Activity Feed › Discussion Forums › Strictly Surveying › Staking out and how to report it
Staking out and how to report it
Posted by fobos8 on January 14, 2020 at 7:06 amHi guys
I’ve started doing more staking out these days. I always submit a report to the contractor of that day’s work to prove that the staked out point were in the correct places when I left site.
I still haven’t settled on the best way to report what I’ve staked out.
One way is to have an Exel spreadsheet of points with design co-ordinates, as staked out co-ordinates, and the differences. The report is presented within a pdf so it can’t be altered.
Another way I’ve used is to send a pdf copy of a CAD file that shows the design points or lines, the as stakeout out points or lines. I annotate (as a dimension) the difference/delta.
I’m spending a lot of time doing these reports and wondered if there is a way so I can make better use of my time. What do others do?
I use Trimble S7 along with a TSC3 and so I could use the Access stakeout report function but for one reason or another I haven’t done so far.
Cheers, Andrew
rover83 replied 4 years, 3 months ago 10 Members · 15 Replies- 15 Replies
When we staked endless water main, sewer and sanitary, we had cut sheets that were given to the contractor. I think a weekly report is good enough, and what you are doing is all well. But far and above what the contractor needs or wants to know. If it were me, and I run my own firm, I would submit a memorandum issuing the days results without any coordinate data or map. A simple and clear explanation of the days progress into the job. Heck, I might do a weekly report with a more in depth report, but certainly less than you have described above.
As long as you??re staking to plan, and you can prove you??ve done so properly, you??re doing right by your client.
Have also a look at the custum stake out report that should be on the TSC3 by default, that may already do what you want without an extra effort.
If not present yet check for Style sheets on the Trimble Access Support site.
Are others using the stake out report on the TSC3? I found it a bit simplistic and wasn’t sure how helpful it would be to contractors.
Like David said, far and above what the contractor wants. They won’t look at it. The assumption and expectation is that it’s staked correctly. Keep the data so that later if it’s questioned you have it to back you up.
Cut sheet and point plot is all they want.
I am also a fan of the custom stakeout stylesheet from Trimble.
Some of our projects require a handwritten cutsheet to be filled out on site by the crew and then turned into the contractor the next day. I have the crew export the custom stakeout report as well as fill out the handwritten one. We then take the auto-generated report, look for any flagged (out-of-tolerance) horizontal values, then compare it to the handwritten one, checking for blunders in the vertical (cut/fill). If they match, then we submit the handwritten one and file both away.
We do not show horizontal deltas on submitted calc sheets unless there is evidence of a problem and we need more analysis. The Trimble report will flag (in red) any stakeout shot out of the job’s designated tolerance. The contractor really just wants those cuts and fills, and honestly if it’s on the stakes they won’t care too much about the report as long as they have it…
“…people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.” -Neil Postman- Posted by: @tim-v-pls
Cut sheet and point plot is all they want.
What’s that Tim?
A cut sheet shows cuts/fills of as-staked elevations compared to design elevations. Provided to contractor as a backup to markings on stakes. See Norman Oklahoma’s post of January 8, 2020 3:23 pm for a nice example.
Point plot shows the plan view depiction of the as-staked points.
I’ll save you the search. Here is an example cut sheet.
And here is a point plot to go with that cut sheet. The superintendents really like the point plots. Sometimes I’ll just take a red pen and sketch the points on the plans. That seems to make them just as happy.
I agree with others – a contractor will not look at your coordinates. He would not know what he was looking at if he did. But if things should screw up his attorney’s forensic analyst might find something in it to use against you.
I wouldn’t bother showing the contractor coordinates, they don’t care about that. Same with the difference between design and staked; they’re going to assume you’re not staking things a foot away from where they need to be. If you really want to give them one of those though I’d do the coordinates since they can use those to figure out the other. In my experience they really just want a cut/fill sheet and a point plot.
I would feed the super what he asks for or wants. Speak to him about that and come to a consensus about what you can provide. Unless they have staff to digest coordinates and stake-out reports they will file them and you will have wasted your time. Although you should be doing this for yourself and have someone other than you check your work.
To most of the guys I work with, and I don’t do much staking anymore, a simple sketch be it CAD or otherwise with dimensions to grid lines or stationing should be minimum. They are all familiar with those concepts. I also include my control points on these sketches so they are aware of their location and make an effort to have them available to me when I am on site. Nothing slows down progress faster than a concrete pumper plunked over your bench mark. You gotta train them and believe it or not, they appreciate the help.
Many thanks for your replies guys.
I’ve been setting out some structures and the tolerances are fairly tight (10mm horizontal).
Would you still use the Trimble stakeout reports for stuff like that?
When you do not have an automatic reporting program, you can always sideshot everything as you set your stakes or store shot and your raw data will serve as proof and show any difference between your actual locations and the calculated values.
0.02
all that is offered in Trimble Access? or is that something in Trimble Business Center?
its all in Trimble Access on your handheld PC. Its produces a html file.
Both, actually. The crew can generate it in the field, or the office personnel can run the report in TBC.
The style sheets are located on the Trimble site.
After download, place the XSL file in the “C:ProgramDataTrimbleTrimble DataSystem Files” folder on the controller.
For TBC, you can store them wherever you like and just navigate to them when you want to generate the report. Note that there is already an “As-Staked Report” available in TBC which will report on all stakeouts performed in that particular project. So if you have multiple JXL/JOB files in the project it will report on all of them rather than you having to run a report on each one.
“…people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.” -Neil Postman
Log in to reply.