Accurate Mapping

Avoid Expensive Errors

What if your builder called to inform you that he cannot maintain setbacks from your septic system to the
residence without moving the residence from your ideal location or, worse yet, having to reduce the size of
the residence. Or vice versa, learning once residential construction has started that there is now
inadequate room for the septic system to fit as approved.

Imagine finding out after residential and septic construction is completed that proper setbacks were not
maintained from various physical features such as wells and wetlands. This could easily cause weeks or
months delay in the construction process.

What if you received a letter from the County informing you that the septic system does not meet minimum
required setbacks to a specific "critical area" feature such as a wetland, stream, or bluff. What if this news
came during a buyers review of the property for sale. It could cost thousands of dollars to mitigate the
setback problem by either adding pretreatment to the existing system ($5000 to $10,000) or even having
to replace the system in its entirety (not to mention the costs associated with the potential loss of sale).

These kinds of errors can hold up construction and the sale of properties. There is not only the cost of
resolving the errors through re-design, there is the additional costs of having contruction crews and
equipment being on hold or having to pull off the job entirely.

Training

With college level survey training along with experience working at Clark Associates and NTI Engineering
& Surveying, it was a logical and easy extension of our services to purchase a Robotic Total Station for site
mapping. This equipment allows for accurate site mapping with the capability to perform topographic
mapping for septic system design.

Accuracy

The level of accuracy provided by using actual survey equipment equates to a high degree of confidence
that all septic system components will fit in relation to the proposed residence, driveway, wells, water lines,
etc. along with meeting the setback requirements to streams, marine waters, wetlands, steep slopes /
bluffs. We can also accurately determine heights of bluffs for appropriate setbacks. This accuracy goes
hand in hand with our custom septic system design software for creating the most cost effective
combination of septic system components.

Accurate mapping equates to accurate plans. Accurate plans allows for easy layout of the system by the
installer. On especially tough sites, the system can be field staked using the Robotic Total Station. See the
following examples:

Example 1, Client wishing to save as many trees as possible. In particular, note Sheet 3 topographic detail
allowing drainfield lines to be designed to curve and "follow" the contour lines. All tree locations and
diameters in the area were accurately mapped in order to place the drainfield in such a manner as to save
as many trees as possible. Note detailed dimensions on Sheet 4, Staking Sheet, for installer to layout
drainfield exactly as planned.

-- Sheet 1 -- Sheet 2 -- Sheet 3 -- Sheet 4

Example 2, Client desired as much building area as possible. Several designers looked at this property
with no success in attaining a septic system permit over the previous ten years (or, their design left no
room for a residence). Our office performed soil analysis, had the County to the site for a soil "tech review"
to make sure we were in concurrence, detail mapped the site, prepared a septic system design, then
designed a curtain drain on the upslope side. At this point we negociated with the neighbor to the South
that we would provide a free system evalution and record drawing map if we would be allowed to
determine the exact location of his system. This was necessary due to required setbacks to our clients
proposed curtain drain. We also negotiated with the neighbor to the south to allow removal of a row of
trees along the property line if we installed a six foot tall fence along this area. The curtain drain was
installed, then the water tables were evaluated through the winter to determine the effectiveness of the
curtain drain. After successful water table results were attained, we prepared a final septic system design
with waiver requests for placing the system on fill material and for an adjoining reserve absorption instead
of a completely separate septic system area. This process attained an approved septic system permit
which allowed a 2,113 square foot available building area. Again note the detailed dimensions on Sheet 3
for laying out the system (actually, due to the very tight constraints on this site, we used out Robotic Total
Station to field stake the system location to within 1/2" of design).

-- Sheet 1 -- Sheet 2 -- Sheet 3