# Forum More Stuff Owner Builders Forum  Is it necessary to update contour survey after bulk excavation? please advise

## mjlo

Hi
We are going to owner build a house which the contour survey done, house plan approved, bulk excavation completed years ago.   
The site foundation is very stable, sandstone base with sandy loam soil on top and very well drainage.
Therefore the excavated site still in the same shape except some low vegetation re-grows after the bulk excavation. 
We now want to get the project moving again and talked to a draftman for minor amendment to have one section of rear exterior wall pull back one meter so we can have a larger backyard.  We were told we need to re-do the contour survey. 
We think that is not necessary as the details excavation had not been done, prior to the commencement of the building work, we would need to have the site cleared, a surveyor to recheck the level and set out for the footing, slab , wall and building level according to the amended plan.  
Any extra earth work requires due change of the plan or site over time can be figured out at the detail building set out and fixed at the time of detail excavation.  
Is our thinking on the right track?

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## SilentButDeadly

There's nothing wrong with your thinking except for the bit where your thinking doesn't completely accord with a bureacratic requirement at which point it doesn't matter what you think... :Biggrin:  
I know it's not much help but truly the only way around this is to demonstrate (in words and pictures) to whomsoever is the Fat Controller that a bureaucratic box does not require ticking.  What you might think is 'obvious' or 'common sense' does not apply.

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