Construction Surveying & Layout/Field Engineering

Construction Surveying, also known as site layout/staking, is a process of interpreting construction plans and marking the location of proposed new structures such as building foundations, parking lots, roads, and utilities. Construction staking ensures a project is built according to the design plans, whether engineering or architectural.

Construction Surveying consists of the following steps:

Review of the proposed construction plans and design of the staking plan. Typically, our team will be provided the approved construction plans along with a digital copy of the plans to lay out foundation stakes, curb stakes, and utility structures for sewer storm and sanitary water main or anything that is indicated on the construction plans with stakes and grade.

The next step is the field set up of the job to perform the staking. It is the investigative process before construction begins. Our field crew will establish a site control that ties existing site features to the proposed site improvements shown on the plans and includes site Benchmark and, if needed, boundary resurvey. The survey crew doing the layout will start at those control points to set the site's stakes, nails, and survey markers. The offset stakes will help the constructors to establish elevations and locations for the proposed construction. A staking plan is issued to the contractors to control the site construction process and identify the survey stakes. Multiple site layouts may need to be designed for different stages of development.

Examples of Construction Surveying:

Foundation Staking

It is critical to make sure the foundation of your new structure is correctly placed because it is much easier to fix a non-compliant foundation before the concrete pour. Before the construction is even started, we will review the architectural plans, design a stakeout plan, and stake (mark) the exact location and top-of-foundation benchmark where your foundation should be located.

Foundation Location/Spot Foundation

Once the foundation is poured, we will return to the site and do the Foundation Location/Spot Foundation. This step has become an everyday necessity with the increase in new construction. Many communities and county agencies request these surveys. This survey collects information about the position of a foundation that a contractor poured to ensure that it is in the right location, height and built with the proper setbacks. In many cases, the banks and mortgage companies will want a licensed professional land surveyor to certify that the house or building they are backing with a mortgage is constructed correctly according to zoning setbacks, building setbacks, existing easements, and required heights of the top of the foundation. You may also need this type of survey if you are building an addition to an existing home or structure.

Utility Staking

For the installation of utilities such as Sanitary Sewer Manholes and Lines, Storm Sewer Manholes and Lines, Fire Hydrants and Water Lines, Light Poles, Electrical LinesTransformers, Communication Lines, and more, will mark the exact position of new utility lines and structures on the ground with stake and grade.

As-Built Survey

The last step of the construction surveying process is the As-Build Survey. It is performed to obtain dimensional data so that constructed improvements may be located and delineated. It is carried out during or immediately after the construction is finished. An As-built survey is a set of record drawings of the final location of the field changes for future reference. Many local government agencies request these surveys.