California Surveyors Forums

A long distance architect who was hired by my client online has some requirements for a survey. He/ she used the AIA document G601 to specify the requirements needed. This is first time I see this document and was surprised to be asked to find the depth and pressure of water/ gas lines.(5.7)
Please read attached document. There are some requirements that made me scratch my head, like asking for a 1"=20' scale for a 150' by 50' lot(3.1), location of flood plain and flood level of stream or adjacent bodies of water (5.8).
It looks like the guy has never seen the property nor knows where it is located.
I found out that that version of document has been superseded by C201-2015.

I've never seen that form before. As when receiving requests for ALTAs, it would be a good idea to have a conversatuon with the architect to find out just what he or she actually needs, and to explain the realities of what work will be necessary to get the info.

For the flood plain info, ask if basic info from the Flood Insurance Rate Map for the area is sufficient or if they need a floid certification.

For utility info, you should be able to get the location info either from the utilities themselves or a util locate subcontractor. The utils, particularly the gas company may not be willing to provide depth & pressure info. If that's the case, provide the contact info to the architect and let them decide just how much they need the info.

Thanks, Evan. I have sent the architect a list with items which I think are unnecessary, or out of my ability to determine ( like depth and pressure..).

It might be possible to get depth & pressure per the utility company records. It depends upon whether they are willing to provide them. If I were in your place, I'd offer to try to obtain that info, but if the utility company won't provide it to you, forward the utility contact info to the architect in a short letter which also states that contact would not provide the depth & pressure to you.

That makes you, at least initially, more service oriented for your client but puts the responsibility back on the client to either attempt to convince the utility contact that it is essential info for him, or decide that it really isn't all that important.

When I first came to California, I was able to get the utility company maps that had all of that info. Of course, that was before they were all worried about the possibility of terrorists or some random nut using the info to do damage.

So are you supposed to tie out NGVD'29 benchmarks, and use corpscon to "convert" them to NAVD'88 or are you allowed to just tie out NAVD'88 Benchmarks directly? ;)

You can buy a tester that fits on hose bibs. If you read the sentence it includes the pressure of the gas lines. I really don' t think this was written by someone who understands our role. Even the utility company is going to have problems getting that information unless they send out their guys personally.

Locating buried tanks and septic fields is fine, so long as they are responsible for potholing them, and identifying them. These things are usually written by folks who don't really know surveying and are trying a catch all. I usually just scratch out what I'm not going to do, or I email them.