Construction surveyors

No.

The more puzzling question is, why do the State associations not recognize us?

Nope, we are just out there pretty much as an employee of the construction firm and enjoy (or not) whatever benefits come as part of the deal.

The biggest problem I've faced is staying current with the technology, too easy to get mired in yesterday's effective, comfortable methods when demand by the industry is bleeding edge with expectations.

Around here, they call it "the Union".

It's not so much construction surveyors go unnoticed, unappreciated, or even unrecognized - I thinks it's more of a regulatory issue. Just like many states don't recognize mortgage surveys, or have established GIS regulations.

At the end of the day, the construction surveyor just needs to get it right - per approved plan. And there are many many ways to achieve that. It's simpler to say that our boundary monument needs to be within, lets say 0.04' with an error of closure of 1:10,000, than it is to say that curb line needs to be within - pick a number.

Then there is the legendary crossing of disciplines. Stuff like datums, project control, setbacks, and even potential title concerns. For some strange reason, engineers get more lee way than a good construction surveyor when it comes to that "necessary and incidental" part of a job.

Kind of goes along with the "protecting the public" creed we have to sign off on to maintain our license.

There are also many highly qualified boundary & cadastral PLS's that should never even think about stepping foot on a construction site. Just as many construction surveyors should never occupy a presumed property corner.

Maybe the construction community should coin a new label. Professional Construction Layout Specialist or something, and get involved if you want regulations. Meanwhile it is what it is.

This is a great topic!!

Keep one thing in mind....with contractors, it's ALL about the money, more so than other aspects of land surveying.

In a majority of instances, if it's going to cost more, or come out of their bottom line, they are generally not interested.

Agreed Cowboy $$$ But these days, I'll take what I can get. Problem is there isn't even much construction work around here, so it's a moot point.

A little off topic but related. For us surveyors who do dabble in construction staking, make sure you do not over-educate your contractor client as to certain techniques. Next thing you know they go buy a robot or total station, they hire you for control work only, and they do all the staking based on your control. I always wonder whose liablity that is? I say it goes to the contractor who pounds the stake in, but it is still lost revenue.

Should we toss Machine Control into this topic?

That's exactly what I was going to say. They aren't all union of course, but they do all have to have a PLS in charge.

> Should we toss Machine Control into this topic?

You can toss in anything you want. The bottom line is; the more you resist, the farther behind you will fall. contractors are going to buy GPS, robots and machine control whether you supply them with the control and data or not; somebody else will.

Historically, what has happened with mass production, assembly lines, new technology in general? Those who were in at the beginning are filthy rich, everyone else was left in the dust.....

You can lead or you can follow, but if you can't, please get out of the way. We need to share as much information as we can, with as many as we can, that is called progress. Anything else only slows it down. We'd have flying cars by now if the libraries at Alexandria hadn't burned and the Conquistadors hadn't destroyed all the ancient Mayan scripts.

I hope my response doesn't sound too harsh, that was not my intent.

It is simply that the unmanifest will become the manifest, it is just a matter of time.......

Cheers,
Radar

"Recognize" or not, I don't think is the real issue. I appreciate a good construction surveyor and respect the level of difficulty and speed at which they work. If it's licensure you're looking at, it all boils down to is whether licensure and regulation is needed to protect the public. If it is needed you need to show that it is needed and why. It must go to legislation (if I am not mistaken) and made into law. Maybe some states have licensure for construciton stakers, and/or might make it so that type of work be overseen by a land surveyor and/or an engineer's license. In my opinion, that is why you are or are not recognized by professional societies.

Note that good geodesists and other types of "scientists" might have much more expertise in their areas, but are not "licensed". Other professions such as barbers or hairdressers might require a license, but have much less technical knowledge than the surveyor or other regulated professions.

Radar, I couldn't agree with you more. Either embrace the advances, or shut the he!! up. I just threw that out for the obvious discussion.

Last year I did my first machine control job on 2 1/2 miles of road that I was hired to stake, from rough staking to final pavement. Nice job, but the contractor went and bought the equipment and this was his "test project" and the engineer authorized it. So I basically followed them and checked everything. I was amazed at how close they were. They had some CAD guru create his surface. I checked it with my road alignment file I made. Same fee for me, and half the time - but spooky. I was glad they got it right (at least close enough), needless to say...

I remember on the old POB board a guy named Thad Gla??? who was really pushing it. I wasn't so convinced back then. But then there is another regulatory question about liability and no PE in charge of creating the surface.

I kinda miss those old days, but they are GONE. I just wish the boundary & topo market would fire back up so I could go back to the fun stuff.

> I just wish the boundary & topo market would fire back up so I could go back to the fun stuff.

Amen to that! It's not going to happen soon enough for me;-)

In the mean time, a mans got to do what a mans got to do......

As far as liability goes; it's all good until it's not good any more, then you've got to be able to say "I've covered my a$$".

Happy surveying to you my friend!

Cheers,
Radar