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The Environmental Industry Needs Land Survey Services | Corona, CA

In this day and age, it is important that we do everything we can to create a more sustainable way of living on this planet. This being said, when designing or constructing a building, a bridge, a water pipeline or any infrastructure asset, it is important to get a land survey to find out if what you’d like to develop is actually feasible.

A land survey is generally required when designing or constructing structures such as buildings, roads, parking lots, utility corridors, or athletic fields, etc. Why? Because these surveys can give detailed account of horizontal and vertical dimensions and elevations of the structure in question, and also show above ground attributes such as utilities, access roads, parking spaces, fences, etc. More specifically, land survey deliverables for the Environmental Industry include:

  • Geotracker surveys on newly installed groundwater monitoring wells
  • Earth quantity calculations used to determine the amount of contaminated dirt to be removed
  • Topographic surveys for any environmental infrastructure design project
  • Construction staking for any environmental project that is being built from the ground up

To find out more about land surveys, please contact us at (800) CALVADA or visit www.calvada.com.

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

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When Considering the Purchase of an Empty Plot of Land | Corona, CA

When purchasing a building, it is natural to get a survey done to flag any issues the edifice has prior to signing any agreement. When it comes to a plot of vacant land, it is natural to think a survey isn’t necessary as the land is empty. Unfortunately, there are things about this plot of land you may not be able to see by just walking it and only a certified land surveyor can give you those answers.

An ALTA/ASCM survey (American Land Title Association/American Congress on Surveying and Mapping) is the most comprehensive survey and is commonly recommended to the purchaser. Table A is a specific set of ALTA survey options you may want to know about, like flood zones or your neighbors. As you can see, this survey will not only show property lines, but easements, encroachments or other boundary issues that may affect your property or how the land is developed.

An easement is created when a landowner grants another party permission to use a certain portion of land for a specified purpose. This type of occurrence could be anything from a shortcut through the property to access to certain amenities. The details of these easements on the property, not the agreement itself, will be included in the survey.

An encroachment is a property improvement that partially lies on an adjacent property, without the adjacent owner’s permission. An example of this would be fencing meant to designate property lines that partially falls on the neighbor’s property in areas.

Once a survey is conducted, you can approach a purchase with more knowledge about what you are purchasing. If there are issues, they can be negotiated in order to prevent buyer’s remorse.

To find out more about purchasing land, please contact us at (800) CALVADA or visit www.calvada.com.

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

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There Are Benefits to Hiring Topographical Surveyors | Corona, CA

In the time of buying land or property, you or your agent should be in contact with topographical surveyors in order to educate you about the property territories and lines. From installing the fence to the land survey, surveyors will help you determine the topographic layout to make the correct decisions as a homeowner.

Topographic surveys will provide numerous benefits:

Your soil. Topographical surveyors can make you aware of your flood zone when you are buying a property. This will help you determine with your architect/engineer proper building parameters.       

Construction prep. Before starting construction, make sure you have already consulted a trained architect/engineer who will give you the green light. It’s important to check the soil to see if it is suitable for making a foundation. They will also check the underground water levels. These are all processes that an architect/engineer will go through before giving you their final opinion to begin construction.

Property value. Believe it or not, but topographical surveyors play a crucial role when purchasing or selling property and the reasons are pretty simple – if you are going to invest your hard-earned money, a topographical surveyor who will help you obtain the proper property information so an agent can help you to determine the value of the particular property.

It is fairly obvious that a topographical surveyor’s role in your land purchase/sale is a huge one, and thankfully, you can be secure in your purchases knowing that a professional is on your side. They are not only experts in their fields, but they will provide you with a plethora of benefits when you hire one. If you need a land surveyor for your property, contact Calvada Surveying, Inc.

To find out more about hiring topographical surveyors, please contact us at (800) CALVADA or visit www.calvada.com.

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

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A Brief History of Surveying Equipment | Corona, CA

In order to visualize a future, we need to learn about our past. And it’s quite fascinating to see how far we’ve come when it comes to using tools in order to get things done. Since ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt and Rome, man has used tools to measure and designate boundaries. These tools disappeared in the Middle Ages, but gained more speed during the Renaissance to survey and parcel the land around them.

In its earliest forms, one of the main tools for conducting land surveys was a chain pulled taut, and attempts were made to hold the measure level in order to improve accuracy.

Then came the introduction of the surveyor’s compass and theodolite. The surveyor’s compass, or circumferentor, consisted of a brass circle and an index; on the circle was a compass used to measure horizontal angles. A theodolite could measure both horizontal and vertical angles. Because of the greater accuracy, the theodolite was the preferred tool for surveyors throughout Europe by the early 1800s.

More recently, modern electronics have improved on the theodolite with the addition of an electronic distance measurement device, or EDM; these tools are referred to as total stations.

As GPS gains widespread use, they soon entered the arena of land surveying and many surveyors will still rely on their total stations in conjunction with other equipment such as laser scanners.

While the technology used by land surveyors has been changing and moving forward, even the most advanced technology can only do so much. Land surveying is an artform that technology can’t replace.

To find out more about the history of surveying equipment, please contact us at (800) CALVADA or visit www.calvada.com.

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

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Topographic Surveys: Is It Worth Developing the Land? | Corona, CA

When buying a parcel of land to develop, it is important to know what kind of land you are buying and whether or not it is able to be developed. The solution is a topographic survey, showing the exact location of both human-made and natural features, both vertical and horizontal, in order to determine changes in elevation on a parcel of land.

Most people want to have as much information as possible before beginning a project, and topography is no exception because elevation has a considerable impact on land usability. Finding issues before it’s too late will not only save money but gives an opportunity to plan alternative options when developing the land.

A topographic survey will show the results of a 3D world on a 2D sheet of paper. The more data the surveyor collects, the more detailed the topographic survey drawing will be. However, since there aren’t any national standards regarding topographic surveys, you’ll need to consider exactly what it is that you want to know. These are the most commonly requested:

Contour levels. The focus is on the vertical changes on the property and they are shown in a series of contours on the drawing.

Vegetation location. You can specify the location of a certain size of tree trunk or a particular type of tree (carnivorous or deciduous), vegetation lines, etc.

Streams or creeks. You can specify if you want the thread (center line), the thalweg (deepest part) or just the banks to be located and shown on the drawing.

Natural occurring structures. Peaks, valleys, hills, cliffs, etc.

Manmade structures. Items such as buildings, utility lines, streets, fences and retaining walls.

To find out more about topographic surveying, please contact us at (800) CALVADA or visit www.calvada.com.

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.