Pre-construction
surveys°
in /New York. /Manhattan. /Brooklyn. /Queens. /the Bronx.

A documented record of the existing condition of a property and its adjacent buildings before construction begins. It uses high-resolution photographs and measured notes to capture existing defects and structural conditions, creating a time-stamped baseline for comparison if damage is later claimed.

NYC Building Code Section 3309.4.3 requires a preconstruction survey before excavation 5 to 10 feet deep within 10 feet of an adjacent building, and before any excavation over 10 feet deep anywhere on the site. Section 3309.4.4 adds monitoring during the work, and TPPN 10/88 extends documentation to landmark buildings within 90 feet. The survey establishes the condition of neighboring structures before work begins.

High-resolution photographs of interior and exterior conditions, each geotagged and timestamped at capture, documentation of existing defects and structural settlement, notes on adjacent structures, and a time-stamped report archived for the duration of the project.

Surveys are quoted per project. Scope depends on the size of the site, the number of adjacent properties, and access. Send the project details through the form and we return a quote, typically within two business hours.

General contractors, real estate developers, property owners and managers, and architects and engineers. In most cases the party responsible for the construction project orders the survey to document existing conditions on neighboring properties and limit exposure to damage claims.

Yes. The survey covers the construction site and the adjacent properties within the affected zone, including shared party walls and neighboring structures. Documenting existing defects on adjacent buildings is the part of the record that defends against property damage claims.

Yes. A post-construction survey repeats the documentation after work is complete and sets it against the pre-construction baseline comparison. The two records together show whether existing conditions changed during the project.

Yes, for practical purposes. Dilapidation survey is the term some markets use for the same record: photographic documentation of existing conditions on adjoining properties before construction begins. Engineers may also call it an existing-conditions survey. Whatever the name, the deliverable is a geotagged, timestamped photographic baseline of every adjacent structure in the affected zone.

We archive the time-stamped report for the duration of the project and keep it on file beyond closeout, since damage claims can surface after the work is finished. The record stays available as a claims defense mechanism for as long as you need it.