Examines the growing difference of opinion as to what comprises a historic building survey. A disagreement exists between those surveyors who have traditionally treated the measuring and drawing of buildings and sites as merely another surveying task and those who have an understanding of heritage structures and sites. Higher levels of analysed and integrated information are being requested by local authority planning conservation staff and archaeologists, and as part of the planning process, either to record buildings that are about to be altered, or as part of pre-planning negotiations. Meeting these new demands requires additional skills and abilities from the person carrying out the survey, including the collation of historical background information. Whilst this additional work may necessitate increased fees, it can produce cost savings across the construction project.