Construction Surveys

What You Need to Know About Construction Surveys

What is a Construction Survey?

Construction surveying (aka "staking", "stake-out",  or “lay-out") is the staking out of reference points and markers, on a chosen coordinate system, which guides the building of new structures such as roads, homes, or other structures.

Equipment and Techniques

Specialized equipment, like levels and theodolites, are used for precise measurement of angular deviation, and horizontal, vertical and slope distances.  GPS surveying and laser scanning have been added to, or replacing the traditional optical instruments.

How to Choose Your Construction Surveyor

The construction surveyor should be a part of the project from the very beginning .  Before you hire your surveyor, you should be assured that they have the skills, as well as the capability to deal with the complexity of your specific project. 

Here are some important issues to consider before hiring a construction surveyor:

2. Your surveyor should have experience on projects similar to yours

The primary purpose of the survey is to get accurate measurements, insuring  that the to-be-constructed objects are in the right location on the lot.  While you should always check the surveyor’s license, don’t forget to confirm that the surveyor has construction experience along the lines of what you are proposing to do.  Also, the situation changes quickly and drastically on the construction site.  Get a sense of whether or not they can think on their feet. 

2. Your surveyor has to know how to deal with other professionals involved in the project

Your construction surveyor advises engineers,  contractors, and other construction professionals during the construction process. On the construction site, it is vital that a construction surveyor communicate, explain, and warn the other professionals as required.  And the construction surveyor should have a wide knowledge base, knowing what the other professionals are doing on the site.  By understanding the jobs and requirements of the other professionals, your surveyor is better prepared to anticipate the requirements (and often the competing interests) of the other professionals.  You want your surveyor to be a skilled diplomat, so he can head off any conflicts among the group of professionals. 

Even extremely slight mistakes in large construction project are magnified through the process and often become big problems. Errors means lost money, which is why the surveyor has to be very precise in calculations and in providing instructions in his report. 

3. Your surveyor must be a multi-tasker

Your construction surveyor will be receiving many demands from the other professionals. 

The improvements to be constructed could be for more than one contractor.  Sometimes, construction surveyors make the mistake of hurrying the job to satisfy all the demands from various contractors.  The job is never to be rushed.  At the end of the construction project, your surveyor will check if the work has been built according to the plans.