6 Tips For Site Surveying in Construction
One of the most integral parts of the construction process is the site survey in construction. When it comes to construction surveying, it is the role of a site surveyor to help guide the construction of new structures, such as roads or buildings. A site surveyor does this by staking out reference points and markers that tell contractors where to start building, as well as determining site conditions for future infrastructure.
Since the work done during a site survey in construction is so crucial to the entire building process, there's a lot of pressure put on surveyors. So in an effort to assist you, a valuable site surveyor who works in the construction industry, here are 6 tips and tricks that will help make your day on the site run smoother.
#1: Overpack
Although this tip could be helpful in essential any aspect of life that involves preparation, it's especially true when it comes to construction surveying.
You may already have a list of tools and equipment that you need for a specific job, but it's a good idea to pack some additional things that you might not necessarily think you'll need. Days on the job site can be long and the site can be more inaccessible than you think. With that in mind, it's better to have something and not need it than to need it and not have it. Even remembering to pack things like backup equipment can prove to be useful in the event that your primary tools break or malfunction.
This tip is especially important when it comes to site surveying in construction because, unlike other trades in the construction industry, there isn't a lot of room for improvisation with your very specific surveying tools. For example, a carpenter can use a hammer, pliers, or a crowbar to remove a nail from some wood, but there's no substitute for your theodolite.
An additional pro tip: if you aren't already doing this, it's a good idea to bring your work laptop with you to the job site. This is so you can quickly send or receive files or do more complicated field calculations with certain laptop-specific software.
#2: Have a Reliable Site Contact
Whenever you're on a new job site, being able to familiarize yourself with the area is key before you begin construction surveying. One way to make this process easier is by having a good, reliable site contact.
Since every job site is going to be different, and you're likely going to be working with a diverse group of individuals with each new project, having the same site contact isn't always in your control. You're always going to have new people with different working styles. However, if presented with the opportunity, always try to create a good relationship with the site contact you're working with. A reliable site contact will be able to inform you about the location of things like gas meters, water meters, source electrical equipment, etc. They'll also have the answers to many of your surveying-related questions, and if they don't, they'll know who to ask.
Having a reliable site contact is very important not only because they will make your job easier and assist in a smoother running project, but their help will also ensure a safer job site and better working conditions.
#3: Take Note of Everything
By nature of the job, site surveying in construction warrants the taking of notes. Important information regarding measurements, angles, and more will be the center of your detailed field notes. After all, you have to keep a record of the results you've produced on the job site in order to create your survey and map.
While taking good field notes of measurements, angles, and sketches is key in site surveying, the tip here is to take note of everything. By everything, we mean that you should take note of even the smallest details whenever possible. For example, even taking note of the weather conditions on-site and how it affects the land and site, the time that notes were taken, the equipment that was used, and project-related thoughts can prove to be useful later.
In addition to that, try and find the best, most effective method for you to take these detailed notes. Whether it's on paper, digitally, or even using voice recordings, having a comfortable way to efficiently take these detailed notes will make the whole process easier for you.
Although they may be tedious to take, ultra-detailed notes are more than just important for sake of helping you with your work. Keeping an organized record of all your steps, the details surrounding them, and your crucial job site thoughts could potentially save you tons of time and money on a project. This is because your notes could help to prevent an unwanted error or incident, as well as act like proof of insurance for the work you've done in the case of an unwanted incident.
#4: Reference Your Control
Even though this tip can technically be categorized as note-taking, we felt that referencing your control warranted its own section.
A control mark is a point on the ground or any permanent structure whose horizontal and vertical location or position is known. Control points are used as a starting point of the surveyor's CAD.
Anytime you do a job and you set a control or reference mark, imagine that in 5 or 10 years' time you're going to need to find it again for another project. It's too much of an often occurrence that surveyors will go on-site, look at the project notes, and have difficulty finding where to start.
Just remember to draw the feature and write the distance. It doesn't have to be to the exact millimeter, it can be estimated, so long as it's close.
This is obviously important since noting the control/ reference mark is fundamental to all measurements for both your job and future jobs. Be kind to yourself and other surveyors by leaving and noting good marks.
#5: Make Checklists
In order to keep organized and make sure that you've completed everything that needs to be done both on-site and off-site, you should make some standard site survey checklists that can be referred to during the entire construction surveying process. For example, a site survey checklist can help you prepare before your field survey, during your field survey, after your field survey during your reporting, and during other aspects of the job.
A pre-field site survey checklist may have certain steps on it like "check weather conditions", "pack tools", "pack laptop", etc.
This tip emphasizes the importance of staying organized and maintaining a working routine for your job. Creating a site survey checklist will also help to remind you of some of the other tips outlined above. In the field of construction surveying, staying organized and on track is of the utmost importance to your success.
#6: Keep Learning About Your Job
All professionals can benefit from continuing their education, and construction surveyors are no different. Since you're reading this blog post, you're already doing a good job at keeping up-to-date with your learning. But what should you aspire to keep learning? And how can you actually achieve this?
First, staying up-to-date with industry technology, equipment, techniques, and best practices is important to your learning. Another aspect of continual learning in construction surveying is to keep updated on land laws. After all, surveyors are often instrumental in helping establish property boundaries.
One common way to stay up-to-date with industry learning is to subscribe to popular construction surveying newsletters, publications, and even online forums. Finding influencers within the construction surveying niche and watching their credible tutorials online is another way to continue your learning. You can also find online or in-person courses to take in order to get a refresher on a certain topic or learn something completely new.
You have to continue learning about your job in order to keep up with your competition and to provide the expected, industry-standard services.
