When a desktop figure will not do
A planning submission that requires measured data. A legal dispute where the figure has to stand up. A site with multiple or industrial sources, too complex to model honestly. These are the cases our system detects and refuses — because a confident wrong number is worse than no number.
We would rather refer you than sell you the wrong thing
With your consent, your details go to an acoustic consultancy. They quote you directly — it depends on the site, and the travel — and a qualified acoustician attends with their own professional indemnity cover. You get measured data and a report that will stand up. There is no charge for the referral, and no obligation.
What it involves
- On-site measurement by a qualified acoustician
- Calibrated Class 1 instrumentation
- A formal report for planning or legal use
- Backed by the consultant’s own PI cover
- Quoted individually — depends on site and travel
Why it is referred, not sold here
A measured survey is a person, an instrument, a vehicle and a day. Its cost is travel and time, not compute — so it cannot sit in a fixed online price. We introduce you to a consultancy and step back; you contract with them directly.
Where the desktop reports fit
Everything else AcoustaPLOT sells is a desktop model built on the national datasets — the right tool before a decision, and honest about its uncertainty. The measured survey is the endgame those reports point to when the stakes demand it.
Modelled from national datasets with the standard UK methods — and labelled as modelled, always.
Questions people ask
When do I actually need a measured survey?
When the figure has to stand up formally: a planning submission that requires measured data, a legal or neighbour dispute, or a site with multiple or industrial sources that a desktop model cannot honestly represent. Our system detects these cases and refuses to sell you the wrong product.
My issue is a neighbour dispute — should I book a survey here first?
Not necessarily, and not before checking with your council. Where the noise may amount to a statutory nuisance (Environmental Protection Act 1990, Noise Act 1996), your local environmental health team can investigate — and in some cases arrange or loan measurement themselves — at no cost to you. A private measured survey through this referral is the right next step when that route does not apply, has already run its course, or you need your own independent evidence.
Who attends the site?
A qualified acoustician from an independent consultancy, carrying their own professional indemnity cover. You contract with them directly; AcoustaPLOT makes the introduction and steps back.
What instruments are used?
A Class 1 sound level meter, calibrated before and after the measurement, logging over a representative period — day and night where sleep matters. That is what makes the data defensible.
What does it cost?
It is quoted per site, because the cost is a person, an instrument, a vehicle and a day — not compute. The referral itself is free and carries no obligation.