How much does a site plan cost in Australia?

It depends on who draws it and how many times it has to change. A drafting service charges for the drawing, sometimes with extras for changes, a bigger block or more structures, a licensed surveyor charges more because the work is different, and drawing it yourself costs your time and the tools you use. Councils generally accept a clear, accurate, to-scale site plan whoever drew it, so the choice comes down to what your project actually needs.

To check a particular block, type its address into RapidSiteplan: it reads the lot and the rules that apply there and checks the structure you place against them, in minutes.

What does a drafting service charge for?

You send your details, and a PDF comes back, often within a day or a few. There are usually changes, because the certifier or your builder will spot something, so ask how many revisions are included before you start, and whether a bigger block or an extra structure costs more. RapidSiteplan can also draw your site plan for you.

When is a licensed surveyor worth paying for?

A surveyor fixes where your boundaries actually sit. That level of certainty is worth paying for when it genuinely matters: building on or very close to a boundary, a boundary dispute, or a certifier who has specifically asked for a survey. For an ordinary patio well inside the line, it is usually more than the application needs. The site plan or survey post explains the difference.

What does drawing it yourself involve?

For standard patios, carports, sheds, decks, pools and fences, councils and certifiers generally accept a clearly drawn, to-scale site plan from anyone. The work is in getting the measurements right: the boundary lengths, the buildings already there, and the distance from the new structure to each boundary. Site plan software can load the lot from official records and keep the drawing to scale, and it makes changes cheap, which matters more than people expect, because the design usually changes at least once. RapidSiteplan shows its price for your property before you start.

Can I measure my own boundaries?

Often, for a standard application. Official boundary lines drawn over an aerial photo let you compare the mapped boundary with what is on the ground, and you can check it with a tape on site. Where the mapped line and your fence agree, that is usually enough for an ordinary application. Building right on a boundary, or any real doubt about where the line sits, is surveyor territory.

What only your address can answer

What the plan has to show depends on the block: where its boundaries run, any easement across it, the overlays your council has mapped over it, and the setbacks and site cover the rules set for a lot of its size and zone. The fee your certifier or council charges for the application is separate from the drawing, so ask them for it before you lodge.

RapidSiteplan reads your own block from its address: the boundaries, the buildings already on it, the rules that apply there and any overlay or easement, and checks what you plan to build against them on a scaled site plan.

The post on drawing a site plan from an aerial photo covers doing it yourself.

Search your address to start. Site plans and assessments in minutes.

Common questions

How much does a drafting service charge for a site plan? It varies between services and with the size of the job, and most charge again for each revision. Ask for the price of the drawing and of each change before you start, and how long each round takes, because the design usually changes at least once before it is lodged.

Is a survey the same as a site plan? No. A licensed surveyor fixes the legal position of your boundaries, which is a different job and usually costs more. You need one when the exact boundary position is critical, such as building right on a boundary. For most backyard projects a clear, to-scale site plan is what the application asks for.

What is the cheapest way to get a site plan for council? For a standard project, drawing it yourself is usually the cheapest route, either by hand to scale or with site plan software that loads the lot from official records. What matters is that the boundaries, dimensions and setbacks are right. If you are building close to a boundary, check with your certifier whether a survey is needed first.

General information only, not building or legal advice, requirements vary by council and change over time; always confirm with your council or certifier.