Staking Foundations

I discuss it with the builder. I usually suggest a 10 foot offset.

Ken,

I compute a box and label each of the offsets the distance to the house corner, So if the house has a 4' jog in it the first offset maybe 10' and then the next offset will be 14'.

I also don't set house stakes, there are of no use.

I usually go low tech and old school when staking buildings because the method that worked with a transit and tape has the checks built in to it and isn't much slower than the spray-n-pray method, or some hybrid in between that many surveyors now use.

I begin by setting the actual corners of the longest wall (for this example, I'll assume a rectangular building for simplicity), then set on one of the building corner points, I'll call Corner 1.

Next, I backsight the control or prop corner I just came from, check to another reliable control point and check the angle to the other corner, Corner 2 I've set. This verifies correct location and orientation. When I check the distance between the building corners, if there is any deviation from plan distance (occasionally find a hundredth or two due to the rod not having been held quite as plumb as it should have been), I'll field adjust Corner 2 point to match plan distance.

Zero up on the 2nd building corner, measure ahead on line to set offset 1 to corner 2. Then flop the scope and set offset 1 to Corner 1.

Turn 90 and set Corner 3. Measure ahead and set offset 1 to Corner 3. Flop and set offset 2 to Corner 1. Tape the diagonal between offsets 1 & 2 at Corner 1. Check Zero on the circle to Corner 2.

Move to Corner 2. Backsight Corner 1. Check diagonal to Corner 3. Turn 270 and set Corner 4. Measure ahead to set offset 1 to Corner 4. Flop and set offset 2 to Corner 2. Tape diagonal between offsets 1 & 2 to Corner 2.

Move to Corner 4. Backsight on Corner 3 (the longer wall) and check distance. Check diagonal to Corner 1. Turn 90 to check line to Corner 2. Flop and set offset 1 to Corner 4. Rezero on corner 3. Measure ahead to set offset 2 to Corner 3. Flop and set offset 2 to Corner 4. Tape diagonal between offsets 1 & 2 to Corner 4.

Tape diagonal between offsets 1 & 2 to Corner 3. Box it!

For the extra few minutes it takes to run those checks, I have the comfort of having no doubt that the stakes are precisely where they need to be all the way around. No cycle slips, no bad angles or distances that got by the checks built into the field procedure. All the stakes fit each other and if the contractor later says something doesn't fit, I don't even have a moment that my gut tightens like it does for those guys who save time by radial stakeout or by RTK. I get to go back to the site knowing I get to bill the time as extra and knowing that the problem will not be with my work.

It is probably regional, but what we typically do here is set a 1/4 inch rebar at the block corners for the foundation dig. Typically we set this to +-.05'. Contractor will dig his footer or pour his slab. They will typically string or paint this outline and just follow it with their bucket.

Then we will come back and set the block corners with concrete nails on the footer or pad.

Some contractors will do either of the above steps themselves. A lot of times we are called in on steep sites, or tight sites where placement relative to the property lines is critical.

This requires two trips. Occasionally a contractor will ask us to set o/s hub and tacks which I am fine with, but they often get destroyed anyway and we end up making a second trip.

I have the contractor put up his batter boards first, then we put the (building line) nails in those.

One time and done.

:stakeout:

First, stake for excavation, tall stakes set rough

Second, stake in the hole, hubs and tacks at foundation corners

Third, pin on the footing, concrete nails in the footings

Fourth, locate foundation walls for Certified Plot plan

Done

Typically - like Joe the Surveyor for typical "tract" houses; like Foggyidea for more complicated custom homes.

I simply set rebar/hub and tack/60d nail, builder's preference, at each corner of the building envelope for footing excavation and then come back with masonry nails for block/framing corners. Typically if they do batter boards I don't come back until it's time to verify the foundation.

Back in the old day we'd stake the footer corners with a 8" nail then come back and place 15' offsets. One time on site as most footer guys set their own nails in the foundation off our offsets. One day I get called from a site foreman on a big church job screaming that I'd missed an entire corner they had their foundation in and it was wrong. I jumped in the truck drove the 2 hrs to the site, seen what was wrong from the get go. Took my shovel out of the truck, dug my offset lathe out of the gravel that had been dumped on them and turned to look at the foreman. Amazingly it wasn't a big deal (since it was their dump truck that crapped all over the corner) and they would fix it easy enough.

Billed them for 6hrs time and he paid it. Unless it's a weird building we don't get many calls for staking anymore. When they call up and hear my hourly rate "Thanks but I'll keep looking" is usally what I get. Thats fine, despise staking any way.

I suggest this every time, but they don't like using batter boards for residential. Commercial? Sure.

I do mostly 10 foot offsets, or whatever will fit on the lot if it's tight. 2 per corner, but mostly just the main corners that will get them square, that is ones that allow them to pull through to the other corner for a building line.

Hubs w/tacks and lathe. If it's in a flood zone or for some reason they need to watch their elevations, then I'll mark the accompanying lathe with the hub elevation.