Construction Layout

Jonathan Terry, P.L.S.

Course Outline

Whether you're a professional engineer, land surveyor, construction layout contractor, entry-level employee working in a construction layout crew, party chief, construction manager, superintendent or architect, you'll benefit by a fuller understanding of this unique, essential component of any significant construction project.

By walking the reader through a typical, mid-sized project, covering bidding, contract negotiation, paperwork, interpersonal relationships, procedures, documentation, billing, site reconnaissance, geometric computations, and applying specific layout methods, the reader will not just be told about things but will see and experience the broad spectrum of construction layout and related disciplines through the eyes of its author. This approach makes remembering what's presented so much easier.

Tips (maybe even trade secrets) are freely shared - important lessons and experience learned by a surveyor licensed in 7 states, who's been an employee of developers, construction managers, architects, engineers and surveyors since 1963 and possesses a wealth of knowledge gained through founding and operating a successful construction layout business.

Neither fear nor swelling pride fosters success in this unique business. And, both attitudes are more common to providers of layout services than a quiet confidence born of real understanding. This course seeks to establish the latter.

Construction layout is a specialized, demanding function. It deserves study and the sincere respect it seldom gets. Its demands are uniquely complex and its rewards generous. This course is not merely the presentation of technique and processes (though these are included); it's an equipping, enabling source of knowledge and understanding.

This course includes a multiple choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, licensed engineers and surveyors, their technical and field personnel and contractors performing construction layout will have gained a better appreciation for the unique demands of construction project control and will better manage the business, procedural, technical and relationship aspects of construction layout - and, will hopefully enjoy construction layout as much as I do.

• Learn important "trade secrets" from a person who's successfully founded and operated a business specializing in construction layout and established a construction survey division of a large construction management firm.
• Learn how the professional Team creating new development functions and the place of construction layout on that Team.
• Learn tips, tricks and special pieces of equipment that help you perform your layout more quickly without compromising precision.
• Learn how to confidently ask questions when you really don't understand the plans or know exactly what you should be laying out.
• Learn what plans to believe or not to believe and how to check dimensions when staking a major building.
• Learn how to perform marketing and sales in effective ways without assuming an exaggerated self-importance or high pressure tactics.
• Learn how to level the playing field in a competitive bidding situation.
• Learn effective proposal writing concepts for construction layout.
• Learn how to structure your proposal or bid to limit layout items that might never be requested.
• Learn how to handle the correction of errors you discover in the plans and how to stake those items correctly without assuming liability for the correction.
• Learn the advantages and disadvantages of both small firms and large firms in relation to seeking clients for construction layout contracts and how to promote your strengths when seeking contracts.
• Learn the "full-service" layout requirements for a mid-sized, commercial project and how to structure these in your proposal.
• Learn how your billing relates to your proposal and what documents should accompany your monthly statements to your clients.
• Learn how to easily keep track of set-fee, proposal item billing based on percentage of completion.
• Learn tricks for transferring column lines or offsets to column lines to upper floors on multi-story buildings.
• Learn how to set control for major buildings, so that you can repeat precise layout, even after your building or column offset stakes are destroyed.
• Learn staking requirements for traditional utility construction methods and for pipe construction guided by a laser.
• Learn how to limit liability through your proposal, your contract, your correspondence, forms and private records.
• Learn the importance of receiving full sets of plans early and of attending the pre-construction meeting.
• Learn what digital files you should obtain and why you need both paper and digital plan sets - and why you need to get these early.
• Learn how the construction management firm's employees differ in experience and roles and how to handle your relationships with the persons filling each role.
• Learn why asking questions is critical to your success and know what questions to ask of whom and when.
• Learn why you and your crews must be familiar with your contract/proposal and carry a copy to the site.
• Learn why a project Field Folder must be created, what goes in it, and why it's taken to the site with each visit.
• Learn safety tips and principles unique to an active construction site.
• Learn how to make money "in the rain" (or at least maximize down-time due to weather).
• Learn what the Geometric Plan was historically, what it is today and when to believe or not to believe in the integrity of a digital drawing file.
• Learn tips for selecting the personnel who will perform construction layout and managing crews sent to perform layout.
• Learn tips for adjusting equipment on the fly - or on the job site.
• Learn suggested staking techniques and relative precision typically required for the many different features you're laying out.
• Learn standard ways to mark stakes that get the job done, avoid confusion and protect you from the potential for huge back-charges (Mark a stake improperly and you've bought the farm!).
• Learn proven techniques for preserving your primary control (traverse control points) that are needed throughout the entire project's duration.
• Learn why flagging on stakes should be color-coded.
• Learn how color-coded file folders and certain standard forms give you the upper hand when clients misremember what was said or what actually took place.
• Learn rules of thumb that are useful when performing layout.
• Learn why Conversation Logs are essential records and how they can save you from client disputes and claims against you.
• Learn why Work Orders are necessary, how to use them for work authorization and for getting paid in a timely manner.
• Learn what paper field book documentation is appropriate and what notes belong in a data collector file.
• Learn how a standard rubber stamp impression at the start of each day's notes in the paper field book will train your crew to think like business people.
• Learn how to expedite layout by copying sketches directly to field book pages.
• Learn how and when to write CYA memos, e-mails and letters.
• Learn suggested disclaimers to include in your proposals and grade sheets to minimize disputes and back-charges.
• Learn typical staking and grade sheet preparation for single family residences.
• Learn typical staking and grade sheet preparation for residential driveways.
• Learn typical pattern of layout for curbing and parking lots and what sketches are necessary to avoid confusion over your stakes and to uniquely identify each stake on your grade sheet.

Intended Audience

This course is designed for engineers, land surveyors, architects, contractors, or anyone contracting, providing, reviewing or specifying construction layout services.

Benefit to Attendees

This course teaches both technical and practical skills, contract and business considerations, staking and grade sheets, client relations, functioning in and with the design/build team, and relates countless tips and trade secrets learned only through solid, real-world experience.

Course Author

The author of this course is a Licensed Land Surveyor who's obtained professional registration in seven states and served as assistant construction superintendent, teacher, writer, civil technician, site planner, land surveying department head for mapping firms, civil/consulting firms and developers, created and managed the construction layout division of a large construction management firm, founded and operated a successful construction layout business and separate land surveying business and worked as the employee of civil, surveying, and architectural firms, developers and state government. His career began in 1963.

Such a diverse background is rare and provides a breadth of understanding beyond that normally experienced in any single profession. Construction layout is viewed from many perspectives not commonly experienced by the land surveyor.

Construction layout is like a unique and fascinating jewel having many facets, each unique and worthy of careful study. As an object of study, construction layout must be placed in its proper setting - that is, in its relevance and relationship to the design/build process and the professional team that gets thing built. Understanding construction layout from this overview yields success. This is our goal.

This course provides an overview and perspective of critical value to land surveyors, but it's purposefully aimed at any person working in the disciplines listed below. It's not just for surveyors, but most surveyors should obtain a deeper and broader understanding of this challenging and rewarding discipline. The course will increase knowledge and broaden horizons of understanding.

Course Introduction

This course material is offered with the hope and expectation that you'll be better equipped to serve relevantly and competently in a dynamic team, advancing an excitingly creative process that constructs your community and nation. Keep in mind that you're participating in the building of a nation as a modern-day frontier person saying, "Put it here, right here." And someone will - whether or not it's in the right place!

This course shares insights never before offered, discovered through 40-plus years of both difficult and enjoyable life experiences. It covers techniques, safeguards, record keeping and reporting practices, ethics, plus contract writing and business management suggestions. I can honestly say that I learned more about coordinate geometry calculations, measurement, equipment use, care and maintenance and layout methods through my construction staking business than any other single facet of my surveying profession, and I'll not hold anything back.

It presents material 'from the ground up,' laying a foundation of client and team relationships and business practice, upon which the preparation and execution of the staking can function and profit you personally, the project's professional team and ultimately the project itself.

Successful construction staking may prove as challenging for a surveyor as any other professional task he or she is ever asked to perform. Doing it both correctly and profitably while building relationships and your firm's reputation is a mission of great importance. But, unless contracts, specifications, laws, regulations or codes forbid it, a person needn't be a licensed surveyor to perform construction layout services. In fact, the surveyor who brings only expert measurement skills to construction layout is at risk of humiliation and financial catastrophe.

No specific attempt is made to duplicate the teachings of techniques readily available elsewhere, unless my experience leads me to discuss them because of needs I've observed. For example we'll talk about steel tape temperature correction, tension and rules-of-thumb but not slope staking. If someone's going to do slope staking, finding a resource explaining that activity will pose no problem. But, the same person may experience difficulties day in and day out measuring with a steel tape and never know why, especially those weaned in the post-steel-tape-measuring era. And, the steel tape is faster, safer and more accurate for some layout than the total station or GPS measurement. Why not use it?

True experiences are related to make instruction relevant and the material more memorable. While personal stories are told as illustrations to help you retain this material, I promise not to get lost in them. We're on a mission!

Whether this course material is new to you (and much of it probably will be), or it's a broadening of your knowledge, it won't be a waste of your time.

Course Content

The course content is in a PDF file (1.5 MB) Construction Layout. You need to open or download this document to study this course.

Course Summary

Profits from construction layout are made:

• through knowing how to handle the bid processes and the early client relations;
• by fine-tuning your proposals (bids) to the true needs of the project;
• in playing the 'Apples & Oranges' bidding game to win;
• in those accumulated minutes and even seconds saved with every single point staked, day after day, month after month;
• from every unnecessary task that is eliminated;
• by documenting, communicating and seeing what's coming;
• through training and accountability both ways between management and staff;
• through each process being performed consistently, smoothly, efficiently and correctly;
• by cultivating and maintaining good client relations with good clients;
• through simplified, efficient, thorough and organized paper-work, record keeping, billing procedures; and
• by building a team identity among your co-workers, crew(s) and staff.

And all this can be done while having fun, working in a professional team that behaves like a real team (you know, like on Super Bowl Sunday, that kind of team?), learning new things every day and fine-tuning the team interaction while performing the layout. How many jobs can you honestly say that about?

While I'm aware that some folks take courses just for required credits, many others are seekers after knowledge and professional advancement. This latter group is my target, and the former are more than welcome to the credits; you've paid for them after all.

To say that the course shares "Trade Secrets" may be overstatement. But, this is original material, and I'll freely share things I've learned the hard way - things that made me successful and allowed me to out-compete the competition.

I've written this for those seeking a condensed, informal yet detail-oriented, soup-to-nuts presentation on construction layout - or a broadening of knowledge. Included are the best things I've learned since my first job as a rodman in 1963.

Numerous opinions, guidelines, strategies and philosophies are offered for your consideration with the expectation that they'll help you in your own work, increase your profits and your enjoyment of life.

This course is created with the sincere hope it blesses you and brings you increase.

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

---

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.

---