A Pre-Construction Survey is the cheapest and one of the most effective tools to avoid construction damage disputes and costly legal litigations.
What is a Pre-Construction Survey?
When construction activity is in close proximity to neighboring buildings, there is always the danger and risk of damage to those buildings; foundation damage, excessive vibrations, and party-wall damage are a few to name.
A pre-construction survey is a comprehensive report of photos with tagged location, notes, and observations of a building's visual interior and exterior condition, existing signs of damage, anomaly, or any signs of structural settlement or defects for future litigation with the neighbor.
By having the existing conditions documented in the pre-construction survey, there will be no disputes on damages since all existing conditions before construction are properly documented in the pre-construction survey.
New York City Building Code Requirement:
The NYC Building Code 33094.3 (Protection of Adjoining Property) outlines a Pre-Construction Survey is required when:
No excavation work to a depth of 5 feet to 10 feet within 10 feet of an adjacent building or an excavation over 10 feet anywhere on the site shall commence until the person causing an excavation to be made has documented the existing conditions of all adjacent buildings in a Pre-Construction Survey.
Landmark and Historic Buildings:
Pursuant to the NYC Department of Buildings Technical Policy and Procedures (TPPN), Notice 10/88, a landmark building within 90 feet of a construction site must have a Pre-Construction Survey as part of the Monitoring Plan.