What deliverables should you expect from a scanning survey
A practical checklist of the deliverables a defensible concrete or LiDAR scanning survey should produce — and the warning signs when they're missing.
A scanning survey is only as useful as its deliverable. Too many survey engagements end with a stack of files that nobody can act on — raw data, opaque reports, no on-site markings, no CAD output. The right brief, the right surveyor, and the right specification of deliverables produce something different: a tight, defensible, actionable record that drops directly into project workflow. Here is what to expect, and what to ask for if it is not offered.
Concrete scanning deliverables
A defensible concrete scanning (GPR or ferro) deliverable includes:
On-slab markings. For pre-drill, pre-cut, or pre-core work, detectable reflectors identified is marked directly on the slab in chalk or paint. The markings are photographed before the surveyor leaves site.
Annotated PDF report. Site address, element references, brief, method, calibration record, findings, depths, photographs of the markings, limitations, recommendation, surveyor sign-off.
CAD-ready DXF or DWG plan. A vector plan in the project coordinate system, drawn at a scale that overlays the design drawings, with detectable reflectors shown and depths annotated.
Method statement and risk assessment. Issued before attendance, included in the project pack.
Calibration record. The calibration applied at the start of the session, traceable to the manufacturer.
Surveyor sign-off. The person who did the work, named and dated.
If any of these are missing, ask. None are optional on engineering work.
LiDAR survey deliverables
A defensible LiDAR survey deliverable includes:
Registered point cloud. In E57 (open) and/or RCP/RCS (Autodesk) format, registered to the project coordinate system.
Registration report. Showing achieved cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-control accuracies, and any conditions affecting registration quality.
Drawn outputs as scoped. Floor plans, sections, elevations as agreed in the brief, drawn from the cloud.
BIM model as scoped. Where modelling is part of the brief, a Revit (or equivalent) model at agreed Levels of Development.
Scan station log. A record of where the scanner was set up, with photographs.
Method statement and surveyor sign-off.
For drone-based capture, additionally:
- The CAA Operational Authorisation reference under which the flight took place.
- The pilot’s competency record.
- Flight logs.
Drone survey deliverables
A defensible drone survey deliverable includes:
Geo-referenced orthomosaic at the agreed resolution, in GeoTIFF format.
3D photogrammetric model in the agreed format (OBJ, FBX, or platform-specific).
Source imagery in original geotagged form.
Ground control survey data.
Inspection or volumetric report, depending on the scope.
CAA paperwork as above.
Concrete testing deliverables
A defensible concrete testing (NDT) deliverable includes:
Test method statement and risk assessment.
Calibration record for the test apparatus.
Test point log with photographs.
Raw test data in the original form.
Statistical analysis across the test population.
UKAS lab certificates for any cores tested in laboratory.
Characteristic strength estimate where the brief calls for one.
Surveyor / engineer interpretation note.
Signed report.
Common shortfalls
The most common shortfalls in real deliverables:
Missing CAD output. A PDF report alone is not enough for design use. Insist on DXF/DWG.
Markings without photographs. On-slab markings that were not photographed are not auditable. Ask for the photographs.
No calibration record. A scan or test without a calibration record is hard to defend. Ask for it.
No limitations section. A report that does not acknowledge limits is over-claiming. Ask for the limitations.
Anonymous reports. A report without a named, signed surveyor is a red flag. Ask for the sign-off.
Wrong coordinate system. A LiDAR cloud or a CAD plan in the wrong coordinate system is hard to use. Specify it explicitly in the brief.
Old data templates. A surveyor who hands you a stale template ten years out of date is a surveyor who has stopped investing in their work. Reputable companies update their templates.
How to specify deliverables in the brief
The brief should explicitly list:
- The formats required (PDF, DXF, DWG, E57, RCP, etc.).
- The coordinate system.
- The level of detail required.
- The reporting deadline.
- The point of delivery (cloud platform, secure portal, email, etc.).
- Any specific recipients beyond the commissioning party.
Reputable surveyors confirm all of these in the quote. Less reputable ones leave them ambiguous and produce a deliverable that mostly meets some of them.
What to do at handover
When the deliverable arrives:
- Check it against the brief. Every item present, every format correct.
- Open the CAD output and confirm it overlays the project drawings cleanly.
- Read the report end-to-end. Pay particular attention to limitations and recommendations.
- Verify the surveyor sign-off.
- Save the deliverable to the project record system with appropriate metadata.
If anything is wrong, raise it before downstream work depends on it. Reputable companies fix issues without argument.
The takeaway
A scanning survey is only as useful as its deliverable. A defensible deliverable has explicit standard components, named formats, and accountable sign-off. Specifying these in the brief and checking them on receipt is one of the highest-leverage habits a project manager can build. The cost is a few minutes per engagement; the value is a project record that stands up to scrutiny.