Set out a house or unit for construction

There are many reasons why proposed houses or unit developments should be set out by a surveyor.

When placing pegs to define the position of the proposed buildings you are assured that:

  • The house is built on the correct block
  • The house is setback the correct distances from the boundaries and in accordance with the plans approved by Council
  • The concreter has much less trouble keeping the slab or footings square
  • For residential blocks, the boundaries are pegged or the position is checked if there are existing pegs
  • The fence is surveyed (if existing) to check that it is correct.

A report is then issued showing a plan of the block with the proposed house overlaid with diagrams showing where the pegs lie in relation to the house. The report also includes details showing whether fencing is on the boundary or how far off the boundary it is if it’s not right.

Even in rural situations, it is very wise to have a new house or significant structure set out by a Surveyor. Apart from making it much easier for the concreter to build the footings, it is important to have the house orientated correctly. Energy efficiency is paramount in today’s building guidelines.

The relatively small amount of money required to set out a house or units can save a whole lot of worrying. If you set it out yourself and something goes wrong you have no fall-back position.