Survey Help

[stephenward]

I'm a (pretty new) CAD technician and i've been asked to go and carry out a measured survey for a building i will ultimately draw up in autoCAD.

I figured there may be others with survey experience in these parts that could offer advice, methods? checklists? online tutorials? Do i do a lap of the building first sketcking as i go or get straight into measuring room by room?

I know it's not rocket science but i want to be prepared as going back to collect those essential missed dimensions isn't an option.

Are there any surveyor CAD techs out there? Is it usual for CAD tech's to carry out their own surveys? Can anyone recomend a book?

Thanks,

Steve

[LCE]

Stephen,

Although it isn't certain that a CAD Tech will do a survey (some go their whole careers without doing 1), it is quite common to need to occassionally.

With this being the first survey you are doing, I would suggest getting a set of drawing from another survey and check out what information is on there, then also check against a few other drawings.

The key is to dimension EVERYTHING. It is always better to dimension something that you don't need, rather than not dimensioning something that you do need. And always check your dimensions, try and tally it up as you are going along, and if it doesn't seem right then dimension again.

Things that always seem to be missing are meter points, window/door heights, wall types, eaves height, the landscape, site levels, floor to ceiling height, etc.

I assume that if you are doing this on your own then you will be using a disto-meter rather than a measuring tape? If not, then I would suggest asking your boss if they can get 1 as you will find it a lot easier.

Also, don't worry about the time. Take as long as you need. Again, it is better that you get the survey right in 5 hours, rather than get it wrong it 2.

Most importantly, have fun. Remember, it may be tedious, but it is a day out of the office...

Hope this helps.

Cheers

[CADTutor]

I'll add a couple more things. Take a camera with you and take lots of photos - sometimes it's difficult to remember how things looked when you're back in the office. Design yourself a pro-forma listing all the dimensions and observations you might need before going to site because it's easy to forget the essentials when you're there.

[stephenward]

Thanks for the advice, this may be naive but..

what is a meter point?

how do you determine site levels? Is it just a case of counting steps down internally? Counting masonry courses externally? Measuring eaves to external floor level?

Thanks

[LCE]

Thanks for the advice, this may be naive but..

what is a meter point?

how do you determine site levels? Is it just a case of counting steps down internally? Counting masonry courses externally? Measuring eaves to external floor level?

Thanks

Sorry, I meant like gas meters, electric meters, etc.
If you need levels, which I suspect you would, then there are a few ways to do it.
Ask the guys in your office whether they have a theodolite and leveling rod. If they do, someone should be able to give you a demo. But for that, you will need to take someone else with you...

[eldon]

Ask the guys in your office whether they have a theodolite and leveling rod. If they do, someone should be able to give you a demo. But for that, you will need to take someone else with you...

If you are just starting, and haven't used a surveying instrument before, then "just a demo" might take several weeks. And for levels, use a level instrument.

[alec]

So tell us then, how did it go?

Cheers,

Smudger (self employed Tech doing solo surveys and designs etc)

[TimZilla]

I design Fire Sprinkler Systems and when we have to do an existing building with no CAD Drawings we have to draw the whole damn building.

One thing I always do is find the Local GIS interactive site for the county, find the property parcel and it usually gives you the dimensions of the building.

I will draw the outside of the building and on the inside ill draw a graph. Like graph paper. Then when you go inside the building chose the best spot to start. When you draw your walls each little block on your graph will equal 1 foot , or 2, how ever you like.

that way your drawing doesn't get sloppy. If not you will have one wall that's 10 ft look longer and an 8 ft wall on your paper and it just turns into a mess.

[LCE]

OK, I will bite first...

If not you will have one wall that's 10 ft look longer and an 8 ft wall on your paper and it just turns into a mess.

So a 10ft wall looking longer than an 8ft wall is a problem because?

As Tim said, working with graph paper can be great in comparisson to using plain paper...