Residential Topographic Survey in Oakville

What was needed

The property needed a topographic survey: a measured record of what is on the ground today, so the architects, engineers and homeowners planning changes could work from real measurements of the existing grades, structures and features.

The surveying work we carried out

• Used a GNSS receiver out front, under open sky over the street, sidewalk, driveway and front yard
• Used a robotic total station in the backyard, between the fences and mature trees, where satellite signals struggle
• Tied the two together into one consistent dataset of the property’s existing grades, structures and features

Site conditions

Our site photos show a residential street lined with mature trees, a concrete sidewalk and a front lawn. Behind the house, the backyard is enclosed by tall wooden fences with lattice tops and cedar hedges, with mature trees and a lawn. These are the conditions where satellite positioning is weakest.

Methods and equipment

At the front, a GNSS receiver on a range pole with a support stand recorded points under open sky. In the backyard, a robotic total station on a tripod measured the areas under the trees and along the fences. The equipment was moved around the property on a cart.

Why GNSS and a total station were used together

GNSS is fast where the sky is open, such as streets, driveways and front yards. A robotic total station handles tight spaces under trees and along fences. Tying both to the same reference gives one dataset rather than two.

Deliverables

• One combined set of measurements of the property’s existing grades, structures and features for the design team

How a topographic survey is used

A topographic survey supports design and permit planning, for example for a pool, an addition or a new driveway. It records existing conditions.