There are many fields where multiple different professionals will provide services for the same project, and a great example here is within any kind of construction or real estate project that includes land surveying. Land surveyors will often work with several other contractors and specialists to aid clients in the completion of their projects, and one of the most common such partnerships is with engineers.
At Diamond Land Surveying, we’re happy to provide a vast range of both residential and commercial land surveying solutions to clients around Idaho – and to work with both clients and other contractors to achieve your project goals. What are some of the basic ways surveyors and engineers often work together to help complete a given project, and what do Idaho clients need to know about this? Here’s a simple rundown.
The Basics
From a very broad standpoint, you can think of the surveyor as the one who is in charge of the the data of existing conditions for a project, while the engineer is the one covering the design and implementation of the project’s future state. The surveyor will make sure that they have accurate and up-to-date measurements of the land, while the engineer will ensure that their design meets all applicable standards. They both provide essential services for projects, typically in partnership with one another.
Training
The exact kinds of training each of these professionals has will depend on their specific services offered, but typically engineers are trained in multiple types of land improvement projects – including residential, commercial, and public – whereas surveyors are specifically focused on land surveying services that include understanding the property boundaries and topographical features or improvements. Both also need to understand the applicable laws and regulations for their field.
Timing
One area where these two do differ slightly is within timing. In nearly all cases, site surveyors are called near the beginning of a project, to take measurements and provide the data necessary for the design and construction of each project. Engineers step in next to take the data provided by the land surveyor to design the use of the land.
Now, that’s not to say these two roles never bleed over and take place at the same time – in fact, this is common. Surveyors will often even be called back to a site by an engineer to help with the implementation of their designs.
This starts with the surveyor coming to the site and taking measurements, then the engineer creating plans based on those specifications. The surveyor may also come back to double check any changes that have been made, helping to ensure accuracy throughout the project.
Inclusion of GPS Coordinates
One area that’s become more and more important in both land surveying and engineering is the inclusion of GPS coordinates.Surveyors often provide detailed GPS coordinates for their measurements, in addition to traditional surveying techniques. This helps engineers to more easily design plans that are accurate to the exact location of a given site.
Ensuring the Plan is Being Followed
While many Idaho surveyors may only visit the actual site in the early stages of some projects, that doesn’t mean their work simply ends once the engineer has been brought on board. In fact, surveyors may be asked to come back at various points during a project to take measurements that ensure the plan as outlined is being followed properly.
For many projects, this is part of the original order and is expected from the surveyor. They may be asked to come back periodically and take new measurements, or help to review any changes that have been made along the way – all in order to ensure accuracy throughout the process.
Surveying Teams Often Used
Finally, for anyone looking into a job that may require surveying, it’s important to know that most of the time, surveying teams are used. While surveyors may work independently in some cases, it’s more common for them to work with a team that includes both engineers and other specialists in order to ensure accuracy throughout any given project.
This allows all parties involved to have a better understanding of the project as well as their respective roles within it. This is especially helpful when there are multiple people working on a single project, as it helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working together towards a common goal.
Ultimately, both engineers and surveyors play an important role in any Idaho construction or real estate project – but they have different roles and responsibilities within them. It’s important to understand these roles and how they fit together in order to ensure that a project is completed as accurately as possible.
For more here, or to learn about any of our land surveying, boundary surveying and related services for clients around Idaho, speak to our team at Diamond Land Surveying today.