Service Detail
Detailed elevation and terrain mapping for design and engineering.
A topographic survey maps the natural and man-made features of a property, creating a detailed picture of the terrain that engineers, architects, and planners need to design projects that work with the land rather than against it. The survey captures elevation changes, contour lines, trees, streams, structures, and any other features that could affect site development.
In all of Georgia, the rolling terrain and varied topography make topo surveys especially important. Steep grades, drainage channels, and rock outcrops are common features that can dramatically affect building design, grading costs, and stormwater management. Without accurate topographic data, engineers are designing blind, which leads to costly change orders, drainage problems, and permitting delays.
S&S Land Surveying produces topographic surveys using GPS receivers and robotic total stations to capture thousands of data points across your property. We process this field data into a professional CAD drawing showing contour lines at specified intervals (typically 1-foot or 2-foot contours), spot elevations at critical features, and the location of every significant natural and man-made feature on the site. The result is a base map that your design team can build upon with confidence.
Our topographic surveys are used across Georgia for residential site design, commercial development, road engineering, environmental assessments, and erosion control planning. We regularly serve Cedartown, Rome, Rockmart, Dallas, Cartersville, and surrounding communities throughout Polk, Floyd, Bartow, and Paulding counties.
A topographic survey answers one question in precise detail: what does the surface of this land actually look like? To do that, the survey records the shape of the ground and the position of the features on it, then presents that information in a form engineers and designers can build from.
Spot elevations and contours. The heart of a topographic survey is elevation. Surveyors measure the height of the ground at many points across the site, capturing high points, low points, breaks in slope, and the tops and bottoms of banks and ditches. These measured heights are called spot elevations. From the pattern of spot elevations, the surveyor draws contour lines, which connect points of equal elevation. Contours spaced far apart show gentle, nearly level ground, while contours packed close together show steep slopes. Together, spot elevations and contours give a complete picture of how the land rises and falls.
Features on the land. Beyond elevation, a topographic survey locates the natural and man-made features that affect how a site can be used. This commonly includes existing buildings, driveways and pavement, walls and fences, utility structures, trees and tree lines, streams, ponds, and drainage paths. Mapping these features alongside the terrain shows designers not just the shape of the land but everything already on it that a project has to work around. Accurate positions for these features matter, because even a small error can push a design out of alignment with what is really there.
Typical uses. Topographic surveys are prepared mainly for the people who design projects. Civil engineers use them to lay out grading, drainage, and stormwater systems. Architects and site designers use them to position buildings, driveways, and parking so a project fits the land and drains correctly. Because so much design work depends on accurate terrain data, a topographic survey is often one of the first steps in developing a site. Landscape architects, land planners, and county reviewers work from the same information whenever a project changes the existing grade, which is why one topographic survey is shared across an entire design team.
The contour map deliverable. The end product of a topographic survey is generally a contour map: a scaled drawing that combines the contour lines, spot elevations, and located features into a single base map of existing conditions. A design team then builds their plans directly on top of it. The scale, contour interval, and file formats are matched to the needs of each project, so contact us for details about the deliverable for your site.
Founder William "Bart" Sims brings over 40 years of surveying experience to every project.
CAD deliverables formatted for immediate use by your design team.
GPS and robotic total stations for accurate, efficient data collection.
We know NW Georgia's terrain, drainage patterns, and county requirements.
Topographic survey costs in Georgia depend on acreage, terrain complexity, and level of detail required. Contact S&S Land Surveying for a free project-specific estimate.
A boundary survey establishes property lines and legal limits, while a topographic survey maps the physical features of the land including elevation changes, trees, streams, and structures. Many projects require both surveys, and they are often performed together to save time and cost.
While not always legally required, a topographic survey is essential for any project involving grading, drainage design, or site engineering. Most engineers and architects require topo data before they can design a building site, and many Georgia counties require it as part of the permitting process.
Fieldwork for a residential topographic survey typically takes one day. Larger commercial or heavily wooded sites may take several days. The office work to process the data and produce the final deliverable follows the fieldwork.
A topographic survey includes ground elevation contours, existing structures, driveways and pavement, trees and vegetation, streams and drainage features, fences, retaining walls, and any other significant site features. Data is delivered as a CAD drawing with contour lines at specified intervals.
Topographic surveys are frequently combined with these services:
Contact us today for a topographic survey estimate.
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