Category: SRCMI - page 2

Exactly what do land surveyors do?  I see land surveyors on the side of the road all of the time.  I know that they have to do more than just stand out there behind a transit waving their arms at invisible people.  There sole purpose can’t be to set up the orange cones and road blockades that make it so we have to merge into one land while traveling at seventy miles per hour.  I know the simple definition but understanding why what they do is important is not.

Land surveyors by definition are the men and women who plot boundaries to land; generate maps and documents with official depictions of property.  They also help manage the improvement of raw land.   Looking into the history of our nation you will see that land ownership is one of the core values people in America.  Not only is the ownership of the property important but also the idea of personal space.  This was particularly important in the development of farming.

Land surveying has become much more precise and calculated in modern times.  Tools are used such as computers, accurate gauges and tools, mapping techniques to collect and evaluate information when in the field.   When they have appraised the situation and evaluated the land they will use markers to mark off the appropriate boundaries.  These are not just opinions based on how they feel that day however are facts that take into account knowledge of the law, evidence that had been gathered, local, state and federal laws and prevailing practices to establish land markers.   Many people classify land surveying as an art form that involves science and data interpretation.

It is also important for land surveyors to decode what is meant by other people.  The phrases authors of deeds often use have to be deciphered and turned in to language that is not as confusing as the legal lingo that is often used in land descriptions.  Land surveyors are detectives who look at the clues laid out in front of them and the ones they have discovered and solve the mystery of land boundaries.

Despite all of the modern day advances in technology we still need land surveyors to use their expertise to map out boundary lines.  Whether you are purchasing a new piece of property and need to mark off the lot or installing a fence to your current home it is important to have the correct boundary lines.    You might be best friends with your neighbor but it is guaranteed if you put your fence on his land that friendship won’t ever be the same.  People value each morsel of land like they value each member of their family.

Engineering is a profession that applies science and mechanical information to tangible resources in order to create an object or device that meets specific criteria. There are several branches of engineering. Each devoted to an area specializing in science or technology or both. Each field is unique and needed to make up the world we know today.

Mechanical Engineers are professionals who design power-driven systems. Systems can be simple or complex. Cars are an example of something which runs because of the systems mechanical engineers devise.

Aerospace Engineers are professionals that devise a plan for aircrafts of all types. They also research and design items related to aircraft as well as spacecrafts.

Computer Engineers are professionals that are in charge of the addition of hardware and software to design systems. Simply put they are involved in the improvement and creation of hardware and software systems using guidelines set forth by engineering philosophies.

Electrical Engineers are professionals that are create electronic systems such as transformers.

Chemical Engineers take raw materials and make them into practical substances. They are professionals who operate chemical manufacturing facilities as well.

Civil Engineers are the professionals who help our day to day run smoother. They are the ones who are in charge of public and private construction. They are in charge of bridges, skyscrapers and subdivisions. There are multiple branches within civil design to be explored. Civil engineering is, in my opinion, one of the most important jobs within the engineering field.

Structural Civil Design Engineers are in charge of the design of structures that can support their own load along with the extremes of the climates they are in. For instance, structure built in Michigan need to withstand the change in climate and all four seasons. Roads must take the abuse of rain, ice, snow and the salt and sand used to remove it. They must take into account what new materials are available and changing conditions to make sure projects are done correctly and are secure for use.

Environmental Civil Design Engineers are responsible for the caring for the natural resources available to us. They are called upon for making sure the quality is up to par in regards to our resources. They are responsible for the creation of devices that make natural resources safe for us to use.

Geotechnical Civil Design Engineers are important because all projects with in civil engineering are supported by the earth, ground. Things such as foundations and tunnels are created by them. They research soil and rocks and determine by the actions of the land how to create safe structures.

Water Resource Civil Design Engineers are important to the control of water. They are the professionals responsible for controlling floods, rain water runoff, dams and canals along with the creation of facilities that are powered and power hydroelectric facilities.

Transportation Civil Design Engineers are professionals who determine our transportation systems. They basically control the way of life for many of us. Imagine life without ways to get products to society.

Construction Civil Design Engineers are the ones responsible for changing a paper design into a physical structure. They take the knowledge of planning and managing applies it to a project and voila we have a complete project.

Urban and Community Planning Engineers look at the entire community and coordinate the growth depending on what their analysis turns up. These professionals need both people and industrial skills to coordinate prosperous growth within a community.

All aspects of engineering are important to society as a whole. Looking into civil design more in-depth helps us to appreciate why our society ebbs and flows as it does. Engineers create a better today so that we, as a whole, can enjoy a more advantageous tomorrow.

Civil engineering is not a new concept. Think about it, people even from the stone ages were civil engineers. They may not have the fancy title but what they accomplished was in fact what we employ civil engineers to do for us today. Road ways were established, bridges (in rough form) were created and society kept improving throughout time. This is the work of early civil engineers. Today we look at it a bit differently than we did back then. Today we have technology and safety regulations that make the projects a bit safer and shorter.

We break civil engineering down into different areas because projects can range from small suburban housing development, huge skyscrapers to bridges and tunnels. Picking a civil engineering professional to work on your project requires some research on your part. It is important to find a civil engineer that works on the area of construction you need them to. This may be new construction, a renovation on a previous project or a structural designer.

You will want to first find someone who is experienced in the field of civil engineering your project revolves around. Quality work is often something that comes with doing work. That is not to say new civil engineering firms should not be given a chance it is to say that it is up to you to check out previous work done by the firm and individual engineer. Experience is often the key in many professions and engineering is no different. With experience comes the know how to solve the minor problems that arise and to prevent the major ones from ever arising. Make sure whomever you hire is experienced in the kind of development you are partaking in.

It is also important being that most project our on a time schedule that the engineering firm you hire has a reputation of completing assignments on time. Look at previous work and find out if there were delays. If so find out why. Delays because of materials being backordered and unavailable are one thing but any other reason is frankly not acceptable. Also make sure the material delay is not because of little for thought on the end of the civil engineer in charge of the project.

It is important that business is only done by a licensed civil engineering. It is most advantageous to hire a civil engineering firm that specializes in all aspects of engineering be it new construction, a renovation on a previous project or a structural designer. Many firms will have these professionals all under one roof working together to complete your project in an efficient and timely manner.

What is land development? Have you ever considered how the forest next to your favorite city park turned into homes and businesses? That is what happens during the process of land development. An investor seeks out a piece of land to purchase; they establish the land for a foreseen project such as a mall or subdivision and develop the property to be suitable. Then the hunt for buyers begins. The process of land development is risky however that risk is rewarded heavily when a purchaser is found.

The process of land development is often complex and time consuming. Often individuals seeking out to develop a piece of property will hire a company that specializes in land development to move the project along at a steady pace.

The first step involves in the land development process is hiring a respected civil engineer. The area will need to have a survey completed and be staked out for development. Boundaries will be set in place and a map will be laid out to show how everything, including existing structures are on the property. Zoning laws and city planning officials will be brought in and reviewed to ensure everyone is on the same page with the project.

The next phase includes city approval. In order to approve your project soil tests and tentative land plans need to be submitted. Any changes required will need to be done and then resubmitted for final approval. It is important to look into and special regulations your area may specify for land development. This might include issues with watershed, sewage and local utilities. Remember all areas have their own specifications that need to be abided by. Don’t assume anything. Assumptions lead to costly mistakes.

After all plans have been given final approval by all parties involved the substantial changes can begin. Most projects start with installing drainage, roads, gas and electric. It is important to have someone available to check in on the progress of the project so that any glitches can be caught immediately. As land starts to be shifted around, trees removed, concrete laid the tangible aspect of the land development project is in full bloom.

This is the point in which many land developers start to seek out potential investors. This could be parties interested in becoming land lords for a business development or contractors interested in building a subdivision. It is possible that several bids for the property will be taken into consideration before one is decided upon.

Land development has many steps, involving many different professional services. You can see why it can be potentially risky on more than one level. One hiccup in the process can lose a land developer thousands of dollars. Those are the same risks that make the reward level as high as it is.

People often wonder how businesses go through the process of being bought out. It is such a long and tedious process for the business owner. More goes into a business take over then what employees even know about. The business owner will have to work with the seller through many of the processes of the sale in order to complete the takeover. One such task that takes time is due diligence. This is the process of taking a detailed look into the business you are looking to purchase.
There are a number of things required in putting together a due diligence report on a company. You must review the fiscal performance, inventory and property, staff, operations, clientele, marketing, vendors and competitors. The aspects of the company need to be thoroughly reviewed to decide if this company if going to be a fit for you to purchase. The due diligence process is one that can take several weeks and should not be rushed. If the seller is over eager and rushing this process it is a sign to be weary.
Every business type is different and will therefore need to be looked at differently. The uniqueness will determine the type of due diligence that you have to complete. For instance, if you are buying a retail business verse a company that offers services or perhaps an all cash business verse a large manufacturing company. They all require a different process to ensure that each unique aspect of the company has been thoroughly reviewed.
In reviewing the fiscal performance of a company you will want to review past and current financial records. It is important to see what bills are coming in to determine what money is going out on a regular basis. It is also important to get a record of all incoming funds. It is necessary to determine areas that are running fiscally sound and those in need of improvement. You also need to have a very good idea of all account receivable. If you see that a firm is lax in their collections you will want to know this in order to develop a plan of attack when you take over. It is necessary to review anywhere from 1-3 years with the information to get a current look at the financial systems of the company.
Due diligencealso looks into the company’s current and historical inventory and assets. An example of this would be a restaurant. Ovens, refrigerators, tables and linens are all part of the assets owned by the company. Take into consideration also all of the food products and staples that the firm has. These are all things that due diligence takes into consideration.
You will want to discuss the staffing also. You need to determine which personal is full time, part time, what benefits are offered and employee plans. It is a discreet process that should be handled very carefully. Many times employers do not want employees to get wise of the company be sold. My husband’s company has been discreetly purchased over three times. Literally he was not aware until the purchase was complete and the deal was done.
Due diligence also looks into the operations of a firm. If you are a gas station you need to buy gas. A liquor store buys liquor. These are the things that go into the operations of a company. Some company’s use sophisticated systems in the daily operations of a company while others are operated in a more informal manner. You need to determine what you are getting into and due diligence when you determine the way a company operates. It is also important to determine what vendors are currently being used and what costs are associated with them.
Clientele and marketing are important in learning about before taking over a firm. You may have a preconceived notion of what type of clients and marketing are used when in reality something totally different exists in this climate. Due diligence determines who the clientele are and what type of marketing programs work for them.
Due diligence also takes a detailed look at the competition within industries. You will need to determine if competing in a highly competitive industry is what you are up for when taking over a firm. It is important that you recognize who your main competitors are to determine if they are really a threat and you are a little fish in a big sea or if the opposite is true.
Once you complete a thorough review of a company you are interested in sit down and analyze the due diligence report. The money spent on this process is equivalent of a home inspection before final purchase. At the due diligence point it is a contingent offer after the final review is when you decide to continue on with the sale, to ditch the sales, or whether you need to lower your offer based on the information found.

Do you enjoy math, science and being outdoors? If these are three things you enjoy then you may want to look into a career in surveying, particularly land surveying. Surveyors are a major player in the development of construction sites. They help make available topographic site surveys, they stake out projects and once a project is complete they help to make certain that the boundaries were followed.
You can break a surveyors job into four sections they include field work, calculating, mapping and placement. I know that many people look at surveying as only field work. This misinformation most likely comes from the fact that we often see surveyors on the side of the road looking through a tripod instrument. Surveyors are brought in for many projects for many reasons. Let’s talk about each section of work a surveying job can be broken down into.
1) Field Work – We all know that this involves being outside taking actual measurements. Field work often involves very active, laborious work. Surveying requires long periods of time on your feet, climbing obstacles with heavy equipment. Weather conditions are often a challenge in the field. Surveyors work in hot, cold, windy and rainy weather.
2) Calculating – In order to calculate different objectives involved in surveying these professionals must use their detective skills. Surveyors look at data from history, the present and make educated predictions about the future to help in making calculations. In calculating it is also important that they decide the best use of technology to complete the field work from their calculations and data from land deeds and preceding surveys.
3) Plotting and Mapping – Surveying is an art that collects and plots out data on a map for lawyers, builders and architects. It is important that analysis is given to each and every detail to make sure it is accurate before a map is created. Any are of inconsistency is just not tolerated. Surveyors must have exact data for each project.
4) Setting – The last part of a surveyor’s job is to set out markers that map out the boundaries of the land and structures that will be placed on it. This is an especially important part of the job because several issues come up with land boundaries and as a surveyor you need to be absolute without doubt to prove that the boundaries you have set are in fact the legal boundaries of the property.
Issues have come about because of inaccurate boundary lines. Land surveying needs to be done in such a precise manner that problems do not arise later disputing land boundaries.

Hiring for any position within your company or for any project your company is working on is never easy. Consultants are individuals who give professional advice in a specific area that they are an expert in. Consultants have a vast amount of knowledge on a subject matter and usually work for a consulting firm or are self employed. As a consultant you will work with a vast clientele that will be ever changing. Consultants work best for a majority of businesses because they can retain an expert in many fields without having to actually employ them on a full time basis. Consultants are specialists in their given field and of course this is what companies want to have at their beck and call.
Of course the success of a project comes from the skill level of the people you hire. Consultants are hired for many projects within a vast number of trades. In this article we will focus on Engineering Consultants. Engineering assignments are large in nature and scale so hiring consultants takes a wide range of planning and research. There are over twenty different areas of expertise within the field of engineering. The first task for any individual hiring an engineering consultant is to narrow down exactly what types of engineers are needed for your project to be completed in the most timely, professional, correct manner as possible.
The field of engineering that you decide your project falls within is the field where your research to find the best consultant will begin. Of course if you are building a bridge you aren’t really looking for a chemical engineer you will want to find a consultant in the field of Civil Engineering.
Engineering Consultants are employed to work with a firm to help them devise a plan to convey their production requirements. Civil Engineers are responsible for matters ranging from where the water waste is distributed from to designing a railway system. Engineering Consultants are hired as an expert. No matter what field of engineering, be it Civil, Electric, Chemical or Biological, they belong to the skill set that they offer will be wide. They will be able to offer analysis, design and execution from their skill set to your project.
Hire a good engineering consultantand you will find that they will adapt to the requirements of the job and save you time, money and prevent delay. Clients of engineering consultants should have obviously defined their wants and needs for a particular job up front alleviating any misunderstandings that often arise during projects with several professionals at work.
It is important when hiring any consultant, but especially engineering consultants that you come in understanding one another and the task at hand. When hiring a consultant be precise about your needs and project requirements. This will help the project run smoothly. When business professionals work together and stay on the same page in terms of any project the results are grand.

Hiring for any position within your company or for any project your company is working on is never easy. Consultants are individuals who give professional advice in a specific area that they are an expert in. Consultants have a vast amount of knowledge on a subject matter and usually work for a consulting firm or are self employed. As a consultant you will work with a vast clientele that will be ever changing. Consultants work best for a majority of businesses because they can retain an expert in many fields without having to actually employ them on a full time basis. Consultants are specialists in their given field and of course this is what companies want to have at their beck and call.
Of course the success of a project comes from the skill level of the people you hire. Consultants are hired for many projects within a vast number of trades. In this article we will focus on Engineering Consultants. Engineering assignments are large in nature and scale so hiring consultants takes a wide range of planning and research. There are over twenty different areas of expertise within the field of engineering. The first task for any individual hiring an engineering consultant is to narrow down exactly what types of engineers are needed for your project to be completed in the most timely, professional, correct manner as possible.
The field of engineering that you decide your project falls within is the field where your research to find the best consultant will begin. Of course if you are building a bridge you aren’t really looking for a chemical engineer you will want to find a consultant in the field of Civil Engineering.
Engineering Consultants are employed to work with a firm to help them devise a plan to convey their production requirements. Civil Engineers are responsible for matters ranging from where the water waste is distributed from to designing a railway system. Engineering Consultants are hired as an expert. No matter what field of engineering, be it Civil, Electric, Chemical or Biological, they belong to the skill set that they offer will be wide. They will be able to offer analysis, design and execution from their skill set to your project.
Hire a good engineering consultant and you will find that they will adapt to the requirements of the job and save you time, money and prevent delay. Clients of engineering consultants should have obviously defined their wants and needs for a particular job up front alleviating any misunderstandings that often arise during projects with several professionals at work.
It is important when hiring any consultant, but especially engineering consultants that you come in understanding one another and the task at hand. When hiring a consultant be precise about your needs and project requirements. This will help the project run smoothly. When business professionals work together and stay on the same page in terms of any project the results are grand.

When you are asked to describe, in words, an engineer what are the first adjectives words that come into mind. I always think about someone who is meticulous, almost anal in details, or someone who is very decisive. I think of a person whom looks at the past, present and future before creating a concrete plan. Wikipedia defines engineering as a profession which accounts for all variables, scientific, mathematic, economic, social and practical knowledge to create live as we know it.

Have you ever looked around and really thought about the world around us? Who creates the roads we drive on? Who is responsible for designing buildings that withstand the natural environment of the areas we live in? There are many types of engineers that look into different facets of life but Civil Engineers are the professionals responsible for our daily lives functioning smoothly and safely.

Civil Engineers are professionals that are taught pure and applied science to create a plan for the construction of buildings, roads, structures to ease movement on Earth by boat, car or train. The people responsible for making buildings that with stand Mother Nature are Civil Engineers. They apply science to determine what will work in creating a safe, convenient, reliable environment for civilization to continue its growth.

Civil Engineers look at past results, current happenings and make predictions about the future Earth’s environment and the effects it will have when creating structures, roadways, damns, tunnels, highways, medical facilities and sub divisions. You name it Civil Engineers have had a hand in the planning, design, implementation and creation of the civil society we live in. Life is simpler with the knowledge that Civil Engineers bring to our society.

As land is used and weather patterns change Civil Engineers rethink how they construct buildings to improve their stability. It is also important for them to take into account how the land is changing and space is becoming less available. They must take into consideration the layout of existing structures when developing areas around them.

It is also pertinent, along with building new structures, that Civil Engineering experts look at existing structures and repair damage that has occurred. It is also important for them to take into account recent world events like tsunamis and earthquakes to improve the structures that will replace the ones that have been destroyed. Civil Engineers will work with a scientific approach to determine how to build appropriately for the new environment that exists.

Civil Engineers are hard working individuals who must obtain a high skill set to constantly improve the society that we enjoy. Can you imagine the barren wasteland that would exist around us if it weren’t for those individuals who literally paved the way?

Have you ever considered what it takes for raw land to turn into the massive land developments we see all around us? Very few things in the world take as much consideration as how to create a land development. It takes land developers many months to look into past, present and future information to ensure that they have created a sound plan for the environment to develop the land for the purposes the developer needs it to accommodate.

Research is done for land development because each separate project has its own issues and special circumstances that make it unique. Surveyors and Civil Engineers work closely together to look into every possible potential issue to make sure they have a plan for anything that can happen with a land development project. Things such as drainage, ground stability and the other structures surrounding the project are all some of the things that need to be taken into consideration before the shovel breaks ground.

There are steps that land developers must take on their journey into developing a piece of raw land. First, they must spend an ornate amount of time looking into all of the factors that affect a project. They track economic trends to see if investing time and money in to a land development project is profitable. They also look into things like population growth and job growth to determine the growth of an area. This step usually involves many different professionals. Government officials, business members, real estate professionals and builders will meet with a land developer to create a due diligence report. This eliminates all the guess work involved and puts the facts in place to determine the worthiness of a proposed project.

Once developers have found land, determined that an area’s growth rate is worthy of the proposed project developers will go about negotiating for the acquisition of the raw land. There are two common ways most developers go about this process they are; purchasing the land upfront with cash or negotiating an option to purchase the land by a set date and price by putting a large deposit down. The second option is considered more favorable because it leaves developers funds available for the project at hand. It is unwise to tie up working capital when working on land development projects.

Next land developers draw up architectural plans for approval by local government officials. Whether land is being developed for a sub division, a professional complex, an industrial park or a shopping plaza plans need to be approved by officials and if funding is be acquired by outside investors should also be involved in approving the proposed draft. This step all involves accessing permits by all stages of government that are needed for the developer’s project to continue smoothly.

Lastly the land will be converted from raw, natural land into what land that has been processed into a state that makes it useful and valuable to the land developer and all participants involved in the process. Builders come in purchase the land and begin turning it into a piece of property that fulfills the need of the surrounding community.

Land development takes a piece of Earth that most people look at as a vacant wasteland without purpose and turns the natural, raw, land into a plot of riches. Developers take on the huge risks involved in land development because of the large reward financially in the end.