A LAND SURVEY - WHY?
After 30 years of practicing Civil Engineering in Los Angeles, I decided to start my own business. This gives me the opportunity to practice civil engineering with my high standards of professionalism, technical knowledge and experience - allowing me to truly serve my clients in the manner which they deserve and expect. By beginning my own firm, I finally have the opportunity to be part of the full process, working with the varied disciplines necessary to create a successful project and see it through to its completion.
Before becoming a Civil Engineer I practiced as a Land Surveyor, thus my connection with the project starts by reading and understanding the topography and the existing infrastructure. I am very proud to be a Civil Engineer, not only because it is such a “civilized” profession, but it also gives me access to my creativity. I have always liked to sink my hands in the wet clay and create sculptural forms. Some are geometric and angular, some curvaceous and sensual. To me, two dimensional survey maps with contours, boundaries, dimensions, utilities, elevations below and above the ground become a three dimensional medium like clay to my hands and mind.
In my years working as a Civil Engineer, there were few who realized the need of getting a good survey for their project upfront, without compromise on quality, or cost. A survey is the basis for any development no matter how big or small it is. I have worked with many local architectural firms, developers and public agencies. Such organizations often fail to consider the importance of bringing in Land Survey and Civil Engineering professionals at the early stages of their projects. There have been many instances in which the land survey was not provided until the project was already halfway into the construction documents phase.
Without having the information that a proper land survey would provide, my civil engineering work is less exact and more time-consuming, resulting in delays and missed deadlines for plan progress submittal. Being brought into the project at such a late stage necessitated spending enormous amounts of time and money, in seemingly endless meetings and conference calls, with the project Architect, the agency or the owner, answering the following questions:
1. Why is the land survey needed?
2. What should a land survey include?
3. Why is an old grading plan not adequate for use in the design?
4. Why can’t I go to the field and get a few elevations myself?
5. Why can’t I just use an aerial photograph?
When the architectural land survey is provided, along with it there are sometimes some major surprises, such as:
A. The proposed building situated by the Architect is located on top of a main County Storm Drain line, which is impossible to re-align.
B. The proposed driveway to the parking lot is in conflict with a catch basin or a street light that can be relocated, but very costly.
C. The proposed building is located on top of an easement that belongs to the City Sanitation Department, and now the structural design of the foundations needs to be re-designed.
D. The new access ramp is in conflict with a gas meter.
Examples of such surprises go on and on……. Some of these situations can occur with any development. However, it is most important to understand the impact and implications of these situations and either work around them, or bear the additional costs to rectify the new impediments, in the initial phase of design.
Historically, the project Architect was responsible for ordering the survey and the Civil Engineer and Land Surveyor were in the same design team along with the other sub- consultants. In recent years this has changed. The Architect now usually expects the owner to provide the Land Survey, and the Civil Engineer sometimes, is under the owner’s contract.
This may seem like the most expedient route for the building design team, by showing the owner what a great architectural statement the building will make and what a superb team is working on the project. But in reality, is this advantageous? Unfortunately, most owners do not know what to ask for in a land survey and spend the least amount of money possible. As they say, “You get what you pay for.” It is the Architect who first signs the contract with the owner, and who needs to explain the potential challenges that may result without a land survey. These could create delays as well as unexpected and unnecessary additional expenses.
Being an artist myself, working with Architects has been a pleasure not only for the satisfaction of completing a project, but for having the privilege to work with other artists, making a difference to the local environment and providing a new facility for the community. A survey is a piece of art representing precisely the existing conditions of the terrain prior to new development. It should be clear, accurate and beautiful to look at.
A good land survey provides valuable information to everyone involved in the project, not just to the Civil Engineer, and is the basis on which to develop a flawless project. The more you know about a project and the site to be developed, the better you can serve the client. Having a proper survey provides you with much of the valuable information you need, prevents costly mistakes and delays, and enables you to deliver that project on time and on budget.
Why have a Land Survey? Because you can’t afford not to.
The above article has been published in the AIA SFV Newsletter August 2008.
AIA SFV Newsletter
