Precision building setout for Canberra construction projects. We mark building corners, floor levels, and infrastructure positions to ensure your build is correctly positioned from day one.
Get a Free QuoteA building setout survey transfers the design from your approved plans onto the ground. Our surveyors use precision GPS and total station equipment to mark the exact position of building corners, foundation edges, and key construction points. These marks guide excavation, formwork, and construction.
Accurate setout is critical because once concrete is poured, corrections are expensive or impossible. A building placed even 100mm in the wrong position can breach ACT Government setback requirements, encroach on easements, or fail to match the approved plans - any of which can halt construction or require demolition.
In Canberra, building setout typically includes marking building corners relative to property boundaries, establishing floor levels relative to Australian Height Datum (AHD), and providing offset pegs that builders can use throughout construction.
Building setout is essential at specific stages of construction projects.
Every new home build requires setout before excavation begins. We mark building corners, floor level, and any critical setback lines specified in your development approval. Most Canberra builders require a surveyor's setout certificate before commencing foundation work.
Adding to an existing home? Setout ensures your extension aligns correctly with the existing building and meets boundary setback requirements. Particularly important for upper storey additions where floor levels must match exactly and walls align with foundations below.
Commercial construction often involves multiple setout stages - initial building corners, then column positions, lift shafts, and progressive floor levels as the building rises. We work with commercial builders throughout Canberra on projects from small retail to multi-storey developments.
Here's what to expect when you book a building setout with City Surveyors Canberra:
Send us your approved building plans (site plan, floor plans, and sections). We extract all the dimensions and levels needed for setout. If anything's unclear, we'll contact your builder or designer for clarification.
The site should be cleared and roughly levelled before setout. For slab-on-ground construction, we typically set out after initial earthworks but before excavation for footings. For suspended slabs, we set out on the prepared building pad.
Our surveyors mark building corners with pegs or paint. We establish offset pegs (typically 1-2m outside the building footprint) that won't be disturbed during excavation. Floor level is marked on a permanent reference point.
You receive a setout certificate showing what was marked and confirming the building position complies with approved plans. This document is often required by building certifiers and ACT Government inspectors.
Building setout costs in Canberra depend on project complexity. Typical prices:
$500 - $900
Single dwelling, rectangular footprint, straightforward site.
$900 - $1,500+
Complex shapes, split levels, or multiple buildings on site.
Factors affecting price include building complexity (number of corners and setout points), whether boundary identification is included, site access conditions, and whether progressive setouts are required during construction.
Tip: If your boundaries haven't been recently surveyed, we recommend a combined boundary survey and setout. This ensures setback dimensions are measured from the actual boundary, not from an assumed fence line.
Get a quote for your Canberra building setout
Request QuoteBook 1-2 weeks before you need us on site. We'll need your approved plans in advance to prepare. Most builders schedule setout immediately after site clearing, before excavation for footings begins.
Recommended but not always required. If your building has tight setbacks (close to boundaries), we strongly recommend boundary identification first. If setbacks are generous and existing fences appear correct, we can set out from existing marks - but you accept the risk that the fence may not be on the boundary.
We need the approved site plan (showing building position on the lot), floor plan (for building dimensions), and sections or elevations (for floor level). ACT-stamped approval plans are ideal. Your builder can usually provide these.
This is why we provide offset pegs - marks set back from the building footprint that won't be disturbed by excavation. Your builder can re-establish building corners from these offsets. If all marks are lost, call us for a re-setout (additional fee applies).
Our setout accuracy is typically within 5-10mm. This far exceeds construction tolerances and ensures your building will comply with approved plans and setback requirements.