Your Guide to Civil Engineering

Have you ever wondered who designs airports or how dams remain so well-maintained? The answer lies within the civil engineering profession. Civil engineering deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the built environment. It includes public works projects, such as bridges, roads, sewer systems, buildings, and railways. In short, if it involves construction, you can guarantee a civil engineer had a hand in it. Here are some of the services civil engineering provides.

Conceptual Design
Conceptual design is phase one of any new development projects. Before anything else happens, a civil engineering firm will provide a big picture overview of the land plot, looking at the practical elements of design: the utility connections, drainage, land use. It gives a red light should it uncover any issue too great to overcome. Sometimes, conceptual design runs alongside 3D modeling. The result is a miniature version of the final build.

Utility Design
It may surprise you how much data-driven insight goes into the design of a water line or storm drain. The finished product, no matter how simple it looks, results from hours of civil engineering work. Every angle created, each material chosen, answers a strict brief. These types of utilities must meet safety laws and regulations to receive plan approval. They include every detail, from the location of each maintenance hole to placing each valve.

Street Improvement Plans
If you wish to make improvements to a street, consider whether your modifications are feasible. Will they allow enough space for a fire engine to turn around in? Is drainage affected? How about sidewalks? Civil engineering explores every aspect to make sure the new concept works structurally and operationally.

When you're responsible for any public works development, don't do anything until you've partnered with a civil engineering firm like Chris Nelson & Associates. They give you the confidence to proceed, knowing you have expert approval on every element.

Best Practices in Land Development

A land surveyor is helpful in instituting best practices in land development. Many municipalities are concerned with the human impact on the land and balancing that with economic gain. Land surveys provide a basis for developing land to meet both criteria.

Housing

With a growing population, housing becomes a concern. Using mix land uses such as commercial first floors with condos, apartments and town-homes above is one way to develop the land for efficient use and minimal environmental impact. Concentrating development allows for a smaller footprint and potentially lower costs.

Traffic

The more an area grows, the more traffic there is. A survey can help create a roadway map that works with the existing land to meet these changing needs. Dispersing traffic in effective ways can calm the number of cars on the road at the same time limiting their impact on the environment and local economy.

Ecosystems
Any development of land should focus on preserving existing ecosystems as much as possible. Creating areas that mimic nature and preserve some land help the entire area thrive. Parks are one example of this.

Using the experience and expertise of a land surveyor can help developers balance capital gains with the environmental impacts of a development. Surveys are valuable to help municipalities address growing population concerns.

3 Reasons You Need To Find a Land Surveyor When You Buy a Home

You have probably seen a surveyor in the colorful jackets looking through equipment on the side of a road as you pass by, but do you know the highly trained individuals do much more than widen roads and locate utilities under city streets? When you buy a home, especially in the outskirts of town, you may be trusting land surveys that are very old because not all home sales were required to have a legal boundary description of the property upon sale for hundreds of years. To be safe, here are five reasons you need to hire a land surveyor when you buy a home.

1.Common Property Issues
Boundary lines, common driveways, and fences can all become locations of dissension when two parties disagree on the correct location or who has legal possession. Seeking the assistance of qualified Malibu land surveyors to establish the legal lines in question can quickly settle the issue before it becomes a legal battle. Before you purchase a house, know where the property lines are!

2. Easement Alley Problems
Alleys, roads, and empty lots next to the property you want to purchase can all become a problem if you don’t have an official boundary line certification notifying you of the legal lines of yours and the adjoining property. You also need to know all the conditions bound to your property, such as a neighbor’s right to drive across your yard to reach the street.

3. Home Improvement Troubles
Your Malibu land surveyors can certify that all improvements, repairs, and alterations to the home you are thinking about purchasing are not in any way in violation of restrictions, regulations, or zoning. This includes added decks, parking spaces, frontage buildups, or set-backs. Knowing your home complies with the law can save you a great deal of frustration and money in the future.

Before you buy a home, have a land survey done to protect yourself and your investment. You don’t have to disagree about property lines, easement issues, or improper buildings if you have the legal survey in hand.

Top Reasons for Getting a Professional Land Survey

There are several reasons why you might want to get a survey done of your property. Or you may be interested in getting a survey done for a property that you’re interested in purchasing. Whatever the reason, chances are you’re going to be glad that you got a professional land surveyor to provide the service so you can be assured you got the most accurate information possible. There have been so many technological advances with surveying equipment in the past few years that you can get incredibly detailed information. Professional surveys are highly data-oriented, incredibly detailed and can get completed faster than ever before.

Property Lines
There’s a good possibility that when you bought your home you inherited existing fencing. But how can you be sure that the fence was built on the property line? You might not think that a few inches matter, but they can. A few inches for the length of your property can result in increased property value. Or, it can also be a liability if there are trees or tree branches located in that space. A professional land surveyor will measure with absolute precision so you can know the exact measurements of your property.

Land Development
One of the best reasons to get a professional land surveyor is if you’re trying to build a new development on a non-developed piece of property. There are several local, regional and state building and development codes that may prevent you from building in the way you hoped. It’s important to know the exact elevations and land contours so you can build in the most environmentally sensitive manner and comply with all applicable regulations.

Utility Lines
It’s always a good idea to know where the utility lines are on your property. It’s easier than you think to crack a water pipe while digging a hole for a tree in your backyard. And you definitely don’t want to hit a gas line. A survey will provide a permanent record of all the utilities on your property.

History Proves That Land Surveyors Are Necessary

The work of a land surveyor has proved to be an integral part of property development for a very, very long time. In fact, evidence of land surveying has been found at the pyramids during their construction in Egypt thousands of years ago. In the past and now in modern times, the construction of homes, businesses, and even cities depends on surveying to determine vital components – such as defining property borderlines – for example. Today, for individuals who are interested in buying land, it is critical to have the plot surveyed. Below is one of the main reasons why it is very important for a surveyor – such as a Malibu land surveyor – to evaluate a plot of land.

Identifying and Protecting Property Borders
Property borders are a crucial aspect of the work of a land surveyor. If an individual is planning to purchase a piece of land in the beautiful community of Malibu, California for instance, a Malibu land surveyor can provide helpful advice about the plot. This may include answering questions from a buyer about what he or she might choose to do with the space, like dividing the land into multiple sections, for example.

The opportunities that come with owning property are endless. A Malibu land surveyor can assist with the process of ensuring that whatever an owner desires for the land can be accomplished.

Why You Need To Have an ALTA Survey

Topographical maps have been essential for building projects for many years. The maps show the various boundaries of administrative areas and roadways along with changes in elevations and where certain features are such as water. ALTA surveys take topographic maps a step further to take into account items impacting land ownership.

Reading the Map

At first glance, a topographical map may be difficult to read. The contour lines and colors are meaningless to the uninformed. Each item has a specific meaning and representation. Since 1879, the U.S. Geological Survey is the responsible agency for map creation with a variety of scales available. The first thing you need to know before you can read a map is the scale. The colors are far simpler with blue representing water, aerial photography updated information is purple, vegetation is green and red or gray represent densely built-up areas. Additional features use a combination of lines and colors to portray certain features such as campgrounds or trails.

Use of Lines

Contour lines are a part of any topographical map and ALTA surveys are no different. Elevation is represented by brown lines. Shorter vertical distances between lines mean less object separation. The steepness of the landscape shows in the horizontal distance. The contour levels may vary from 10 to 100 feet depending on the topography of the location. Mountains and hills show up as concentric circles.

Purpose of Surveys

Surveys and maps are necessary for building projects such as roads and highways. They also are necessary for completing title surveys necessary for home ownership. The minimum standards of the ALTA/ACSM surveys are necessary to meet the requirements to insure the title of the property. A commercial project must have a title commitment before the survey can be conducted.

Many commercial loans require completion of ALTA surveys for the title insurance. Each survey is specific to the title company, buyer, lender and seller with their information right on the survey. The survey shows encumbrances, ownership areas and improvements along with any encroachments.

The Latest Changes Affecting Land Surveys

Technology advances have changed the nature of land development including how a Malibu land survey is conducted. The techniques used to survey change to accommodate the new technology and changes in regulations affecting the industry. Here are the latest changes affecting the surveying industry.

3D Technology

Creating a survey in 3D is now possible thanks to new scanning and modeling technologies. The machines may have been around for years, but they were not widely used because of their high costs. 3D modeling is now an affordable option for many surveyors allowing them to take advantage of the high-tech tools. As the machines have dropped in price, regulatory bodies are now seeing this as part of the process rather than as a nice extra. More surveyors are incorporating them as part of their business for safer and more profitable projects for their clients.

Data Systems

With better technology comes greater amounts of data available for interpretation. 3D modeling and drones provide more accurate data, but that means there’s more to keep track of as well. Project managers simply don’t have time to sort through all that information without the help of an effective land surveyor. End-to-end data solutions offer project managers a way to easily keep track of all that additional data and use it effectively.

Drone Data

Drones are not only for the military and recreation. Surveyors are now using them to get accurate pictures from above. Instead of walking around the entire property snapping photos, a drone creates a video of everything. The video can be paused, re-watched, zoomed in and even have stills taken out. The time-saving devices are especially helpful for high elevations, water features and dense forestation. Like 3D technology, drones are now a cost-effective option for most surveyors for quicker project turnaround.

Using an experienced surveyor like Chris Nelson & Associates to complete our Malibu land survey ensures the development project has the best start. With all the technology available, getting a quality land surveyor that helps you project plan efficiently is easier than ever.