​LIDAR  (Light Imaging, Detection and Ranging) is a method of surveying that measures distance to a target using illumination along with a pulsed laser light, and measuring the reflected pulses with a sensor. The differences in laser return times and wavelengths can then be used to make digital 3D-representations of the target. LIDAR is commonly used to make high-resolution maps. The narrow laser beam makes it possible to map objects with a high degree of resolution.
 
LIDAR is used in Surveying and Civil Engineering mainly for aerial and terrestrial scanning. As a result of the accuracy of the data natural interpretation becomes less ambiguous and therefore costs are reduced when compared to a traditional survey type.
 

• Terrestrial Scanning creates 3D models of complex objects: piping networks, roadways, archeological sites, buildings, bridges, etc., making it safe for objects to be measured remotely in operations such as measuring roadways under traffic. Therefore it is possible to rapidly map complex sites in much more detail with Lidar than is possible with conventional means allowing for a better base sheet for design, covering large area quickly.
• Aerial Scanning has a variety of uses, including providing data for topographic maps, measuring tree canopy heights, and determining forest biomass values.

It is easier and quicker to survey rural and remote areas with LIDAR. For example, imagine a building filled with piping and having to maneuver around that piping using direct measurement. By using LIDAR, time and cost savings can be monumental.
 
For larger areas aerial LIDAR provides base sheets for all types of project specific
civil engineering design such as master planning, grading, utilities, drainage analysis, stormwater treatment and erosion control, as well as roadway design.
 
Some of the benefits of a Lidar survey are:

• Acquisition of data in a short time
• High Data Quality
• Safety as a result of less field time in a potential hazardous location
• Reduced labor, time, elimination of frequent, time-consuming site revisits and provides quality control
• Remote acquisition and measurement
• Imagery and 3D visualization assures that mapped objects correspond to actual existing conditions

​

​A feasibility study is the analysis and evaluation of a proposed project that will determine if that project is (1) technically feasible, (2) feasible within the estimated cost, and (3) profitable. Where a substantial amount of money is in play feasibility studies are always conducted.
 
Theses preliminary studies are usually carried out in the very early stages of a project and when a project is large or complex, or where there is some doubt or controversy regarding the proposed development.
 
Some of the reasons a feasibility study is conducted are:
 
To establish the viability of a project
To assist in identifying feasible options.
To assist in the development of the documentation required for the project.

​Construction companies conduct a feasibility study to assess the viability of a construction project. The study will evaluate the project in terms of the strengths, weaknesses, resources, finances as well as how realistic the project is. To put it simply, a feasibility study assesses the potential, as well as the limitations of an idea. All of this needs to be taken into consideration before a decision is made on whether the project is going to be financial viable and if it is worth taking the project on.
 
Feasibility studies focus on providing information that will assist potential investors decide whether to proceed with or redesign a proposed development project or idea.
 
The areas of a feasibility study that have to be taken into account are:

• Technical – an assessment of how the company will deliver the project based on the hard materials, labour, resources and any other practical requirements such as transport.
• Economic – consideration of loss and profit are an integral area of the study because the overall goal is that the profit outweighs the cost.
• Legal – the legality of a project is important to assess whether the construction company will be able to meet the legal requirements of the project.
• Operational – a plan of action needs to be in place to ensure effective completion of the project. It is important that the construction company has the ability to manage and execute a project.
• Scheduling – this area outlines whether the company can execute and deliver a satisfactory product to the client on time.

 
A feasibility study is necessary to the completion of a project and a construction company should provide you with a reasonably assessed decision taking everything into consideration for the viability of your project. The assessments carried out should be presented in a structured way so that you can decide whether or not to proceed to the next stage.
 

An easement is a legal right to use a parcel of land for a specific and limited purpose and drainage easements are necessary for the orderly flow of water.  When water drainage or removal of waste water from a water main through a private drainage system is required, a drainage easement is necessary.
 
Because of the restrictions that are imposed as a result of drainage easements there is usually an impact on the home or property.
 
Drainage easements fall into two categories, private and public.
 
Private easements are generally between two or more land owners or developers of subdivisions. The easement is created to ensure the proper flow of water.
 
Public easements or easements in gross are created in favour of a public or local authority. They are used by Councils to install pipes to divert storm water. This prevents large accumulations of water during thunderstorms.
 
Both of these easements affect the homeowner by creating limitations on the use of the property subject to the easement. The homeowner needs to identify the location of any drainage easement and abide by the limitations of use. In addition, the prospective owner of a home must be aware of the easement holder's right to maintain it.
 
Restrictions
A homeowner is not allowed to place any object in a drainage easement that is created for the free flow of water. This can affect how the homeowner plans their yard for instance because it will prevent the homeowner from placing a bench, shed or any type structure that blocks water flow. The area designated as a drainage easement is off limits for any use other than growing grass and planting flowers. Drainage easements used for the sole purpose of underground pipes will allow for fences, as long as the installation does not damage the pipes.
 
Maintenance
The easement's owner is responsible for maintaining the easement. Therefore the Council can dig up the storm pipes under the easement to repair or replace them. Normally damages will be repaired. Structures that are in the way of digging up the easement will be removed including fencing. The homeowner has to weigh the benefits of a fence against the risk of a clogged pipe on his property.
 
Obligation
The homeowner has to maintain the drainage easement. The grass must be cut and the area kept free of debris. Fallen tree limbs and accumulation of leaves obstruct the free flow of water. The drainage easement must be kept neat and clean.
 
What you should know

1. If disputes arise in relation to an easement, it is recommended that independent legal advice is obtained to ensure that all rights and obligations in relation to the easement are clarified. 
2. In order for the rights of an easement to be enforced, it must be registered on the title of the land burdened and the land that benefits from the easement. 
3. It is recommended that when a property is being purchased that the legal advisor is asked to determine whether any easements are registered on the title and if so, whether there is any impact by the easement on your intended use of the land.
4. It is not Council’s role to provide advice to prospective purchasers about private easements, or to landowners in a dispute about an easement. Council will only provide advice about an easement in gross that is for the benefit of Council.

​Architects are trained to plan, design and oversee the construction of the buildings whereas Engineers are responsible for applying mathematical and scientific knowledge in order to develop technical solutions for a problem.
 
An architect’s job entails designing the building, maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the building, allocating space usage surrounding the building and finally overseeing the construction. The architect’s job is limited to the layouts and the designing of the building; however the architects must also follow the local rules of the location where the structure is being built, such as how many stories can a building be before an extension permit is required, the legally defined distance between two walls or ceilings and the floor, etc.
 
Engineers are responsible for designing materials, systems and structures while considering the practicality, safety and cost. Engineers are responsible for calculating the math behind the whole structure. They oversee the feasibility of construction; if the building can be built in the way it is designed. They are also in charge of how much materials are required and deployed for construction.
 
A builder executes/constructs the building and makes it a reality. He organises the purchase of all the material required, deploys the right type of construction equipment, organizes skilled and unskilled labour required, plans the schedule for start and finish of the various activities and manages the actual construction. When construction is finished he hands over the building to the client.
 
In terms of designing structures such as bridges, flyovers, etc. a structural engineer is solely responsible for the designing as well as the construction of that particular structure. In other words, architects are the vision behind the project, while the engineers are the brain.
 
Some projects will require the services of an architect, a structural engineer and a builder.
 
The architect will take into consideration certain factors such as location, direction, functional and space requirements and constraints. He will then plan the layout, decide external appearances, what the facade will be and internal facilities and spaces to be provided, locations of columns, sizes of rooms, doors, windows, staircases. He also decides how high the building needs to be, how wide, how long etc. The architect will take note of rules and regulations that in are place for construction and be mindful of the budget to ensure all requirements are met. The architects work precedes the work of others.
 
The structural engineer takes off from where the architect has completed his design. The engineer figures out which materials to use and how to safely construct the building the architect has envisioned. He determines what will happen to the structure, under its own weight, determines the loads that act on the structure, the effects from winds, earthquakes etc,  The engineer will study the effect of these loads on the structural elements/skeletal frame of the building and determine safe and economical sizes for all beams and columns. He also estimates all the quantities of various materials like steel, cement, etc that is required and determines the depths of the foundations and the type of the foundation. He prepares detailed drawings describing every part of the structure.
 
The builder, who is also called the contractor, finally executes all the plans developed by the architect and the engineer.

A land surveyor uses various techniques to measures properties and pieces of land to determine boundaries. This information is used to establish maps and survey plots, boundaries for ownership of land, locations or for other purposes required by government or civil law.
 
Information about boundaries helps determine where roads or buildings will be constructed, settles property line disputes, and leads to the creation of maps.
 
Maps and land descriptions created by a land surveyor are usually considered legally binding, therefore because of the legal and precise nature of the work, it is necessary that an individual be licensed before they can work as a land surveyor.
 
A land surveyor is a professional with academic qualifications, technical expertise, interpretative ability and management skills. Land surveyors work with elements of geometry, trigonometry, regression analysis, physics, engineering, metrology, programming languages, and the law. A land surveyor needs to understand mathematical concepts and be able to use them for plotting and measuring. The various types of specialized equipment used requires good computer skills.
 
Surveying is an element in the development of the human environment and is a requirement for the planning and execution of most forms of construction and land surveyors are a crucial link in the development process.
 
Land surveying can be a very physical job as many surveys take place in all types of locations and climates, some of which are accessible only by walking or climbing. The equipment need to carry out the survey can also be heavy or cumbersome.

​

​There are many great civil engineering projects over the world which transcend time and continue to inspire awe generation after generation. Engineering may be considered as an art, a skill, or just a regular profession, but history has shown that through engineering, mankind is continuously surpassing expectations.
 The following are the Top 10 most impressive Civil Engineering Projects ever undertaken by humanity. 

Quingdao Haiwan Bridge
The Quingdao Haiwan Bridge (also known as Jiaozuo Bay Bridge) is a 16.6 mile long roadway bridge in eastern China’s Shandong province. As of December 2012, Guinness World Records lists the Bridge as the world’s longest bridge over water (aggregate length) at 25.84 miles.
 
The bridge was designed by the Shandong Gaosu Group and took 4 years to complete, employing more than 10 000 people. The bridge is designed to withstand earthquakes up to 8.0, typhoons and impacts of 300,000 ton ships. It was constructed with 450,000 tons of steel and 2.3 million cubic meters of concrete and is supported by more than 5000 pillars with a width of 35 meters and 6 lanes and two shoulders.
 
The costs of constructing the bridge vary; the official state-run television company reported the total cost to be £900 million, while other sources reported costs as high as £5.5 billion.

​Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa is a mega tall skyscraper in Dubai with a total height of 2,722 ft including the antenna. Built on the Dubai government’s decision to diversify from an oil-based economy and also to gain international recognition, it is currently the tallest structure in the world.
 
The building was named in honour of the ruler of Dubai and president of the United States Arab Emirates. The tower was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and uses a bundled tube design. The primary structure is made up of 330,000 m3 of concrete and 55,000 tonnes of steel. Construction took 22 million man-hours. The structure cost $1.5 billion to build.
 
At the time of its opening in 2010, it had the highest observational deck in the world. The building has been featured in the 2016 film, ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’.
 
Burj Khalifa has broken numerous other records, including building with most floors at 211. The windows are made of 1,290,000 sq ft of glass and it takes 36 workers three to four months to clean the entire exterior façade.

Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a 31.35 mile rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent, in the UK, with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais in northern France, beneath the English Channel. At its lowest point, the channel is 75m deep below the sea bed, and 115m below sea level.  The tunnel has the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world.
 
The tunnel carries high-speed Eurostar passenger trains, the Eurotunnel Shuttle for road vehicles, the largest such transport in the world and international goods trains.
 
Tunnelling commenced in 1988, and when it opened in 1994, the final cost was an astounding £9 billion, making it the most expensive construction project ever at the time. At the peak of construction 15,000 people were employed. Working from both the English side and the French side of the Channel, eleven tunnel boring machines cut through chalk marl to construct two rail tunnels and a service tunnel. On 1 December 1990, Englishman Graham Fagg and Frenchman Phillippe Cozette broke through the service tunnel with the media watching.

​Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is often considered one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. The suspended bridge spans the Golden Gate, the one-mile- strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The bridge links the American city of San Francisco, California to Marin County. It opened in 1937 and was until 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the world with a span of 4,200 feet. The bridge is one of the most recognised and influential symbols of the United States.
 
Each of the bridges two main cables is made of 27,572 strands of wire and together the wire is roughly 80,000 miles long. Over 600,000 rivets were required to build the bridge which cost more than $35 million, completing ahead of schedule and $1.3 million under budget.

​Hoover Dam
Constructed during the Great Depression, the Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River. The design was overseen by the Bureau’s chief design engineer John L. Savage.
 
Six companies formed a joint venture to bid for the project and construction began in early 1931.
The construction of the Hoover Dam claimed hundreds of workers’ lives, and impounds Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States. The dam is named after President Herbert Hoover, and it took five years to build and cost around $49 million. The consortium turned over the concrete arch-gravity dam to the federal government on March 1, 1936, more than two years ahead of schedule.

Panama Canal
Panama Canal is an artificial 48-mile waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. The canal consists of several artificial lakes and channels, and two locks at either end to lift ships up to Gatun Lake, (an artificial lake created to reduce the amount of excavation work required for the canal) 26 meters above sea level, and then lower the ships at the other end. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is crucial for international maritime trade.
 
France began work on the canal in 1881 but stopped due to engineering problems. The United States took over the project in 1904 and opened the canal on August 15, 1914. The construction of a canal with locks was one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken and required the excavation of more than 170,000,000 cu yd of material over and above the 30,000,000 cu yd excavated by the French. When the canal was finally opened it cost the Americans $375 million.
 
Completion of the Panama Canal shortcut greatly reduced the time for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, enabling them to avoid the lengthy, hazardous Cape Horn route around the southernmost tip of South America.

​Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest bridges in the United States, and is both a suspension and cable-stayed bridge. Completed in 1883, the bridge connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. With a main span of 1,595.5 feet, it was the first steel-wire suspension bridge constructed.
 
The bridge was initially designed by German engineer, John August Roebling, but he was replaced by his son Washington Roebling who took charge of the project after his death. Started in 1869 and completed fourteen years later it cost $15.5 million to build. Since it opened, it has become a historic icon of New York City, and was designated a historic landmark in 1964.

​Aqueduct of Segovia
More precisely known as the aqueduct bridge, this Roman aqueduct is one of the most significant and best-preserved ancient monuments left on the Iberian Peninsula. It is located in Spain and is the symbol of Segovia.
 
The date of the Aqueduct’s construction is a mystery although it was thought to have been during the 1st century AD. It once transported water from the Rio Frio river which is situated in mountains 17 km from the city in the La Acebeda region. It runs 15 km before arriving in the city.
 
The bridge consists of 24,000 granite blocks made without the use of mortar. The first section of the aqueduct contains 36 semi-circular arches which provide support to the structure. On the upper level, the arches are 5.1 meters wide. The top of the structure contains the channel through which water travels, through a U-shaped hollow measuring 0.55 tall by 0.46-meter diameter.
 
The aqueduct is the city’s most important architectural landmark. It had been kept functioning throughout the centuries and preserved in excellent condition. It provided water to Segovia until the mid 19th century.

​Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood, and other materials, generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China to protect the Chinese states and empires against the raids and invasions. With a history of more than 2,000 years, many sections of the Great Wall of China are in ruins, but it is still one of the greatest wonders of the world, and an immensely popular tourist attraction.
 
Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BC and these were later joined together and made bigger and stronger, and are now collectively referred to as the Great Wall, stretching in over 5,500 miles of the country from Dandong in the east to Lop lake in the west. The entire wall with all its different branches, measures out to be 13, 171 miles. Up to 25,000 watchtowers are estimated to have been constructed on the wall.
 
It is not known exactly how much the wall cost to build, but modern calculation estimate it would be somewhere between $13billion and $65 billion.

Great Pyramid
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex, bordering El Giza, Egypt. It is the only one to remain largely intact. Initially, at 146.5 metres, the Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for more than 3,800 years.
 
It is believed that the pyramid was built as a tomb for the fourth Dynasty Egyptian pharaoh, Khufu and was constructed over a twenty-year period.
 
Experts estimate that it would cost around $5 billion to build a replica today.

​Over the centuries there have been many great civil engineering projects that have become historic landmarks. Engineering has created some of the biggest and most amazing structures in the world. Other engineering projects shows the ability of engineers to create unique visions that have impressed mankind such as the Millau viaduct, which is the tallest cable-stayed road bridge in the world and as recently as 2015, the Shanghai Tower skyscraper in China, which is now the second-tallest building in the world. As advanced technology continues to pave the way for more engineering creations, there is a bright future ahead for engineering.

​The future of professional surveying and geo-mapping is no longer fixed and static, but dynamic and flexible. Aerial mapping drones might be changing how land surveyors conduct surveys from the sky instead of by land. Instead of theodolites, infrared reflectors, and GPS, land surveyors are now able to use drones that autonomously pilot with the push of a button and are capable of producing equivalent results as the former tools but without all of the heavy-lifting and exhaustion.
 
Aerial surveying and geo-mapping is now done with an UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). Aerial surveys can provide information on many things not visible from the ground and data captured via drone mapping perfectly complements what engineers can see from the ground.
 
Autonomous drones have become the leading technology for creating topographic surveys. In construction, drones can be used to survey building sites to help monitor and report progress, spot errors early on and avoid rework.

The point clouds and digital terrain models generated by drones are exactly the same as those generated by traditional surveys, but are significantly easier and cheaper to collect and provide much more detail. Data collected from drones can still be used to perform cut/fill analysis, calculate volumes, build design surfaces, and verify earthworks. The drone will calculate the optimal flight path, fly automatically, capture all the photos needed for a high quality drone map, and return to home when the mission is over.
 
Because UAVs are relatively inexpensive, it is feasible for companies to have their own fleet, and that allows for rapid surveys over large land areas to be completed quickly. With GPS equipped drones, digital cameras and powerful computers, surveys with an accuracy down to 1 to 2 cm is very possible.
 
Drones can provide Geo-Referenced High Altitude Aerial Photography and Videography Site Inspections with Full 3D Terrain Mapping.

​Surveying and mapping services include:
Geo-referenced Ortho-mosaics
Photogrammetric Applications
Multispectral imagery
Point Cloud Generation
DTMs
Volumetric calculations
Contour maps

Flood Studies are required in order to provide solutions to existing flood problems in developed areas as well as ensuring new development is compatible with the flood hazard and does not create additional flooding problems in other areas. Flooding causes more damage in Australia than any other natural disaster; many lives are lost and there is a huge financial burden on communities.
 
A flood study is a technical investigation of flood behavior within the study area which defines the extent, depth and velocity of the flood waters as well as the variation in flood hazard. It defines the nature of potential personal danger and potential damage to property resulting from flooding by providing information on the distribution of flood waters across the section of land that is prone to flooding.
 
The major components of a flood study involve determining discharge (hydrologic aspects) and water levels, velocities, etc (hydraulic aspects) for floods of varying severity.
 
A number of analytical tools can be used in flood studies, depending on the data available, the flow situation, the nature and extent of development, and the level of detail required. Generally detailed studies are required in both urban and rural areas, because knowledge of flood characteristics is required to deal with existing problems, future development and the continuing flood risk.
 
Your local council can advise you if your property is affected by flooding and provide you with relevant information which may include a previous Flood Study undertaken. This flood study would normally include maps which show the various flooding characteristics across the local government area. In addition, Council will provide Flood Certificates on request, for a fee, for individual properties. The certificates provide specific information about the property that can be used to understand the extent of flooding on the property and to assist in preparation of Flood Risk Management Reports which are required in support of development applications for development or redevelopment on flood control lots in accordance with the Development Control Plan.
 
You face real flood risks if your property is identified by Council as being in a flood affected area. Properties that have been identified as being within the flood planning area are classified as a flood control lot. This means that the land will be subject to flood-related development conditions to reduce the impact of flooding. For example, if your property is identified, you may need to put measures in place to manage flood risk, such as raising the floor level of any new building work. It is important that you discuss this with an experienced civil engineer to get an understanding of what options are available for your site. The civil engineer has the ability to undertake flood modelling and will work with you to achieve the best possible outcome whilst also complying with the council’s development control planning controls.
 
Council is already undertaking a Flood Risk Management Study and Plan to identify and
prioritise measures to manage the risks of flooding, such as controls on new development, review of emergency response and mitigation works like a drainage system upgrade.

 On-site detention is a way to deal with all the water that falls on your property when it rains by setting up temporary stormwater storage that will minimise flooding from runoff. This reduces the impact on both downstream properties and the existing stormwater drainage system. In order to provide relief to the downstream drainage infrastructure, Councils require that the runoff is stored temporarily on site and released at a controlled rate which the downstream stormwater system can adequately handle. This is called on-site detention.
The existing stormwater system was constructed decades ago and therefore was not designed to cater for the amount of runoff generated from increased recent development. As a result, the existing drainage infrastructure cannot cater for the increase in flows from development which can cause local flooding issues for downstream properties.
On-site detention is an effective method of minimising the impact of stormwater runoff on the existing drainage system which may be caused by re-development of your site. An experienced engineer can implement on-site detention into your development using different systems that can control the runoff from your property.

How would I know if on-site detention is required for my development?
Many Councils are requiring on-site detention to be included as part of the stormwater management for redevelopments and on-site detention requirements are generally determined and enforced by your local council who have specific development controls that apply to the on-site detention design and guidelines that determine the types of development that do and do not require on-site detention.
As a general rule of thumb, all new developments require on-site detention. Exceptions to this general rule may be (but not limited to):

• Minor alterations and additions
• Flood affected sites
• Sites where drainage is near significant water body; example creek, channel, harbour, river.

 
How is on-site detention sized and what options are available?
Various methods and analysis can be undertaken to determine the on-site detention design. The objective is to limit the discharge (controlled) to a minor storm event such as the 1 in 5 year storm and store the volume for the 1 in 20 year or 1 in 100 year storm depending on the specific council guidelines for your area.
Analysis of the design can be undertaken through modelling software and/or hydraulic calculations of rainfall runoff methods. It is advised that you engage an experienced engineer to model the most cost-effective solution for your development.
There are different on-site detention system options available which are dependent on the council. Each on-site detention system has their own advantages and cost implications for your development. These options are:

• Below ground
• Concrete pit/tank
• Rainwater tank
• Above ground
• Basin
• Rainwater tank

If I require on-site detention, what are the next steps?
It is important that you engage a suitably qualified civil/stormwater engineer who can explain the various options that are available for your development. The civil engineer will be able to prepare a Stormwater Concept Plan/Report which would need to be submitted with any Development Application or Complying Development Submission.
Donovan Associates have suitably qualified engineers with 40 years of experience in civil/stormwater design and on-site detention design. Our engineers will communicate with council and will liaise with the property owner, architects, developers and other stakeholders in the early stages of the development to ensure that the requirements and potential on-site detention design is addressed and optimised for your development. 

In today’s world, people with technical backgrounds, including engineers, are being frequently challenged to explain to people with little or no technical insights or expertise details of their projects. Explaining a project to the everyday person requires a different mindset to connect with them and encourage them to action or decision-making.
 
The question becomes,  how do you present a message that non-technical clients will understand? How do we get our client to feel comfortable and engage in discussion?
 
Communication is the key to creating rewarding interpersonal relationships with clients and it is important that clients receive information that they can easily understand. This promotes greater collaboration and ensures a meaningful connection is established. Understanding the value of the technical side of things does not necessarily mean that the client will also; therefore, the engineer will need to explain in plain terms to the client. Their message must be simple!
 
It is extremely important to ensure that your architect, engineers, builders and all other contractors are all on the same page and have a vested interest in achieving the outcome of developing and completing your dream home.
 
From an engineering perspective, we understand that the technical aspect that goes into creating the design can be a very challenging conversation to understand. We also appreciate the fact that when people know they are going to get exactly what they want and feel comfortable they are in good hands with someone with experience, with someone who cares, they value the interaction much more and it no longer feels like a transaction but rather, a partnership.
 
There are added benefits of creating partnerships between an engineer and yourself and this can include:

• Maximising the potential value of your development by understanding the engineering aspect and how it integrates into the architectural design. For example, the location and design of any stormwater systems in the rear of your site could limit the design of any future development (such a construction of a pool, or granny flat). If you discuss this or advise the engineer to allow for this, then you could increase your property’s value and not have to modify an existing major stormwater system.
• Understanding the cost implications of the stormwater system construction and the different options that are available.
• Knowing the products available to achieve the stormwater design outcomes and how they can be incorporated into the design. For example, having a below ground rainwater tank as opposed to an above ground for the aesthetic appearance for your development.
• Understand the council requirements that apply to your development.

 
 
Let us mediate between you and your builder, architect, lawyer and engineers to get your project completed quickly, efficiently and in line with all the relevant legal codes.