Short answer: most home extensions in Geelong need two surveys before design starts. A feature and level survey maps your existing house, levels, trees and neighbouring buildings, and a re-establishment survey confirms where your title boundaries really are. Once the extension is approved, a building set-out pegs it in the right spot so the builder can start. Getting these done early is one of the simplest ways to avoid redesigns, permit delays and neighbour disputes.
Whether you’re adding a second storey in Newtown, a rear family room in Belmont or a granny flat in Lara, the survey questions are much the same. This guide explains which surveys a home extension usually needs, why they matter and how to get your project moving.
Why a home extension needs a land surveyor
An extension has to fit within rules about how close you can build to the boundary, how high walls can be near your neighbours, how much of the site you can cover and how much shade you cast. In Victoria, those siting rules sit mainly in the Building Regulations 2018, and your building surveyor checks the design against them before issuing a building permit. If a planning permit is needed as well, council also looks at how the extension sits within its neighbourhood.
All of those checks depend on accurate information about your site. Your designer needs to know exactly where the boundaries are, the floor level of the existing house, the ground levels across the block and the position of windows and walls next door. That information comes from a licensed land surveyor. Under the Surveying Act 2004, only a licensed surveyor can carry out cadastral surveys that define title boundaries.
The surveys a home extension usually needs
Feature and level survey
A feature and level survey records what is on your block now: the house and its floor levels, eaves and roof heights, fences, driveways, trees, retaining walls, service pits and spot levels across the ground. It usually also picks up relevant parts of the neighbouring properties, such as walls and windows near the boundary. Architects and draftspeople use it as the base plan for the design, so the extension ties into the existing floor level and the drainage works.
Re-establishment survey
Fences are often not on the title boundary. On older blocks in suburbs like Newtown, Geelong West or Hamlyn Heights, fences can be well off the true line. A re-establishment survey checks your title against the survey records and the marks on the ground, then confirms where the boundaries actually sit. This matters most when the extension is close to a side or rear boundary, or when you plan to build a wall on the boundary.
Building set-out
Once the building permit is issued, a set-out survey marks the position of the extension on site using pegs and offsets, so the builder pours the slab or footings in the approved location. For extensions built close to a boundary, accurate set-out helps the build match the permit drawings.
Common issues a survey picks up early
- Boundary not where you thought. If the fence is off the title line, the space you were planning to build in may be smaller or larger than expected.
- Easements. Many Geelong blocks have drainage or sewerage easements along the rear or side boundaries. Building over or near them may need consent from the relevant authority, such as council or Barwon Water. See our guide to easement surveys in Geelong.
- Sloping sites. On sloping blocks in areas like Highton or the Surf Coast, levels affect wall heights, steps, retaining walls and drainage.
- Neighbouring windows and private open space. Overlooking and overshadowing are assessed against neighbouring properties, so their windows and outdoor areas need to be shown accurately.
- Overlays. Heritage, flooding, vegetation or other overlays can trigger a planning permit. A free planning property report from VicPlan shows the zone and overlays for your address.
How the process usually works
- Check your property information. Get a copy of your title and plan, and a planning property report from VicPlan.
- Order the surveys. Ask for a feature and level survey, and a re-establishment survey if you’re building near a boundary or the fences look doubtful.
- Design the extension. Your designer uses the survey plan as the base for the drawings.
- Get approvals. Your building surveyor assesses the design for a building permit, and council assesses any planning permit or siting consent that’s needed.
- Set out and build. The land surveyor pegs the extension on site, ready for construction.
Tips to keep your extension on track
- Order surveys before your designer starts drawing, not after. Redrawing a design to fit the true boundary costs more time than surveying first.
- Tell your surveyor what you plan to build and where, so they pick up the right detail on neighbouring properties.
- If you’re thinking about a second dwelling or splitting the block later, mention it. It may change what’s worth capturing now. Our unit development survey guide explains the extra steps.
- Keep a copy of the survey plan. It’s useful for later work such as fences, decks and landscaping.
Areas we cover
Geelong Land Surveyors works across Geelong and the region, including Belmont, Highton, Newtown, Lara, Leopold, Drysdale, Ocean Grove, Torquay, the Surf Coast and Ballarat. We’re a land surveying business, so we prepare the survey information your designer and building surveyor rely on.
Planning an extension? Request a quote online or call 0412 722 261 and tell us your address and what you’d like to build.
Frequently asked questions
What survey do I need for a home extension in Geelong?
Most extensions need a feature and level survey so your designer has an accurate base plan. If you’re building near a boundary or the fences look doubtful, you’ll usually also need a re-establishment survey to confirm the title boundaries.
Do I need a planning permit for an extension?
It depends on the zone, any overlays on your land and the size of the extension. Check your planning property report from VicPlan and ask council or your designer. A building permit is needed for most extensions.
Can I build my extension on the boundary?
Walls on or near a boundary must meet the siting rules in the Building Regulations 2018, or get council consent if they don’t. A re-establishment survey confirms exactly where the boundary is before you design to it.
When should I book the surveys?
Before design starts. The survey plan is the starting point for your designer’s drawings, so ordering it early avoids redesigns and delays.