If you've just bought a lot, or are designing a house or additions, you need a contour and feature survey first. It shows features, trees, levels, visible services, contours and the existing house. Most councils and builders ask for one.

Yes. Whether it will be demolished or added to changes how much detail the contour survey needs, so it changes the cost.

No. Re-establishing your title corners is a separate cadastral survey (a re-peg), usually done just before construction.

Yes. We work across all of Perth, north to Guilderton, east to Northam and Brookton, and through the South West as far as Bridgetown and Augusta.

No, that would cost far more than you need. We survey the building envelope set by the developer or shire, or a 50 m × 50 m area if there isn't one.

Yes. We advise on the type of subdivision, the process and the costs, and are involved from the application to lodging the plans.

We do all the survey work and survey-side applications: the WAPC application where needed, the survey and plan, clearance applications to the authorities, and lodging the plan with Landgate and the WAPC. We'll also tell you what on-site work is needed and who to talk to. We don't apply for titles. If you'd like one point of contact for the whole project, ask about our project management service.

Decide the type of subdivision, how many lots you want, and whether existing buildings will stay, go or be added to. Changing the type later can be expensive.

It depends on the site and on how busy the authorities are. Most green title and survey strata projects take at least 6 months from WAPC approval to titles, typically 7 to 12. The WAPC has 90 days to decide an application.

It depends on what's there now and what you're creating. Allow for on-site works, our fees, and authority fees (Water Corporation, Western Power and your local government). Request a quote for your property.

We do. Every subdivision quote comes with a concept plan of your block, and we design the lot layout with you.

A settlement agent or lawyer, ideally one who specialises in titles.

Your local government. Contact them for your specific numbers.

Strata title is a group of two or more lots in a scheme run by a strata company under the Strata Titles Act 1985. It may have shared services and common property. Green (freehold) title is fully independent: no strata company, no common property, no shared services.

Built strata lots are made up of part lots that can include the building, so the plan may need changing if the buildings change materially. Survey strata lots are defined by boundary lengths and angles only.

Construction is separate from the subdivision: you build under the planning rules for grouped or multiple dwellings, and the subdivision can happen before, during or after. If your site meets the requirements, you can choose survey strata or green title instead.

A scheme can't mix types, so you'd re-subdivide under the same type, and the strata company (all owners) must approve.

Only if every new lot meets green title zoning requirements, services are fully separated (no lot served through another), and the whole scheme agrees. Talk to us about your scheme.

The areas marked with your lot number (as "Lot x" or "Pt x"), plus a share of the common areas. The stratum description on the plan may set height and depth limits.

It usually isn't marked. Anything not shown as part of a lot is common property, including space above or below any height and depth limits.

Not always. A small scheme, such as two villas that each front the street, can have none. You need common property when owners share something: a driveway, visitor parking, a bin area, or the stairs and structure of an apartment building. Your planning approval often decides this.

At or just before lock-up, so the plan is ready when the buildings are finished. At completion the plan needs local government approval and a BA18 Certificate of Building Compliance.

No. We're cadastral (land) surveyors. The BA18 certificate comes from a registered building surveyor.

Only once every building is complete, along with any paving, landscaping and fencing the approval requires. The plan is then lodged with Landgate. Allow about 2 to 3 months from total completion, or as little as 3 to 4 months overall.

Your lot, plus a share of any common property, shown on the plan as common property lots. A scheme can have none, one or several.

No. It can run alongside construction, before or after it. Some work normally done at the end of a build may need to happen earlier, and the WAPC approval will carry conditions.

At least 6 months, typically 7 to 12 months from WAPC approval to titles.

All WAPC conditions: usually water, power and sewer connections, and lots clear and ready to build on, or existing buildings compliant with building regulations.

If the building straddles a boundary, or you need the extra area (for site coverage, say), the lots should be amalgamated. Some councils require this before a building permit, others let you build first.

Usually, but an extra structure that isn't your sole residence may hold up the building permit once the WAPC application is lodged. Services must connect directly within each new lot, not through the rest of the property.

At least 6 months from WAPC approval to titles, typically 7 to 12. Titles can come at any stage of construction, once the WAPC conditions are met.

If it was registered before 1 January 1998 and is single-tier (no lot above another, so not apartments). It needs a unanimous resolution of the owners, but no local government or WAPC approval.

Built strata schemes registered before 1998 and single-tier can be merged. It needs a resolution without dissent. Each option can only be used once per scheme.

Normally just our surveying fees, which include Landgate lodgement fees and preparing the documents. Extra only if other consultants are needed, or a bank charges to give consent.