Surveying land for a commercial building is a key first step in the construction process. The accuracy of this step can determine the success of the entire project. Proper land surveying is important because it provides the data needed for design and construction.
If a survey is not done properly, many problems can occur. Incorrect boundaries can result in building on the wrong property, leading to expensive legal problems. It can also cause design errors since architects and engineers need accurate data for their plans. In this article, we will go over several steps to take to ensure the survey is done properly.
1 – Use modern equipment
Modern surveying tools have made land surveying much easier and more accurate. Equipment like total stations, GPS, and a surveying drone are essential.
Total stations help surveyors measure distances and angles quickly and accurately. These tools are used to create detailed maps and site plans.
GPS technology uses satellites to find exact locations on the earth. This is crucial for setting property boundaries and ensuring construction plans match the land perfectly.
Drones are becoming more common in surveying because they can take pictures and gather data from the air. They have high-resolution cameras and sometimes special sensors to survey large areas quickly. Drones help see the land from above, showing features and obstacles that might be missed from the ground.
2 – Use the right software
Today, land surveying requires the use of special software to process survey data. After gathering data in the field, surveyors use advanced software to analyse and understand it.
These tools help turn raw data into valuable formats like maps and 3D models. They let surveyors see the land’s features and shapes clearly, aiding in intelligent decisions about the new office building’s design and layout.
The software also helps find and fix any mistakes in the data. Surveyors can easily spot and correct errors, ensuring the final results are accurate. This accuracy is important for planning construction and avoiding costly errors.
The software can combine data from different sources, such as GPS and drone footage. This provides a detailed site view by combining various data points into one model.
3 – Legal considerations
Understanding property boundaries and legal descriptions is essential in land surveying. These details define a property’s edges and ensure all construction stays within legal limits. Surveyors need to understand and document both property boundaries and legal descriptions accurately.
Property boundaries mark the edges of a piece of land. Surveyors determine these boundaries using markers, measurements, and maps. Clear boundaries prevent disputes with neighbours and ensure the new office building is placed correctly.
Legal descriptions are detailed written accounts of a property’s boundaries. They use specific terms and measurements to describe the property accurately. These descriptions are found in legal documents like deeds and are crucial for confirming ownership and resolving boundary issues.
4 – Integration and communication
Sharing survey results with architects and engineers is essential for a smooth construction project. After the survey, the data collected must be shared clearly with the design team.
This information, gathered from the drone, is the basis for all planning and design. Accurate survey results help architects and engineers understand the site’s conditions, ensuring that their designs are practical and feasible.
It is also essential to use survey data to influence design decisions. The survey details the land’s shape, boundaries, and features. Architects and engineers use this data to decide on the new office building’s layout, orientation, and structure. The precise measurements and insights from the survey help create designs that fit the site’s unique characteristics and constraints.
Adjusting plans based on survey findings is often necessary. Sometimes, survey data shows unexpected site conditions or errors in initial assumptions. When this happens, the design team needs to update their plans. This might mean changing the building’s size, orientation, or design elements to match the site better.
5 – Conduct a follow-up
Monitoring changes during construction is essential to keeping the project on track. As construction goes on, site conditions can change, so you should regularly update these changes. Regular monitoring helps catch any differences from the original plans and allows quick fixes. Once the building is finished, a final survey is done to ensure everything matches the original plans.
Another crucial step is conducting follow-up surveys as needed. After the initial study, more surveys might be required at different stages of construction. These follow-up surveys ensure the work is done according to the plan and any changes are correctly recorded. They also help catch and fix mistakes early before they become significant issues.
POSTED BY 
