Tom Adams, post: 456164, member: 7285 wrote: Having a PLS License doesn't necessarily come with expertise for construction staking and/or insurance.
Agreed.
Tom Adams, post: 456164, member: 7285 wrote: Having a PLS License doesn't necessarily come with expertise for construction staking and/or insurance. I kind of think there should be some sort of certification or something to assure the GC that a company or surveyor is qualified to do construction staking. (I know I would be wary of pitting myself against some hardened quality construction staker).
Well said, very good point.
Tom Adams, post: 456164, member: 7285 wrote: Having a PLS License doesn't necessarily come with expertise for construction staking and/or insurance. I kind of think there should be some sort of certification or something to assure the GC that a company or surveyor is qualified to do construction staking. (I know I would be wary of pitting myself against some hardened quality construction staker).
I agree that such certification should be required. In most States it is, although indirectly.
All States i've worked in require Licensees to 'only perform such services in which they are qualified by education and experience '. Many Boards dont enforce it because most 'Professionals' simply grumble about violations and never attempt to deal with it.
When I was in school this topic came up briefly. The instructors seemed to take the position that a costly mistake or two will fix this wagon pretty quick.
Tom Adams, post: 456164, member: 7285 wrote: Having a PLS License doesn't necessarily come with expertise for construction staking and/or insurance.
Nor apparently many facets of surveying, we have had multiple failures of contract surveyors providing correct aerial control over the last 12-18 months, pretty pathetic that there are firms/PLS's that cannot provide correct coordinates! Maybe the trades are better at measuring than many surveyors? Some issues were reolved by the orginal firm after pointing out that something was wrong, but in at least one case we had to hire another firm to redo the control. More than one firm, more than one state, hardto believe...
SHG
Jim Frame, post: 456074, member: 10 wrote: Is that a one-time thing, or does it have to be renewed periodically? I pay about $500 a year now for Workers Comp, but I don't want to drop it because once or twice a year I need a field assistant.
It has to be renewed yearly. They don't bill you so I never renewed it.
Skeeter1996, post: 456312, member: 9224 wrote: It has to be renewed yearly. They don't bill you so I never renewed it.
They also wanted a Certificate of Liability for Professional Services that would have cost me over $1000. I was successful on convincing them I was working under the direction of their Professional. They sent me these requirements after I had completed the project and billed them for the work. The Contract never mentioned any of those requirements, but their Accounting Department added them as a condition of me being paid.
There's no reason construction staking needs to be under the supervision of a licensed LS, other than a structure's location on the lot.?ÿ That is most likely the reason for the four hubs.?ÿ Once those baselines are established, it's no longer boundary work, and shouldn't be under the LS's jurisdiction or liability, other than the lot line setbacks.
The LS should have a contract that is worded stating what they're doing and what they're liable for.
There's no reason surgery should require a license. Why do I have to pay for a licensed Dentist? I know a guy who is perfectly handy with a dental drill.
Holding out to third parties as a consulting construction staker requires a LS license in California. A licensed General Engineering contractor has a license to reshape the earth for money, they can do their own staking but they take the liability, it's incidental to their job. Even if the LS sets a thousand stakes the contractor still has a grade setter out there filling in. Some smart contractors realize a very expensive LS is cheaper than trying to do it all themselves.
Licensing can bring efficiencies to the market because presumably a licensed person at least has some proven modicum of skill, education, and training over the average form setter.
Yes, the licensing requirements vary from state to state. ?ÿIn many, such work can fall under a PE license.
There's no reason surgery should require a license. Why do I have to pay for a licensed Dentist? I know a guy who is perfectly handy with a dental drill.
Holding out to third parties as a consulting construction staker requires a LS license in California. A licensed General Engineering contractor has a license to reshape the earth for money, they can do their own staking but they take the liability, it's incidental to their job. Even if the LS sets a thousand stakes the contractor still has a grade setter out there filling in. Some smart contractors realize a very expensive LS is cheaper than trying to do it all themselves.
Licensing can bring efficiencies to the market because presumably a licensed person at least has some proven modicum of skill, education, and training over the average form setter.
That's not a great analogy.?ÿ There are many construction layout people who are much more qualified and better at doing what they do than some licensed surveyors.
Most of us are licensed boundary surveyors, which may have absolutely no bearing on how well we work on a construction site.?ÿ
It's not really ability, it's accountability.?ÿ So, whoever is holding the bag for the insurance and liability should hire or employ whoever he deems most qualified, and it's no longer boundary related at that point.
Our licenses and code to protect the public is partly because each lot boundary line is also someone else's lot line, so we need to take their rights into account.?ÿ This isn't the case where the construction is solely within the boundary of a private owner.?ÿ A licensed LS is there to ensure that and compliance with the setbacks, which is nothing to do with the construction of the building.
