A survey documents the property that exists. A site plan shows how a proposed project fits within it.
They are related, but they are not interchangeable. A current survey gives the design team a reliable base. The proposed site plan adds the pool, structures, hardscape, grading and other improvements, then tests those elements against setbacks, easements, septic areas, buffers, utilities and applicable lot-coverage limits.
Quick View
| Document | Primary purpose | Common information |
|---|---|---|
| Property survey | Establish existing conditions | Boundaries, structures, easements, topography and other recorded or field-located conditions within the survey scope |
| Proposed site plan | Coordinate the intended improvements | Pool, deck, structures, setbacks, grading, drainage, utilities, septic relationships, disturbance limits and jurisdiction-required calculations |
| Construction drawings | Explain how work is assembled | Dimensions, elevations, sections, details, materials and trade coordination |
| Engineering and MEP | Resolve technical systems | Structural design plus mechanical, electrical and plumbing requirements where applicable |
What a survey does
The useful survey scope depends on the property and project. A boundary-only document may not provide enough information for an elevated pool, retaining walls or a highly coordinated backyard. Topography, visible utilities, trees and site improvements may need to be included.
An old closing survey can be a useful reference, but it may not reflect later structures, fences, easements, grade changes or more precise information required for design and permitting. A survey that accurately locates the home on the lot is especially useful during preliminary planning because it can be scaled inside the design software and used to create a more accurate early layout and cost framework.
Most projects ultimately receive a new or updated survey as a planning best practice. That is not the same as claiming every municipality always requires a brand-new survey: the real question is whether the document is current, complete and acceptable for the proposed work and reviewing authority.
Where the subdivision plat helps
Homeowners frequently use “plat” and “survey” interchangeably, but they are not the same document. A subdivision plat may show the recorded lot, setbacks, easements, buffers, stormwater areas and other development restrictions without showing the completed house.
On a complicated property, a detailed plat may reveal constraints that a limited boundary survey omits. Artistix therefore prefers to review both when they are available.
What the proposed site plan adds
The site plan turns the project concept into a property-specific arrangement. A typical Artistix pool and backyard site plan is expected to address:
- Existing and proposed improvements, including the pool, spa, decking, equipment and structures.
- Property lines, setbacks, easements, buffers and required separations.
- Existing and proposed contours or elevations.
- Pool-water setback dimensions.
- Active and reserve septic areas when applicable.
- Existing and proposed impervious-area calculations.
- Retaining walls and proposed wall heights.
- Drainage and stormwater improvements.
- Fence and barrier information.
- Erosion- and sediment-control details.
- Known or relevant utilities.
Tree locations, canopy calculations and tree-protection requirements vary by jurisdiction. Cobb may not require the same tree documentation for a typical residential pool submission, while jurisdictions such as the City of Atlanta can require a substantially more intensive tree review.
What neither document automatically includes
A survey and site plan do not automatically provide structural engineering, pool-shell details, plumbing and hydraulic plans, architectural construction drawings, electrical plans or mechanical design. Those disciplines are added when the project and reviewing authority require them.
Planning costs
Artistix commonly sees surveys in the $700–$1,500 range and municipal-review site plans in the $2,500–$6,000 range. Property size, topographic detail, tree information, complexity and required revisions can change those figures. Artistix often includes or coordinates these services within the broader scope, but every proposal should state exactly what is included.
Once engaged, survey and proposed-site-plan preparation commonly requires approximately four to eight weeks. A complex property, additional field information or municipal requirements can extend the turnaround.
How Artistix uses them
We use the survey to understand the real property before forcing a design onto it. The site plan then becomes the coordination layer between the vision, the site constraints, the engineers and the reviewing agencies.
That sequence helps prevent an attractive concept from advancing too far before the difficult questions are answered.
Whenever practical, Artistix works with providers capable of coordinating both the existing-condition survey and proposed site plan. Keeping those responsibilities connected reduces handoff gaps between a field surveyor and a separate planning or engineering firm.
Plan With More Clarity
- Can My Property Support the Project? Understand the full feasibility picture.
- Septic Planning for Pools and Backyards See how tanks, fields and reserve areas affect the buildable plan.
- Construction Drawings, Engineering and MEP Learn what comes after the site plan.