Edmonton Infill Construction Surveys

Edmonton, like many other cities in North America, is experiencing a boom in infill construction.

What is Infill Construction?

Infill construction is an important aspect of Edmonton’s urban development strategy, as it allows the city to grow by making use of vacant and underutilized land within existing neighborhoods. Infill construction creates vibrant communities while preserving the character and history of established neighborhoods.

Although popular, Infill construction presents unique challenges, particularly when it comes to locating and mapping underground utility infrastructure.

What are Infill Construction Surveys?

An infill construction survey is a type of survey that is conducted to gather information about the site where a new building is to be constructed. The survey involves measuring and mapping the boundaries of the site, as well as any existing structures or features that may impact the new construction, such as trees, utilities, and underground pipes. This information is

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then used by architects, engineers, and builders to design the new home and ensure that it fits within the boundaries of the site, complies with local zoning laws, and complies with building codes.

Because an infill is being built where a previous home existed, infill construction surveys are crucial to ensuring that pre-existing features, such as underground utilities (electrical, gas, water, sewage, fiber optic, or cable lines) are left undamaged and usable for the new property. These surveys are especially important in older neighborhoods where utility lines may be outdated or improperly documented. In these cases, infill construction surveys can help identify the location of utility lines that may not be accurately represented in existing records. Failure to ensure these utilities are located correctly could result in serious safety issues as well as large project delays.

How are these surveys conducted?

While there are a variety of technologies and techniques that can be used to conduct these surveys, the most popular is 3D Laser Scanning. 3D laser scanning is an advanced surveying method that is used to create detailed and accurate maps of infill home construction sites. To use a 3D laser scanner for an infill home, a surveyor would typically set up the scanner in a suitable location and direct it towards the property. This scanner can capture data on a wide range of features, including the dimensions of the property, the location and size of any existing structures, the height of the surrounding buildings, and the location of any trees, utilities, or other features that may impact the construction process.

3D Laser scanning is a powerful tool for infill construction surveys, providing a level of accuracy, speed, and detail that is difficult to achieve through traditional surveying methods.

What else is needed?

There are also subset surveys that go into the development of infill homes.

A boundary survey is used to determine the exact boundaries of the property and to identify any encroachments or other issues that may need to be addressed. An environmental survey may be required to identify any potential environmental hazards on the site, such as contaminated soil or groundwater. A structural survey may be needed to evaluate the condition of any existing structures on the site.

A topographic survey measures the elevation and contours of the site and identifies any natural features, such as trees, streams, or rock formations, that may impact the construction process. And lastly, a geotechnical survey is used to evaluate the soil conditions to identify any issues, such as poor drainage or unstable soil, that may impact the construction process.

Edmonton is a growing city with a mix of new and old neighborhoods. As a result, there is a significant amount of existing utility infrastructure that needs to be accounted for during construction projects. Infill construction surveys are an essential part of the construction process in Edmonton. With the increasing popularity of infill homes, these surveys are becoming very important to ensure that development in Edmonton is safe and sustainable.

Arc Surveys

Need to conduct an infill construction survey or want to know more? Give us a call or send us an email. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have.

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