Before starting any kind of building project, it’s important to learn as much about the land you’re working on as you can. A topographic survey is one tool at your disposal to make sure you’re fully armed with information about the land before construction begins.
Topographic surveys are used to identify the existence of natural and manmade features on the land. They are conducted with the use of GPS and EDM technologies, and produce a map that shows outlines that demonstrate changes in the land that occurred over the course of a certain period of time.
The information collected through the application of topographic surveys is extremely useful for mapping out the land and giving the design and building teams a better idea of what they need to work around. Some of the features that are identified in the survey could include streets, trees, walls, buildings/structures, manholes and any other type of potential obstacle, be it natural or manmade. The maps developed from the survey serve as reliable guideposts for people planning out the project.
Here’s a closer look at just a few of the biggest benefits of topographic surveys in Texas:
- Get information: Topographic surveys allow you to arm yourself with all the information you need about the land before you begin making any changes to it. This includes information about features that are around, under or in the land, not just on top of it. The more information you have, the better your results will be in both planning and construction.
- Prior changes: Not only does a topographic survey give you the information you need before you start making changes to the land, but it will also give you information about changes to the land that have already occurred before you started using it. Some of the data you collect in this survey would not be information you’d be able to glean just from plain observation. You can focus specifically on changes that occurred over a single period of time, if you wish to do so. Knowing the ways the land has changed allows your engineers to plan out the structure in a way that can account for those changes and any future changes that might occur.
- Quality construction: Topographic surveys give you information about the land that makes it easier for you to create a construction project that is durable and long lasting. Understanding the topography of the land before you break ground makes for better end results.
When you know you need to perform a topographic survey in Texas, it’s in your best interest to work with a company that performs this kind of work on a regular basis and is already familiar with the land in your area. For more information about everything that’s involved in the process of a topographic survey and why you should arrange to have one done before you start your next construction project, we encourage you to contact the team at D.G. Smyth & Co., Inc. We’d be happy to answer any of your questions!