Setting out

Setting out carries a design from paper to its true position on the ground. First the plot corners are marked according to land registry and cadastral records; then the building’s position, grid lines and corners are pegged out relative to those boundaries. Surveying instruments and coordinate data do the work.

Who does it?

In Turkey, where the process is called aplikasyon, marking plot boundaries relies on cadastral records and is carried out by authorised surveying engineers. The building’s place within the plot follows the site plan and is checked during the building inspection process. Getting it wrong can push a building over a boundary or breach required setbacks, and such errors are very hard to fix later.

Steps on site

• Marking and checking the plot corners
• Transferring building corners and grid lines to the ground
• Moving grid lines onto profile boards or fixed points outside the dig so they survive excavation
• Setting up a fixed level datum for foundations and slabs

Accurate setting out decides the accuracy of every column and wall built afterwards. A clear, numbered and consistent grid on the drawings makes the job much easier.