SYDNEYS LEADING LAND SURVEYOR SERVICES
Find surveying services you need based on your stage
We understand that land surveying comes with its challenges, but rest assured we have services no matter the building stage you are in and happy to help.
200+ Reviews — Trusted on 100,000+ Projects
STAGES A-E
Applicable for All Stages
3D Survey
3D Surveys provide a complete visual capture of your site in 3D, offering an invaluable reference for design, planning, and construction.
Using laser scanning technology, the survey produces a high-detail model that reflects real-world conditions – ideal for developments requiring coordination between multiple stakeholders.
- Captures existing conditions in full 3D, including structures, features, and terrain
- Provides a single source of truth for architects, engineers, and consultants
- Streamlines the approval process with visuals that support clear communication
Boundary Survey
A Boundary Survey ensures accurate property line determination before construction begins, helping prevent legal disputes and compliance issues. This survey:
- Identifies and marks property boundaries with physical pegs
- Provides boundary markers for future development
- Ensures compliance with NSW Land Registry Services and council regulations
STAGE A
Pre-construction DA/CDC Approval
Before construction begins, obtaining Development Approval (DA) or a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) is crucial. At C&A Surveyors, we provide highly accurate surveys and detailed reports to ensure your project meets council regulations, avoids compliance issues, and progresses smoothly. Our expertise in pre-construction surveying helps architects, developers, and builders make informed decisions, ensuring the land and structure are positioned correctly before work commences.
We use cutting-edge technology, including 3D Modelling, to create high-precision digital models of your land and structures, reducing risks and improving design accuracy. Our Boundary and Contour Surveys define critical site parameters, ensuring your plans align with the existing landscape and legal property limits.
Contour Survey
A Contour Survey (also known as a Detail & Level Survey) captures the existing features and levels of your site, laying the groundwork for accurate design and cinformed planning decisions. It provides essential data to understand the slope, boundaries, and structures on your property – helping avoid costly errors down the line.
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Identifies ground levels, trees, fences, structures, and visible services
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Required for most Development Applications and design planning
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Helps prevent design errors and construction setbacks
Preliminary Plan of Subdivision
Before you can subdivide land, a Preliminary Plan of Subdivision defines the proposed lots, boundaries, and easements – ensuring your layout meets council and certifier expectations. This plan is essential for securing development consent and starting the subdivision approval process.
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Maps out new lot boundaries and key features like access and easements
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Supports DA submissions and early-stage planning
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Helps identify design or compliance issues before final registration
Preliminary Strata Plan
A Preliminary Strata Plan outlines the layout of strata lots, car spaces, common areas, and boundaries – providing essential documentation for council or strata certifier approval. It’s a crucial early step for multi-unit developments and required before selling off-the-plan.
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Clearly defines lot ownership vs common property
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Essential for council or strata certifier approvals
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Used in contracts of sale and finance applications
Pre-Allocated Plan Number
A Pre-Allocated Plan Number (PPN) is a unique identifier secured from Land Registry Services before registering a subdivision or easement. It’s a requirement for Sydney Water’s Section 73 Certificate and helps streamline the registration process for your plan.
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Required for Sydney Water and subdivision approvals
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Secures your plan in the LRS system ahead of registration
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Prevents delays in council or utility compliance processes
Detail and Level Identification Survey
Combining contour detail with precise boundary location, a Detail & Level Identification Survey is essential for design, approvals, and legal clarity. It ensures your plans are based on accurate site levels and boundary positions – minimising risks from encroachments or non-compliance.
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Includes land contours, existing structures, boundaries, and easements
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Required by many councils and private certifiers
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Reduces approval delays and costly construction errors
Internal Building Survey
An Internal Building Survey provides accurate, to-scale floor plans that capture key detail of your property’s interior – from wall locations and ceiling heights to window placements, stairs, and fixed furniture.
This is essential for anyone planning:
- Renovations,
- Extensions, or
- Layout reconfigurations.
It gives architects, designers, and builders a clear, reliable foundation for design and compliance.
Whether you’re updating a family home, reshaping a commercial space, or applying for council approval, our survey ensures you know exactly what you’re working with.
STAGE B
Construction
Once your project has received DA/CDC approval, precise construction surveys are essential to ensure accuracy in foundation placement, boundary alignment, and excavation volumes. At C&A Surveyors, we provide construction-phase surveying services that keep your project on track, prevent costly errors, and ensure compliance with council and regulatory requirements.
Our 3D Modelling services provide high-resolution, real-world site data to improve coordination among project stakeholders. Pegout Surveys ensure your foundations and structures are positioned precisely, while Volume of Excavation Surveys verify earthworks and ensure compliance with design specifications.
Peg-Out Survey
Peg-Out Surveys (also known as a Set-Out Survey) are essential when you’re ready to bring your plans to life – whether that’s building a home, garage, fence, or extension.
This survey involves placing physical boundary markers on site to show exactly where construction should occur, helping prevent costly misalignments and legal disputes. It ensures your build aligns precisely with approved plans by marking key points such as the corners of your lot, structural offsets, and fencing lines.
- Clearly defines property corners for accurate construction
- Provides offset pegs to guide fence or structure placement
- Ensures all work complies with legal boundaries and council approvals
Volume of Excavation
Knowing the exact volume of soil removed from your site is critical for budgeting, contractor payments, and council compliance. A Volume of Excavation survey calculates how much earth has been displaced during excavation, using before-and-after data to provide aaccurate insight. This helps avoid disputes, supports project planning, and provides legal documentation for authorities or lenders.
- Precisely measures excavation quantities to verify contractor claims
- Helps meet council or development consent requirements
- Reduces financial risk by supporting accurate invoicing and budgeting
Learn more about Volume of Excavation Surveys
STAGE C
Occupational Certificate
As construction wraps up, securing your Occupation Certificate (OC) is the final hurdle – and it requires precise surveys to prove your development has been built to plan. At C&A Surveyors, we provide all the critical end-of-project services you need to get across the line. Whether it’s a Work as Executed (WAE) for stormwater or a substation, a Final Survey and Report to confirm roof heights and floor levels, or an Identification or Boundary Survey to verify the site’s legal boundaries – our expert team ensures everything is documented, accurate, and ready for OC approval.
We work closely with certifiers, engineers, and councils to minimise delays and fast-track your sign-off – so you can complete your project with confidence.
Work as Executed (OSD)
A Work as Executed (OSD) plan verifies that your on-site detention (OSD) drainage system has been constructed in line with approved designs – an essential step before council can issue your Occupation Certificate.
This survey overlays final measurements on your drainage plan to confirm compliance and avoid costly rework. It includes:
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Accurate measurements of the completed drainage system
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A red-marked plan showing any variations from approved designs
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A certified document ready for submission to hydraulic engineers and council
Learn more about our Work as Executed (OSD).
Work as Executed (Substation)
Before you can finalise electrical infrastructure, a Work as Executed (Substation) survey confirms that the substation has been built precisely as approved.
This plan is required for electrical authority certification and OC lodgement. The survey:
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Compares built works to the approved substation plan
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Identifies any deviations that may require rectification
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Provides a red-marked and certified plan for submission to authorities
Learn more about our Work as Executed (Substation).
Identification Survey and Report
An Identification Survey provides a legal snapshot of the property’s physical boundaries, existing structures, and any encroachments – often required when councils request a Building Information Certificate or when validating compliance prior to OC. The report includes:
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Location of buildings and structures relative to the boundary
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Easements, encroachments, and restrictions affecting the property
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A certified plan and written report issued by a Registered Surveyor
Learn more about our Identification Survey and Report.
Final Survey and Report
A Final Survey and Report is the last checkpoint before receiving your Occupation Certificate. It verifies that your completed building aligns with approved plans — confirming critical measurements like roof heights, floor levels, and boundary clearances.
This survey gives certifiers and council the confidence to sign off your project and ensures there are no encroachments or compliance issues standing in the way.
- Confirms built structure matches DA/CDC-approved plans
- Measures roof and floor levels relative to boundary lines
- Required by certifiers and council before issuing an Occupation Certificate
STAGE D
Subdivision, Strata, Consolidation
Once your development is complete, it’s time to formalise the outcome – whether that’s through subdivision, strata registration, or consolidation. These processes require a series of highly technical plans and documents, and our expert survey team makes it easy. From creating Plans of Subdivision, Strata Plans, and Consolidation to preparing Section 88B or 88E Instruments, redefining boundaries, or calculating lettable areas, C&A Surveyors offers end-to-end support. We also assist with Dual Occupancy subdivisions and the registration of easements and covenants.
With over 100,000 successful projects, our experience means you avoid delays and costly mistakes – so your lots are ready for sale, settlement, or long-term retention.
Section 88E
A Section 88E Instrument is used to register easements or covenants specifically related to electricity infrastructure – usually substations – under NSW legislation.
It’s essential for legalising rights of access and usage, ensuring developments meet both council and electrical authority standards.
- Required for substations and electricity-related easements
- Ensures legal access and asset protection for service providers
- Must be prepared and signed by a Registered Surveyor before registration
Section 88B
A Section 88B Instrument is a legal document that registers easements, positive covenants, and land use restrictions on your title. It’s essential for any subdivision or easement registration, providing long-term clarity on how the land can be used.
- Used to register drainage, access, and service easements
- Includes restrictions like environmental protection or building placement
- Required for Land Registry Services registration alongside your survey plan
Plan of Subdivision
A Plan of Subdivision legally divides a parcel of land into two or more lots, enabling you to sell, lease, or build on each individually. It’s essential for dual occupancies, multi-dwelling projects, or unlocking land value.
- Creates separate titles for each new lot
- Must meet council, subdivision certifier, and LRS requirements
- Enables legal sale, development, or transfer of each new parcel
Plan of Consolidation
A Plan of Consolidation combines two or more lots into one single title – ideal when simplifying ownership or preparing for a future development. While council approval isn’t always needed, it’s often a development condition.
- Merges lots for legal and financial clarity
- Required before building across original boundaries
- Streamlines mortgages and avoids future title complications
Plan of Redefinition
When preparing a strata plan, a Plan of Redefinition is often required to accurately reset the boundaries of a lot. This plan ensures strata lots and common property are correctly measured and legally recognised.
- Required before lodging a strata plan with LRS
- Ensures accurate base boundaries for strata registration
- Must be endorsed by your mortgagee and comply with LRS standards
Plan of Delimitation
A Plan of Delimitation is necessary when dealing with a ‘limited title’ – where property boundaries haven’t been previously confirmed. This plan removes title limitations, legally confirming the true extent of your land.
- Removes the ‘limited title’ clause from your Certificate of Title
- Re-establishes boundaries using historical data and state survey marks
- Essential for resolving uncertainty before selling or developing
Plan of Easement
If your project needs to cross into a neighbour’s land—such as for stormwater drainage – a Plan of Easement defines the legal right to do so. It includes detailed survey data and is registered with a Section 88B Instrument.
Legally defines where and how the easement applies
Required for council approvals and mortgagee sign-offs
Avoids disputes and future access issues with adjoining landowners
Transfer Granting Easement
A Transfer Granting Easement is a faster alternative to a Plan of Easement, used when all parties agree to a simple right of use over a neighbour’s land. It includes a survey sketch and signed legal documentation.
- Used for stormwater or access routes across neighbouring land
- Requires signatures from landowners, mortgagees, and council (if applicable)
- Ideal when easements are straightforward and time-sensitive
Net and Gross Lettable Area
For commercial leases, precision matters. A Net and Gross Lettable Area (NLA & GLA) survey determines exactly how much space can legally be leased – reducing disputes, ensuring compliance, and supporting fair rental valuations.
- Net Lettable Area: usable space inside (common in office leases)
- Gross Lettable Area: total area to external walls (used for retail/industrial)
- Measured to Property Council of Australia standards for legal validity
Dual Occupancy
Dual Occupancy involves building two dwellings on a single lot – either attached (duplex) or detached. Whether you’re keeping both homes or subdividing later, accurate surveying ensures compliance, approvals, and smooth registration.
- Supports both Torrens Title and Strata Subdivision pathways
- Must meet council planning and subdivision certifier requirements
- Adds value and flexibility to your property for future resale or investment
STAGE E
Lodgements to Authorities
After plans are prepared, the real work begins – getting them accepted.
Submitting documents to local councils, banks, banks and NSW Land Registry Services involves specific requirements, signatures, and sequencing – and one mistake can stall everything.
C&A Surveyors takes the stress out of lodgements. We prepare, collate, and submit your documents to the required authorities on your behalf, ensuring each step meets compliance standards and flows smoothly through to registration or approval.
Lodgement to Local Councils
Lodging documents with your local council is often a crucial step before you can register titles, easements, or meet development consent conditions. Each council has its own processes, and incorrect submissions can lead to frustrating delays.
- We prepare and submit easements, 88B documents, and restriction plans
- Ensure compliance with council requirements to avoid rejections
- Coordinate signatures and approvals for a smooth, fast turnaround
Lodgement to Banks
If your property is mortgaged, your lender must approve changes to the title – such as subdivisions or easements – before they can be registered. Banks require precise documentation and often have strict internal checks.
- We assist in preparing all documents needed for bank consent
- Ensure your survey plans and legal forms meet lender requirements
- Help you navigate bank processes to minimise delays and back-and-forth
Lodgement to Land Registry Services
Lodging your final plans and legal instruments with NSW Land Registry Services (LRS) is the last step in making changes to your title official. This process must be handled carefully to meet legal and technical standards. We help with:
- Submitting certified plans, Section 88B/88E Instruments, and easement documents
- Ensuring data formats, signatures, and paperwork meet LRS requirements
- Tracking progress to registration and resolving any issues that arise
Lodgement to the Strata Certifier
For strata subdivisions, documents must be lodged with a Strata Certifier before registration can proceed. This includes final plans, certifications, and compliance documentation specific to your development.
- We compile and lodge the entire documentation package for strata certification
- Ensure the strata plan aligns with redefinition and base surveys
- Coordinate signatures from owners, certifiers, and mortgagees for registration
Lodgement to Valuers
For strata subdivisions, documents must be lodged with a Strata Certifier before registration can proceed. This includes final plans, certifications, and compliance documentation specific to your development.
- We compile and lodge the entire documentation package for strata certification
- Ensure the strata plan aligns with redefinition and base surveys
- Coordinate signatures from owners, certifiers, and mortgagees for registration
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