiry form and our team will get back to you within 24 hours.

About 95% of land in NSW is held under the Torrens title system.

Torrens title is a system of land title in which a register of land holdings maintained by the state guarantees an indefeasible title to those included in the register. Land ownership is transferred through registration of title instead of using deeds.

Strata title is a form of ownership devised for multi-level apartment blocks and horizontal subdivisions with shared areas. The ‘strata’ part of the term refers to apartments being on different levels, or “strata”.

Lots usually comprise living areas such as units or apartments, garages, car spaces or storerooms and each is shown on the title as being owned by a Lot Owner.

A Pre-Allocated Plan Number (PPN) is a unique plan number issued to a Registered Surveyor for a proposed land development. The number is allocated to a particular parcel of land before plans are ready for lodgement and registration at the NSW Land Registry Services (LRS). It does not have an automatic or early right to registration and is subject to the usual LRS plan registration process.