If you’re about to break ground on an upcoming construction project, it’s likely that you need to complete a range of surveys and paperwork in order to get started.
Forming the ‘foundations’ of any construction work, a site survey is one piece of the puzzle.
In this blog, we’ll discuss exactly what can be gained from site surveys, what they involve, what they show you, and most importantly, how you can get them completed.
What Is a Site Survey?
Whether you’re an architect, property developer or an individual undertaking a project, a site survey allows you to gain a better idea of your existing ground and how this can be developed for your proposal to provide the most efficient and effective solution, saving time and unnecessary restrictions.
A key component in the design and building process, it helps define significant physical features of the plot of land, manholes or culverts. From our site surveys, we can identify the necessary components required for our SuDS and drainage design and a foundation for the other stakeholders from the design.
This survey then helps all those involved in the project understand the layout of the land they will be working on and ultimately helps shape the construction project.
What Does A Site Survey Involve?
No two proposed developments will be the same therefore at Nimbus Engineering we can provide a reliable professional service to ensure your development has no potential show stoppers in relation to your proposed drainage requirements.
When Do You Need A Site Survey?
Site surveys, like other surveys and data-finding tasks, are essential during the initial stages of a construction project. Due to planning authorities requiring more detail at earlier stages they are also imperative at the planning stage, too.
This is because the purpose of our site surveys is to find a suitable discharge point for either surface water discharge, foul water discharge or in many cases both. Without this, information, your development may not pass planning or obtain planning condition discharge, and essentially be unviable.
As well as a basic site survey to ascertain the features onsite, Nimbus Engineering, using specialist surveying equipment can provide data to OS Great Britain co-ordinates system. To provide spatially accurate locations of ditches, watercourses, manholes and culverts.
These are imperative at the outset of a job and can allow an architect to overlay this information onto their design to prevent any rejections from Local Planning Authorities, The Environment Agency or Water Authorities.
Our site surveys will also provide property boundaries allowing for overlay of the architect’s floor plans and any landscaping work.
What Is Included In A Site Survey?
As we’ve discussed, site surveys highlight a variety of natural and man-made features in the designated area, these include things listed below:
- The position of bodies of water such as ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers.
- The position of relevant utility supplies, and sewage.
- The location of kerbs and any existing roads or railway lines.
- Property Boundary Edges
What Is Included In A Site Survey?
A manhole survey undertaken by our site engineer allows the relevant parties to know the exact route and nature of the existing drainage arrangements within their site.
The outputs of our manhole surveys are listed below:
- Location of manhole covers and size – (can be provided to OSGB coordinates)
- Nature of sewer e.g. foul, surface or combined network
- Cover level and invert level of manhole (if manhole cover can be lifted)
- Pipe diameter
- Length of pipework to a downstream manhole
- The output of a manhole card in PDF format
- Surveyed data in a clear and concise AutoCAD DWG format
How Much Does our Site and Manhole Surveys Cost?
There is no fixed cost site or manhole surveys as it is important to factor in things such as the size of the site being surveyed, the detail required by the client and things such as how long is spent surveying and if specialist surveying instruments are used.
Conclusion
Site and Manhole surveys are an essential part of any construction project, and here at Nimbus Engineering, we are happy to carry these out no matter the size and stage of your development.ed.
Helping people like you paint a clear picture of the surrounding environment helps guide the project forward and prevent any unnecessary delays. This allows us as SuDS and Drainage specialists to ensure that your proposed development has a feasible discharge point for your proposed drainage and prevents any potential issues further down the line.
Ensuring that all the correct parties are up to date and have all the information required, surveys provide construction projects with undisputed facts.
If you’d like to arrange a Site survey or talk to our expert team, you can get in touch today.