If you’ve ever looked at a site grading plan and been confused by the jumble of lines, arrows, and numbers, you’re not alone. These drawings are densely packed with data on the location of your building, its surroundings, and the proposed work. A professional fine grading service Elkins Park PA will efficiently manage drainage, provide the proper depth for your building’s foundation, and take your desired landscaping elements into account.
A good site grading plan can prevent unnecessary delays throughout the approval process and will allow the earthworks contractor to provide an accurate quote. The elements listed below help professional fine grading service Glenside PA communicate their design specifications to city building officials and contractors working on your project.
Vicinity map and North arrow
This smaller picture, tucked in the corner of a site plan, depicts the site’s placement in the context of the neighborhood, while the North arrow indicates the site’s direction. This map will be used by planning and building agencies to determine the position of the site, and earthworks contractors may find it useful in arranging site access.
Survey marker location
A benchmark elevation marker is a recognized reference point that was used to survey the location. Surveyors often employ National Geodetic Survey markers – small brass discs that show the elevation above mean sea level of the location to which they’re permanently fastened. A proper site grading plan will include the position of the marker used to survey the site.
Lot size and coverage
A good site grading plan will indicate the overall lot area as well as the intended building area and any ancillary structures. The lot coverage % computation should also be included in the drawing:
Lot Coverage = building area / lot area x 100
Most jurisdictions have a lot of coverage limitations in their zoning laws, and this calculation helps planning officials to determine whether or not the proposed building complies with the development criteria.
Earthwork estimate – cut/fill
The engineer responsible for producing the grading plan should show their projected cut and fill quantities. These are displayed in cubic yards and serve as a reference for the earthworks contractor, who calculates the quantity of soil displaced during grading.
Sections
A section drawing in architecture and structural engineering displays the hidden regions of an element by giving a perspective of the element as if it had been divided along an imaginary plane. Sections are commonly used in grading plans to show proposed cuts, fills, driveways, and building pads. Together with the plan, these parts assist building officials and earthworks contractors in visualizing the extent of work.
Contour lines
A contour is an imaginary line that combines points on a site that are at the same height. Consider the border of a perfectly motionless lake; the line it follows around the lake is a contour line. Contour lines on-site grading plans are generally spaced at 1-foot vertical intervals, with hatching lines indicating current elevations and solid lines representing planned elevations.
Spot elevations – existing grade, finished grade
Spot elevations depict the intended and actual elevations of locations on the site plan. They’re typically used to depict higher or lower points than their surroundings, as well as critical construction points like the entrance and corners of a building, the top and bottom of retaining walls, and the elevations of various drainage features.
Drainage flow direction
An arrow pointing in the direction of outflow represents drainage flow. This important marker helps parking lot striping Fort Washington PA and earthwork contractors in understanding how the site’s grading plan includes drainage.
Property line
A property line is a legal border that separates the lot in question from the adjoining properties and/or public land. The property line helps city officials in determining lot size, setbacks, and lot coverage. Earthwork contractors will use this information to create a site access strategy.
Setbacks from each face of the building
Setbacks are the distances between the property line of a lot and the external wall of a building or its accessory buildings. Most jurisdictions have minimum front, rear, and side setbacks defined in their zoning codes, and your local planning authority will confirm that your building’s setbacks match these criteria before approving it.
