Show us why the public should always call a land surveyor

Where are you surveying?

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What do you think about this statement?

Posted by Jaybird on June 10, 2010 at 10:33am
Land surveying remains an art, with the expertise of the surveyor cannot be replaced by technology. The surveyor must investigate and infer what the true boundaries of any property may be using both the technological and historical information they have at hand.

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Tags: art, history, land, surveying, technology
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  • Land Surveyor
    Scott D. Warner, PLS June 13, 2011 at 7:20pm

    I don't know that I have ever said this before, but I agree with everybody here.  One thing that has not been mentioned is knowledge of the laws that pertain to Land Surveying in your area.  They differ so much that even the courts agree that an expert testimony can only come from a Land Surveyor who is licensed in the particular State, Country, or other jurisdictional area that may be the subject of a boundary dispute.

    As far as machine control goes, where is the Land Surveyor?  Not driving wooden stakes in the ground, no no, the Land Surveyor is managing the project from the creation of a Digital Terrain Model to instructing machine operators on how to use the software in their machine.

    "Change before you have to" - Jack Welch

    "He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects change is the cemetery." - Harold Wilson

    Whenever a new technology seems to guide the Land Surveyor, the Land Surveyor must guide the technology. - Scott D. Warner, R.L.S. (me)

  • ronnie r. monilla RCE,JGE,CSP July 8, 2010 at 4:49am
    closing to a network with acceptable accuracy needs equipment precision, handling, better understanding of the work and most important "experience". there's no such thing as perfect survey. God bless us...
  • Gary Breisch July 6, 2010 at 8:34am
    Evidence, evidence, evidence, are the three most important things we as land surveyors must prioritize. Finding it such that it points the same direction will be the most useful in the decision making process by those who seek and use the evidence.

    It can be so complex of a process at times that it seems like art, however it can be broken down into a process and utilized by technology to aid in the process with the surveyor as the supervisor and driver of the process.

    What's up with Surveying in Sand Springs OK - http://wp.me/plcEM-3b
    • Land Surveyor
      Scott D. Warner, PLS > Gary Breisch June 13, 2011 at 7:54pm
      I totally agree.  The weighing of boundary evidence, whether it come from a deed, a prior survey, a verbal conversation with an old-timer from the area, or simply what you discover as physical evidence in the field such as monuments, evidence of occupation (fences, old foundations, etc.), is a very complex matter of judgement!  Who else could separate all these facts and put them back together like a jigsaw puzzle into the pieces that fit together and the pieces that don't?  You guessed it, ONLY a Land Surveyor can.  One single piece of evidence may the only thing that tips the scale toward one conclusion.  That's why we do so much research.  We do so much behind the scenes as professionals that the general public does not see.  In my opinion this makes for a mysterious profession, one that needs to educate as much as it does need to provide for the specific needs of its clients.
  • [email protected] June 29, 2010 at 1:18am
    I was recently told that the money is in machine control. Surveyors ready to work in that field will have jobs. Perhaps they are correct. I often cuss boundary work but it is the one function singular to the unique person who is a land surveyor in their heart.
    • Land Surveyor
      Scott D. Warner, PLS > [email protected] June 13, 2011 at 7:30pm

      Phil,

      I couldn't agree with you more.  The singularity of the Land Surveyor's combined experience, expertise, and professional judgement is what a makes boundary a boundary. Nobody can ever take that away from a Land Surveyor except for a Judge.  (but yes, there is big money in machine control, especially if you get into it now before too many do).

    • GEO Ambassador
      Skip Farrow > [email protected] June 29, 2010 at 5:58pm
      Phil,
      I did send you the address you requested.
      Now, to add to your comment. You are correct in this statement. I see construction companies hiring either registered PLS or one of your top shelf party chiefs, for the site prep part of the bigger projects.
      DOZIER GRADER OPERATOR S You put a good machine operator with an experienced survey equipment operator, ( a guy that can run GPS, robotics, understands survey software ) they can put a project on grade in a very productive time frame. Because the machine operator understand how to put that bucket or blade where it needs to be. (if your running INDICATE only, if your running hydraulics, that adds several thousand more dollars to the automation process, also makes the operators job even easier.) But he may not be as familiar with GPS, or how to set it up and run the machine with Robotics.
      SURVEYOR EQUIPMENT OPERATOR You the surveyor understand land management better, and running the equipment that goes with measuring the layout, control and checking your measurements. Plus, you are use to stake out from a software prospective more than that operator. This is just from the field, where there are jobs to be had, but even more so in the software prep, called DATA PREP . You are very familiar with taking the engineering drawings and comparing it to the Topo, that you would have probably provided, to the proposed site layout. Setting up the DTM's an preping the files to be uploaded to your data collector is basically what DATA PREP is all about, and a place there would be work for you guys as well, along with project management. It's very valuable and a lot quicker to make changes in the field with your experience than from a software office guy, or a firm hired to do the data prep.
      Now this is just a touch of info regarding large to medium site projects.

      But where's the money today? ROADS with Bonuses if they have ride ability

      This sinario is the same with ROAD work, where all the guys I know in road work are busy. Some of them have already gone to machine control, and some are just getting into it. Still the software related to road profiles and layout you guys are up to speed and experienced more than the machine operator. Plus your experience with setting up your stake out points and road profiles where you normally upload to your data collector for the field is basically the same thing, when doing data prep you just don't have to physically go out and hammer the wood into the ground. Your prepping the drawing for the equipment to do that, and the cost of labor and wood is saved.

      Paving is speeding up and moving trucks filled with asphalt faster than ever before. This is because of the automation of the paving equipment. I know also that there is a new product being released right now, and one of my buddies is promoting it. The finished product is so smooth because of this device that every project when finished, and the profiles turned over to the State DOT, there is a 100% guarantee that the BONUS attached will be awarded to the contractor. In return gives them more money to pay you to be involved, or hire your experience.

      With all of this said, if you know Roads, and your good in software, get involved in data prep and get involved with a Highway Contractor, or get involved in a site project. Even though these projects are more competitive today than ever before, these contractors need your experience because making mistakes are very costly. The learning curve could cost them their reputation plus their profit. But in return these contractors can make good money if the put the players and the equipment in place.

      If you would like for me to have information like this to run through LSU so you guys can become more familiar with what's going on, I Can...and have discussed this with guys to get involved.

      Good Discussion...... I included the PAVE-IR info...I hope it comes through

      Skip
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