Definitely appreciate any and all help with this, learning from scratch!
Hopefully as a helpful background - I have an existing multifamily site that's getting permitted for various improvements. Up first is about 1200' of stormwater to get laid, we GC and build in house. Shortly after starting plans w/ my civil on this, I decided it was time to buy my own equipment and use this site and project to learn how to use it - survey and stake out, check grades, etc. Thus far, I've practiced: on my site, with their point file setting up over their set nails; on lots of empty parking lots, 4 or 5 point traverses and then re-setting up, resectioning, staking out, basically going over my work and seeing how close I can layout over my points.
I've added to their topos (pavement ground shots) with a slightly tighter grid and our work, at least elevation wise, is fairly consistent to each other's - +/- in the .01's. I can get a sense where they were more careful (like on inverts and rims) than on more mundane shots. When I key in and set up over their points, elevations between our observations are pretty good - but, I get looser angles and distances that what I've seen on my own traverses.
Their traverse is open ended, I can't check it. I want to set and record my own closed traverse, and observe their points as regular shots into my network. I figure at that point I can get a good idea how much slop is in their controls - or if it's me.
The point of this would be
- To set my controls in ideal locations to work/stake out from, both for this current project and for future
- To be personally familiar with what's going on - equipment, software, traverse adjustments, etc.
- To use these points as my main place of practice. I have plenty of time before we build.
Here's a sketch.
Solid triangles are their nails, and I have the NEZ coordinates.
The hashed triangle (point 6) I add to close traverse.
I found that I got the best result setting up at 2 in terms of matching angles and distances.
I thought: Use their nail and coordinate at point 2 - I set new nails for all other stations. Using their nails would be fine, except half are in less than ideal spots to work from and two fall in demo locations.
Start a new traverse on 2, backsighting to their 1 for orientation only (observe as H angle). Work around, complete and close.
The dashed triangles, as "intermediate" traverse stations I can worry about later. Also, later on I can bring in my surveyor to help get a better orientation if need be, but I want more practice before that.
Let me get this right, your plans are to learn how to survey with a multimillion dollar project on the line?
Count me out for providing any advice.
Paul in PA
Time for a "come to Jesus" moment.
Paul above has some sound advice.
It's not that you cannot do it... Its that you don't have experience.
And this could be an expensive way to get experience.
You aren't a PLS? What state are you from?
I come in peace!
I feel like I've been chastised an outsider but I promise I've been kind for many years to your kind. You've been some on my favorite people to work with, we've done great work together, I've always paid well and on time and will continue to do so until I croak.
Nate I hear you - I know you don't know my CV, but last poster, please? Jumping to conclusions. I built this location almost 30 years ago and a handful more since. Nobody's circumventing anyone here, everything I do is stamped. I use their work for everything.
This is a facelift, fraction cost of what was written above. I'm basically giving myself homework.
Funny that my engineers and surveyor thought it was about time and way better than buying a boat.
The first lesson I was taught concerning networks was to survey control points that represent a box and to work inside that box.
What is wrong with a boat? 😉
