We know that you would like to attain the most beneficial value from a utility survey. Here is our advice on how to proceed with this task.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
To assist you, here are 6 essential tips you can use:
#1 Set Aside as Much Time As Possible And Get The Utility Mapping Plans Before You Ask For A Physical Survey
We have noticed that many people request a comprehensive site survey, prior to reviewing their current utility records. It is important to check on these records first since this will allow you to decide what areas need to be surveyed, allowing you to save costs by reducing the survey to “areas of interest”, as opposed to an entire site footprint. Keep in mind that your utility records should be within 90 days so that they comply with PAS 128.
#2 Provide A Red-Line Boundary Plan That Displays The Area That Needs Surveying
This must include the entire site area, roads, and any footpaths, along with particular areas of interest. For example, if there is an adjacent footway that may be disturbed when the building process commences. For instance, to create another or new crossover.
#3 Give Your Utility Records To A Survey Company
This provides a way for a survey agency to review the contents to decide on what services are required and where. It also assists the survey agency to work out how many days are needed for them to be on-site to search for a utility plant, according to constraints and congestion. Their price will then be competitive and realistic since it will be clear, what needs to be looked at.
#4 Stipulate Whether The Survey Will Involve Tracing Utilities Or If You Want To Locate Other Underground Obstructions
This will assist you in deciding what type of method of PAS 128 Survey is the most suitable for every section of your site. This also means that a survey agency can then use the right survey methods to match up to the “proposed” survey scope.
However, when you need to locate other obstructions like an underground tank, or old-pile caps, then post-processing methods will be required. Precision Utility Mapping’s utility mappers are able to do detect any underground obstructions.
#5 Identify Site Constraints
This involves letting the survey agency know of any on-site areas that they won’t be able to access (stored materials, overgrown vegetation, etc.) Always let them know of any safety and health hazards on-site. Make sure you inquire about appropriate risk assessments.
#6 Compare Quotations To Guarantee “Like For Like” Survey Services Have Been Quoted
Compare prices to make sure items like weekend working, traffic management, mark-up on-site or post-processing, the output quality, lead times, CAD, 3D, or 2D plans, and more should feature on each quote. It is also important to make sure that the “survey area” matches up to what you need.