Construction surveys are generally those surveys associated with the layout of new facilities or earthworks. In almost all construction surveys, the location of the structure being built must be determined with respect to some property boundary or in the case of plantsites, a specified position within the limits of the plant.

Land Surveyors’ deal with property boundaries and their expertise in measurement technologies makes them the logical choice for ensuring your structure is being built in the right place. At the very least, you should consider using the services of a Land Surveyor to locate the boundaries of your development and set the control for the layout of your facilities before any construction begins.

Construction layouts often involve the staking:

• Piling
• Building grid lines
• Bolt locations
• Grades
• Site Bench Marks

The primary purpose of a construction layout is to ensure the structure / facility being built, is constructed in the right place.

The only plans used for any construction layout should be those that have been “Approved for Construction”. The availability of these plans in digital ( Cad) format assists the surveyor in the pre-computation of field layouts. This minimizes the time lags in the field, maximizing a survey personnel efficiency.

As with all field layouts, the construction staking needs to be verified by some type of independent check. Construction should not proceed until the Surveyor has been afforded the time to confirm the layout is correct. This may mean a set of reties or alternate layout checks.

When your project involves ground disturbance, all underground facilities within the project area should be located before construction can begin. A good first step is Alberta 1-Call.

The survey requirements for these surveys are not, in general, covered by any statutory or regulatory requirement. However, the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association has derived a guideline for construction layout surveys, which is included in the Manual of Standard Practice. Land Surveyors will be able to advise you on the precision and procedures associated with the various surveys outlined above