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I'm just beginning to think about a substantial (ish) project at my real home for 1-2 years time, which may also involve a certain amount of garden remodelling. That would be a rearrangement of rooms and a loggia / car port across the front, new gates and a few other bits. I am exploring some of the pros and cons of a secondhand Total Station. This is not something I know that much about, though I have helped with surveys in the past - holding the staff for dad etc, or done small ones and the trig calculations, and am used to commissioning them. 1 - Is it Leica Leica Leica, or are there credible alternatives? 2 - If I want one which does GPS so can be used by one person, what budget am I looking at for something that will last for say 5-10 years? (All very approximately) Cheers Ferdinand

Calling all people with past or current experience in timber frame and brick and block construction.  As part of my degree I am required to research a topic of my choice. My chosen area is; productivity in housebuilding. I am trying to determine why brick and block cavity wall construction still remains the most dominant method of construction for house builders. It would be much appreciated if you or anyone with experience in this field could please complete my short questionnaire. Simply click on the link below, it comprises 12 questions and will take less than 3 minutes of your time to answer. I am more than happy to share the results with anyone who would be interested The information you provide will anonymous and will be treated with the strictest confidence. Please pass on or share to anyone who would be able to help.  Thanks in advance. https://www.quicksurveys.com/tqsruntime/main?surveyData=r4lva2rxrwxQVGKkc7VdDr4ScfR0NkzsWxj1PYyl1SP0pqFJPiLmStZ659V5n7R8

Covered in detail in an earlier blog, and in the book, but it is/was the mantra of a former colleague and tutor Par Gustaffson, a Swedish Landscape architect, who undoubtedly brought a logical approach to the design table. Essentially, to avoid confusion, mistakes and oversights, you should divide a garden or landscape overview into three separate themes. 1 A survey of the physical and factual site elements, including topography, planting, existing structures, weather across the seasons including extremes, neighbouring people, planting, buildings etc and the potential attack on your proposals and you and your family's senses and so...make your own list of issues (more in the book). 2 Once all the facts are documented, without comment and consideration, you can then explore the implications of slopes, weather extremes soil structure, noise, that pig farm, sun angles, exposure and so on. 3 You and everyone who wants to be involved can now make a start on using the information, along with your brief (needs, wants, must haves, desires etc) to propose possibilities, design ideas etc You'll be pleased you approached the whole project this way, as you just imagine, while chatting to a local in the pub who tells " course you realise much of the garden floods every few years" or "they were making noises about re-opening the old railway behind that place" and so on. Not that local observations should be discounted (add to survey section)...similarly a chat with a long-standing neighbour could well prove very informative. You should not assume your solicitor's search will always through up nasties! They're only human after all! Good luck.

Hi All, I’m currently looking to get land (Garden) from my friend from his current property and am aware I need to get a Solicitor involved to help with the transfer/split of land. This will result in a new registration to Land registry. To confirm, I imagine a Solicitor isn’t capable of creating the Land Registry compliant plan, so I will need to involve a Boundary Surveyor to draw up the title plan and boundaries, including any rights of way? Many thanks,