Construction is a long and intricate process, there’s no denying that. There’s a lot involved, and it requires expertise to get through it. For something like setting out when it comes to building and surveying, there is a lot of special training behind it before a person can successfully accomplish it.
That’s probably why folks end up hiring professionals to do their setting out for them, even if they are a construction company themselves. The issue is that there is a lot of specialized equipment involved alongside that need for expertise. So, it’s hardly a surprise that there is a market for this.
However, it can be confusing to figure out when we need setting out during out surveying. Sure, there are resources like this one that can explain the whole process in a bit more depth, but it isn’t exactly a professional consultation. If you’re ever uncertain about whether or not you need to set out on your construction site (or planned one), it may be worth talking to an engineer about it. More often than not, the answer will be yes.
How it Works
When a construction or development site seems to be set up, but there is little actual building activity despite all the personnel around, it’s likely because the setting out survey has begun. Essentially, this process involves the surveyors creating the layout of the building that’s intended, so that the builders can follow them more precisely.
It’s a pretty important step along the way, and not a great idea to skip even if it may seem unnecessary at a glance. The design of the building being transferred to the land that is getting developed makes everything after go much smoother, which is obviously a nice perk.
While it’s pretty important for any project, the large-scale ones are where setting out engineering services really shine. For one thing, they’re implemented to ensure that a project doesn’t go “out-of-bounds,” so to speak. No one wants to deal with the headache of land disputes, and when you’re working with acres of land at a time, it opens the floodgates for that sort of thing.
One way to avoid that is to have surveyors set out as often as you feel is appropriate to ensure that there isn’t any construction done beyond the boundaries that have been set. Again, the long-term goal is to avoid legal troubles along with ensuring that the project stays on track. Going outside of property lines isn’t a good thing for anyone involved.
When should it be Done?
As you can probably expect, there are some specific projects in which setting out should be prioritized. Basically, if there’s a strict boundary involved, it’s probably time to get some engineers to survey and set out the construction project. Some examples of that might be a bridge-building project, expansions to pre-existing buildings, or the creation of tunnels.
Those are far from the only instances, but they are some worth getting familiar with. Really, any site can benefit from this process, even if they aren’t on that list. Better safe than sorry when it comes to crossing property lines.
What Professionals Bring to the Table
Maybe you’re not sold on why you need an engineering expert to do this. That’s understandable. However, as you can read about here, https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/How_to_layout_a_building, the person responsible for a setting out survey has a lot of things to keep track of. It’s not exactly an easy job that “just anyone” can pick up.
For one thing, there’s obviously the initial survey of the site – as in, they’ll document every aspect required and keep detailed logs of what is happening. There may also be a need to level the land, depending on the area. Throughout the entire process, it’s likely that the surveyor will be keeping a journal of sorts to document progress along the way.
After all, their job isn’t done with the initial survey. They’ll also be in charge of things like the overall quality control of work done during the construction as well as running any meetings required for updates – and more, if you can believe it. To say they can bring a lot to a team is probably an understatement.
Why not have a professional like that on your side then, right? If you’re ever uncertain about what other functions they can serve on your site, you can just ask. Some of them will offer free consultations if you are curious about their services. As far as the qualities of an excellent professional, well…having good reviews is one, of course, as well as offering the latest cutting-edge equipment for the process.
Really, you can get a feel for an engineering firm like this by checking out their website, so don’t hesitate to start researching.
