By now, everyone will have seen the devastating footage of forest fires ripping across Fort McMurray. The good news is that, so far, no life-threatening injuries or fatalities have been reported. Considering that pretty much everyone in Canada has colleagues, friends, and loved ones working in the area that kind of feels like a miracle.

Our hearts and thoughts are with those fleeing the city, and with Albertans and Canadians watching and waiting across the country.

Keep Updated

The CBC has a live blog and a list of resources for evacuees.

Whether or not you have a Twitter account, you can follow the hashtags #ymmfire and #ymmhelps for updated information.

How To Help

60,000 people have been evacuated from Fort Mac, and fuel shortages mean many are still stuck on the freeway or camping on the outskirts of the city.

Please donate if you can – text REDCROSS to 30333 to give $5 to Red Cross Alberta or donate online.

You can offer help (places to stay, pet care, etc.) through the Fort McMurray Evacuee Open Source Helppage, the Ft. McMurray Disaster Relief Page, or on Twitter.

Confirm You Are Safe

The members of our team in the Fort McMurray office have thankfully been confirmed safe (and some of them are staying at LN founder Lance Norman’s home).

Evacuated residents are asked to please email wildfire@rmwb.ca with your name, location and confirmation of safety.

The city of Edmonton has opened a reception centre for evacuees who need accommodation, and Facebook/Twitter are filling up with offers as more and more Canadians step up to help.

LN’s Fort McMurray crew eating breakfast at Lance’s house after their evacuation.

You are gearing up for renovation season and you are pretty sure you know everything there is to know about your property. After all, you looked over that old survey in the paperwork when you bought the land. But do you really have all the facts?

You might – and in all honesty, that puts you a long way ahead of many homeowners. However, if you have any doubts, seeking the expertise of a professional surveyor will help you identify and solve common property issues before they become obstacles to that dream deck or kitchen extension.

Who Needs A Development Permit?

According to the City of Edmonton, anyone who wants to carry out construction, renovations, or changes to how a property is being used.

If you are building a new home, you will also need a building permit to prove that your structure complies with Alberta’s building code. If you are planning on extensive changes to your property, check out this step-by-step guide to the subdivision process.

When applying for a development permit, working with a surveyor or commissioning a real property report will make the whole process a lot smoother, and decrease the chances that your application will be rejected.

What To Consider Before Making Your Application

1. Property Lines

First things first – a survey is going to show you where the property lines really are, and possibly correct some bad assumptions.

It may seem obvious that a drain or utility line should be a boundary line, but years and years of development and old surveys can make the obvious obscure.

Knowing your property lines is essential for homeowners. After all, you don’t want to renovate or improve on any land that doesn’t actually belong to you!

2. Access and Right-of-Way

All physical access to public streets should be noted and, more importantly, any limitations to that access.

If, due to a low overhang, certain types of transportation could not reach the property, that would be noted. Think of those wonderful narrow streets in old European towns and then think of trying to maneuver a giant American SUV through them – it just wouldn’t work.

Your property may also have easements (also called rights-of-way) that limit your development options. For example, you may have an easement on the property for gas lines (meaning you can’t dig in a certain area) or a very old ruling granting permission to other individuals certain uses of the property.

The most critical piece of a survey may very well be in this research, since even if a right-of-way agreement was signed before you took ownership of the property you will still have to honor it and that could impede your intended development.

3. Obstacles Underground

It may be straightforward to locate obstacles above the ground, but in areas that have been developed for centuries, who knows what could be invisible underground? Surveyors can use historic data as well as sophisticated new technology to help you understand what lies beneath.

Of course, knowing the exact location of underground cables, pipes, or channels is critical before any excavation or construction begins. This ties in with the idea of easements, as utility companies may need access to your land. If surface water is noted, it may also be wise to have a clear understanding of the presence of underground water and how that could impact any development plans for the future.

You might even discover something rare like an old cemetery or burial ground – which could be very cool or very frustrating depending on how it affects your construction plans.

4. Environmental Concerns

Wetland alteration or other impacts on the environment must be carefully documented and obey local and regional bylaws.

Surveyors are experts when it comes to environmental site assessments and should be able to do a preliminary residential survey quite easily.

5. Zoning

Long before you get excited about a property for potential development, you need to know its zoning and restrictions.

The Zoning Bylaw provides guidelines for Edmonton’s zones, and you can find your property’s zoning designation using the City’s website.

It is worth noting that zoning regulations can differ dramatically across borders. A light industrial zone may give way to agriculture literally at a property line, and while the residents of one small town may be able to keep chickens in their backyard this might be restricted just blocks away.

6. Pre-Existing Issues

A land surveyor will also note any violations to existing codes.

Properties that have been unoccupied, or in which the previous ownership had not changed in many years, might be in violation of current codes. The new owner (i.e. you) would be responsible for correcting any issues before further development could take place.

In Summary

The permitting process can be lengthy and frustrating. Save yourself time and headaches down the road by working with a surveyor from the beginning to make sure your development proposal is in line with all requirements.

Economic conditions in the Albertan oil fields aren’t great at the moment, making the work done by land surveyors even more important.

It’s obvious that if you don’t put a well in the right spot, you won’t get any oil. But not many people realize just how essential surveying and plotting infrastructure is for oil extraction.

There are four key ways that surveyors help make sure the patch stays profitable.

1. Data for Environmental Assessments

Given the importance of environmental regulations, Alberta’s land surveying companies are the “tip of the sword” when it comes to our oil industry.

All of the data collected by a surveying company is included in the approval process of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) and becomes part of a final wellsite survey plan.

This information allows the AER to understand and rule on the viability of the drilling process and any impact a well might have on the environment.

Considering that the AER rules on over 10,000 sites per year, land surveyors have a huge influence on this part of the industry.

2. Drones and Other Advanced Technologies

The implementation of new technology has allowed surveys to be completed faster and more cost-effectively.

Entire software suites are now dedicated to modeling environmental impacts, surveyors are able to use sophisticated technology including 3D laser scanning, and drones are taking to the skies.

As the technology has progressed, the amount of time it takes to survey even a large area has been dramatically reduced. In decades past, a truly thorough survey may have taken up to a month, but today, due to drone data and computers, that same survey could be done in less than a week.

Of course, this fantastic new tech doesn’t replace good old-fashioned human excellence. The engineers and surveyors who handle these processes very rarely make errors in relation to the wellsite survey plan. It comes down to experience, and these men and women have amassed an amazing skillset over their years in the field.

3. Future Proofing

Not only are surveys important for operational wells, but they provide a “savings account” of future profits that will pay out when the energy sector rebounds.

Although it may not be profitable to extract oil from a well this year, detailed surveys allow companies to plan for infrastructure costs and figure out exactly when a well will turn a profit.

If Company X knows that a given well will yield a certain number of barrels of crude, they can then extrapolate the costs of access, egress, equipment and permitting to know that oil prices on the open market need to be at, for example, $21 a barrel for the well to be profitable. Even if they don’t drill and begin to extract oil right now, they will be ready to go as soon as the price is right.

The surveying technology of today allows a precise understanding of the costs and benefits of doing business in the oil patch before the first piece of heavy equipment is even set up. It is turning potential oil-bearing properties into known investments that can be looked at as a savings account for the industry.

4. Home Grown Talent

Finally, Canadian surveyors are in high demand for their skills and Alberta has invested in an industry that brings money into the province from contract work across the country and beyond.

The Albertan Land Surveyors’ Association puts it best: “The oil industry cannot exist without land surveyors… If you put a well in the wrong place, no oilfield technology or amount of drilling will correct that.”

If you are thinking of a career in land surveying this is a great time to get on board. Our experience continues to drive business not only in the oil patch but also all over the world, even as we work through the current downturn in the energy sector.

This post tackles a pretty hard-hitting topic: that of workplace safety. Why focus on such a serious issue? Because if we work together we can help keep Canadians safe and healthy, and that’s something to be proud of.

Disregard for safety is one the four warning signs of a bad surveying company – and it is the only one that could be a matter of life or death. Today, three Canadians will die from a work-related injury, and one of these fatalities will most likely come from the construction industries.

Read on to find out how you can help keep employees free from harm by choosing a land surveying company that puts safety first.

Safety by the Numbers

Unfortunately, all companies are not created equal when it comes to safety.

In 2012 (the most recent available statistics), 977 workers were killed in their line of work and 22% of these deaths occurred in the construction industries. In the same year, over 27,000 work-related injuries were reported. – The Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada

The good news is that the Government of Canada and many companies across the country take this issue very seriously. Workplace injuries have decreased dramatically over the past decade, but there is still a long way to go.

You can make a difference by choosing to work with surveyors who employ the highest standards of health and safety. What does that look like? Find out below!

Best Practice

Safety isn’t just about offering the right personal protective equipment in the field. It is an attitude and a commitment that should permeate an organization from the very highest levels of management to the most junior contractors.

As outlined in the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) safety booklet, an employer is responsible for the following:

• Providing information on health and safety

• Regular training

• Carrying out risk assessments

• Maintaining insurance

• Providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Controlling working hours

• Having emergency procedures

At LN, we are proud to say that safety is our top priority. If you would like to ask us any questions about workplace safety, get in touch. We always have time to discuss this important issue.

It’s Easy To Do Your Part

Tight budgets and strict timelines are a normal part of life in the construction and energy sectors. The great news is that checking up on a company’s safety record isn’t difficult or time consuming.

• Overall, look for evidence of the requirements described above.

• A quick glance at a company’s website should tell you whether the organization emphasize safety. Do they proudly display their record?

• In Alberta, land surveyors should hold a Certificate of Recognition (COR) from the Construction Safety Association as proof of their commitment.

• You can check that a company follows through in the field by searching the new Alberta Occupational Health Database. This official record shows lost-time claims, disabling injury rates, and numbers of fatalities.

• Personal experience can be a good barometer for safety. Talk to a company’s past clients and ask for references that include health and safety.

Don’t be afraid to speak up if you feel any aspect of a job is unsafe. Not only is safety good for business, but you just might save a life.

Ready to Talk Safety?

Thank you for joining us in keeping Canadians safe, happy, and healthy at work.

LN has worked on thousands of projects in the energy, industrial, commercial, and residential sectors with zero fatalities and zero need for medical aid.

To find out more you can request a quote, get in touch by email, or call us at 780.488.9064.

If you are from Alberta, you probably remember the devastating floods of 2012 and 2013.

The purpose of lot grading is to protect your home and your neighbours’ homes from the flooding that can be caused by snow, storms, or run-off.

Not sure whether your home has passed a lot grading inspection? Read on to find out whether you need to obtain a final grading certificate.

What is Lot Grading?

Lot grading is an important part of home construction and refers to the creation of slopes and other features to ensure proper drainage away from a property.

“There are two stages of Lot Grading Approval. Generally, the homebuilder assumes responsibility for Rough Grade (under the terms of the sales contract) and the homeowner completes the Final Grade approval.” – City of Edmonton

It is the homeowner’s responsibility to maintain the grading around his or her property. These City of Edmonton videos show cost-effective ways to keep your property safe from flooding.

Lot Grading Certificates

The City of Edmonton requires lot grading certificates in order to complete their inspections and approve the final grading of homes.

These legal documents are created by registered land surveyors, and are provided as proof that there is no risk of drainage issues.

If you are ready to get started, LN offers grading certificates as part of our homeowner surveying packages. We are happy to offer advice so feel free to get in touch for a chat!

You can also check out this helpful and comprehensive guide to the approval process.

Rough vs Final Grading Certificates

In Edmonton, the Builder is responsible for obtaining a Rough Grading Certificate proving that a new home has been built in compliance with municipal bylaws.

After the Rough Grading Certificate has been granted, it is the responsibility of the homeowner to obtain a Final Grading Certificate within one year in order to prove that further landscaping has not interfered with the original grading.

It is possible to skip the Rough Grade Approval Process so long as the builder or property owner is satisfied that downspouts and other drainage systems are in place and working well.

So, Do You Need a Final Grading Certificate?

If any of the following three scenarios apply, then the answer is yes!

– You are the proud owner of brand new single family home (detached or semi-detached/duplex).

– You are redeveloping your property and want to regrade the lot.

– You are re-landscaping your property and plan to make major changes.

Remember: that amazing water feature or elevated flower bed may affect the slope of your lot and therefore your flooding risk. If you want to landscape your property, make sure you aren’t disturbing the original grade or seek approval in advance of any significant alterations.

Lot Grading Inspection

Once a homeowner has obtained the Final Grading Certificate from their land surveyor, they submit it to the City of Edmonton who will inspect the lot within 5 days.

If any changes need to be made these will be the responsibility of the homeowner, so you may want to hold off laying down sod or adding expensive final touches until approval is granted.

Ready to Get Started?

LN has helped hundreds of Albertan homeowners with residential surveys, final grade certificates, and lot grade design and management.

To find out how we can help you, request a quote, or call us at 780.488.9064.

Before making any additions or changes to your home, it is important to make sure that the property you are improving actually belongs to you.

Beware of Assumptions

A fence or a hedge might currently separate you from your neighbours, but unfortunately these visual divisions often don’t line up with the legal boundaries of your property.

Invisible obstacles, like underground cables or drains, could also interfere with your plans for that extension or new sun room.

Finally, you might not be aware of easements or rights-of-way that give utility companies or other individuals the ability to access your land.

Avoid Worst Case Scenarios

Whether you accidentally encroach on your neighbour’s yard or realize too late that your land extends beyond your new fence, having to redo a building project will cost you time, money and likely cause some unnecessary headaches.

This is why it is worth investing in a professional survey before you get started on your home improvements. It’s also the best way to protect your investments for the future as it will be much more straightforward to sell your home if the property lines are clear and respected.

How to Find Your Property Lines

By far the easiest and most accurate way to determine boundary locations is to hire a professional land surveyor. This also protects your investment as any future disputes will be the responsibility of the company.

Depending on the kind of work you wish carry out on your property, there are a number of survey options available for residential homeowners.

Boundary surveys are typically used during the subdivision process, and pinpoint features such as underground pipes. A real property report (RPR) is a legal document that outlines property boundaries and is particularly useful for homeowners who want to check that proposed improvements comply with municipal requirements.

It is possible to find property lines on your own, and if you are interested in going down this route check out the Alberta Land Surveyor Association’s tips for locating property boundaries. You can also use historic land survey records, although there is an element of risk in using old surveys.

Reduce the Cost of your Land Survey

By doing your research in advance, you may be able to save your surveyor time, which can in turn save you money.

• Check your records. When you purchased your home, did you receive a survey or a real property report?
• Do you know the location of any of your boundary markers? These 1m long metal pins mark the corners of your property. Make sure any known property lines are clear and unobstructed so the surveyors can access them as easily as possible.
• Ask your neighbours if they have a survey for their home that also shows some of your property lines.

Getting Started

Ready to take the first step in home improvement?

LN has worked with homeowners in Alberta on thousands of successful property reports, and offers custom surveying solutions at great rates.

Request a quote, get in touch by email (INFO@LNLDT.CA), or call us at 780.488.9064 to discuss your options.

If you work in the oil and gas industry of Alberta, you know that hiring good quality contractors can be a challenge. Get the best results for your land surveying job by asking companies these three easy questions before you get started.

1. Ask for a site presentation

Not only will a written presentation give you an insight into the professionalism and communication skills of the company, you can use it as a tool when reporting back to your team.
A good presentation will be customised and written in the most appropriate language for your needs, whether that means stripping away the jargon or covering every last detail. Site presentations are also a good investment because they can be recycled for other purposes, like drop-in sessions for local communities or meetings with your own clients.

2. Ask for references

Land surveying companies work with everyone from homeowners to huge industrial construction companies and they offer a number of services, not all of which will be relevant to your project.

You will need to ask what experience the surveyor has with clients who are similar to you.

The company should be able to demonstrate a positive track record by providing you with case studies from your sector. Here are some good examples.

Still feeling unsure? Call up one of the company’s clients and ask about their experience. If the surveyor is now one of their trusted contractors, that’s a great sign.

3. Ask who your Project Manager (PM) will be

A key component of quality assurance is clear, direct communication. The best way for companies to achieve this is by assigning clients a designated PM.

If you know your primary point of contact right from the beginning, the rest of the project will be much smoother.

Land surveys are often just one step in much larger-scale projects, meaning they are subject to strict timelines and budgets so they don’t hold up the rest of the work.

Good surveying companies understand this, and will have a step-by-step quality assurance system in place that allows you to see how your project is progressing against agreed targets. This will allow any problems to be dealt with well in advance of deadlines.

As discussed in a previous post on how to avoid hiring a bad surveying company, having clear quality assurance methods and a dedicated PM is absolutely vital to a successful project.

Need more advice?

Choosing the right land surveying company will make a huge difference to your project.

For more tips on how to start off on the right foot, check out this post on avoiding hidden costs from Lance Norman, President of LN.

If you would like some more information or just a friendly chat, get in touch by email (info@lnldt.ca), call us at 780.488.9064 or request a quote.

It’s no secret that some companies will try to saddle clients with spurious hidden fees. Lance Norman, President of Alberta-based land surveying company LN Land Development Technologies Inc., believes that this practice needs to stop. Below, he explains how you can avoid getting hit with these extra costs by holding these companies to the highest standards.

What is the core issue here?

There are many companies that suffer from a lack of transparency when it comes to fee breakdown. This is particularly relevant in the industrial and commercial sectors, as larger, more complicated projects can mean more hidden fees. This can add hundreds of dollars to the final bill, and clients often won’t be made aware until the very end of the project.

Hidden fees also stop clients from being able to compare quotes. Imagine a situation where Company A has a cheap estimate, but they plan to make up the difference by adding fees later in the project. Company B’s estimate included all costs so it might have seemed more expensive at first glance, but it would have been the cheaper option in the long run.

What can I expect from a good company?

The estimate that you receive at the beginning of a job should include all elements of the work, including business overheads, staff hours, and equipment, and the cost for each item should be justified.

“A good company will have a simple, clear billing structure, and be willing to talk to you about each item.” – Lance Norman.

LN is proud of its transparent fee structure and honest estimates. It includes all costs in the initial estimate, and does not believe in hidden fees. If you would like to get a quote for your project, request an estimate now.

What do hidden fees look like?

Some companies will try to charge their clients for office and administrative costs on top of the initial estimate. Unfortunately, surcharges for office staff that may or may not have been working on your project are not uncommon, and neither are extra fees for stationary items down to staples and pencils.

Some companies, law firms for example, might be able to justify these sorts of costs because they record their time by the minute. The reality is that surveying companies don’t operate in the same way.

How can I protect myself from hidden fees?

• Tell the company exactly what you need, and be firm that you only expect to be paying for those items.
• Open a dialogue and ask for a complete breakdown of their estimate.
• Check whether business overheads and equipment are included in the estimate.
• Ask the company to provide you with ongoing fee updates, not just at the end of the month or at the end of the project.
• You have the right to dispute your bill if you don’t understand or agree with the charges.

A good company will value honest and open relationships with their clients and will be happy to take the time to talk with you.

Ready to get a quote?

LN Land Development Technologies is one of Western Canada’s fastest growing land survey companies.

Get in touch by email, call us at 780.488.9064 for a chat, or request a land survey.

The subdivision process can be confusing for homeowners. This step-by-step guide will help make your experience as smooth as possible.

Think about timeline and cost

A number of factors will affect the length of the subdivision process, including the complexity of the application, and the number of other applications being processed within your municipality. A good rule of thumb is to allow a minimum of six months.

The cost of subdivision will vary. As a general ballpark you can refer to this handy fee breakdown from the Leduc County subdivision website.

A base application fee is $440.00, and all applications also require an AutoCAD fee ($200) and a lot fee of $220 per lot, meaning a minimum cost of $840.00 excluding any surveying work.

Check the rules for your local municipality.

In Alberta, applications to subdivide land must be made with the local authority, and different municipalities will have different forms and procedures.

A Google search for “subdividing + your municipality” should lead you to the right webpage and online application.

Quick links:
Edmonton
Calgary
Leduc County
Beaver County

You are encouraged to get in touch with a city planner in advance of making your online application, particularly if your project is large or complex. Your municipality website will contain contact details and further information.

Register online and get the list of required documents

Although requirements may vary slightly by county, you are likely to need the following (from the City of Edmonton website):
A digital copy of the Certificate of Title.
Digital copies of the ‘tentative plan of subdivision’ in PDF and dwg (AutoCAD) formats.
Information identifying the location or confirming the absence of any abandoned wells, in accordance with new requirements.
Additional documents may be required.

At this point, you may choose to tackle the application on your own, or you could opt to work with a land surveying company who will make the application on your behalf.

“You can apply for subdivision as a landowner, or you can hire a professional planning consultant or an Alberta Land Surveyor to make an application on your behalf.”
– City of Edmonton

Create the plan of subdivision

A surveying company can help you to create the required plan outlining the boundaries of the new land parcels. This document is usually presented using AutoCAD (2D and 3D design software) as part of the initial online application.

The plan must include a number of details including the boundaries of the land to be subdivided, and existing rights-of-way of each public utility. Some of the services that may be helpful at this point include boundary surveys, construction management, and house location stakeouts.

LN Land Development Technologies has years of experience with residential property land surveying. If you would like to chat about the subdivision process or request a quote please get in touch.

Submit the application!

Once you submit your application online it will be reviewed by county planning and development staff.

Once it has been conditionally approved, the municipal subdivision authorities require an Alberta land surveyor to survey the lands and provide a final plan. If you haven’t already been working with a surveying company you will need to contact one at this point.

Once the plan is endorsed by the local authority, the surveyor will take the plan to Alberta Land Titles for registration and the process will be complete.

Ready to get started?

LN Land Development Technologies has years of experience helping homeowners work through the subdivision process in Alberta.

Get in touch by email, call us on 780.488.9064 for a chat, or request a residential land survey estimate.