As the economy continues to be the choking boa constrictor around construction's throat, project teams must make critical decisions about where to make budget cuts long after the initial bidding is done. Though surveying and construction layout is just a small portion of the budget, one must consider, "Is this where I should seek the lowest bid?" Surveying may seem all the same to the unseasoned pro, but an error in measurement or poor planning can be the absolute bane of any project's success.
An excellent example of this is bridge construction. From the onset of a notice to proceed, most are concerned with the limit of disturbance, erosion and soil controls (E&S), and the initial groundbreaking of the project. Howell Surveying is currently beginning a bridge replacement project on PennDOT's SR 1018 in Berks County. The design process for most bridges can take years, from defining the need to replace them- to the point a shovel hits the ground. Many changes can, and usually will, occur involving many different design elements, including environmental, drainage, structural, and budgeting challenges. As each occurs, data can be lost or left over from prior planning efforts.
A seasoned surveyor will pour over every detail from the beginning, comparing every aspect of the construction sequence before mobilization. Staying aware and monitoring changes in the many plan sets and specifications for roadway, cross sections, geometry, and structure design will be the biggest benefit to a project team. Coordinating each set with each detail and following the sequence early on will mitigate problems bearing their ugly head at the worst time later. If a surveyor waits around for the phone to ring to start looking at the details, they may miss that beam lengths and abutment distances do not align. They'll miss utility connections that interfere with certain phases or paving that won't match the deck. By the time the call comes in, utility and beam fabrication have long been underway and likely completed. Months can be lost with costly cranes and other equipment sitting idly by.
Our commitment to be the trusted advisor to the client usually can't be captured in a price. There's never a line item in a bid called "Thinks about your problems ahead of time" or "Understands there's an error in here somewhere…and will find it". Surveyors are small in fee compared to the overall budget but large in your confidence to move quickly and efficiently without delays. A great surveyor is a natural worrier, and a silent phone is how we know we're doing a good job- no news is good news for us. It means we're thinking about you long before you think about us.
You can google in great detail how to remove a boa constrictor. Just like working in this economy, you can use your strength to balance the costs up front. Do you have a trusted advisor... or just the lowest bid?
