Field Notes

Corner Tool vs. Line Tool: PCO or PLO?
Two offset jigs, two shapes of problem. Here's the simple rule for when to reach for the Precision Corner Offset vs. the Precision Offset. Read more...
Finding a Corner That Isn't There
Some corners you're asked to locate don't physically exist. Here's how to reconstruct a corner from two lines when the point itself is broken, buried, or missing. Read more...
Offsetting a Line You Can't Occupy
The face of a wall or edge of a slab is a line you usually can't put a prism on. Here's how a fixed perpendicular offset reconstructs the true line without ever occupying it. Read more...
When the Corner Isn't 90°
Not every corner is 90°. Here's how to survey skewed and odd-angle corners by defining two lines and crossing them — instead of eyeballing an offset the square-corner tool can't read. Read more...
As-Builts on Existing Masonry and Foundation Corners
On retrofit work your survey is the design basis. Here's how to get a repeatable point off a rough, weathered existing corner instead of eyeballing the offset. Read more...
Known Offset vs. Guessed Offset: The Difference That Decides Your As-Built
Almost every hard survey point is really an offset problem. The line between a clean as-built and a soft one is whether that offset was known or guessed. Read more...
Why Structural Tie-In Points Get Surveyed Wrong
A tie-in point has no tolerance to give, and it usually lives on the hardest geometry to shoot. Here's why tie-ins get surveyed wrong — and how to protect them. Read more...
Batter Piles: Capturing Location, Plumb, and Batter Angle in One Setup
A battered pile hides three questions: location, plumb, and batter angle. Here's how to pull all three off one repeatable setup instead of eyeballing a leaning corner. Read more...
How to Survey an Outside Corner Without Guessing the Offset
Every corner shot is really an offset shot — and a guessed offset becomes error you can't back out later. Here's how to locate an outside 90° corner cleanly. Read more...
Stick-Up and Projection: The Anchor Bolt Numbers That Bite You Later
Everybody checks the anchor bolt pattern. Far fewer check stick-up and projection — the height numbers that decide whether a base plate can actually seat. Here's why they deserve the same rigor. Read more...
Shields Dead Center Jig — anchor bolt locating jig for as-builts and layout
One Jig, Two Jobs: As-Builts and Layout
Most crews think of a locating jig as an as-built tool. But the same jig that verifies a bolt can help you lay one out. Here's how it works in... Read more...
SDCJ Anchor Bolt Locating Jig set on an anchor bolt at a jobsite, with pile-driving rigs in the background at sunrise
The Real Cost of a Return Trip
The most expensive line item on an as-built never shows up on the invoice: the cost of driving back to re-survey. Here's the real math on a return trip —... Read more...
How to Perform an Anchor Bolt As-Built Survey Accurately
A field-tested, step-by-step guide to running an accurate anchor bolt as-built survey and avoiding costly rework. Read more...
How to Find Dead Center on a Bent or Leaning Anchor Bolt
Bent and leaning bolts make dead center hard to find. Here's a repeatable method for locating true center accurately. Read more...
Common Anchor Bolt Survey Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
The most common anchor bolt as-built mistakes that cause rework — and practical ways to avoid them. Read more...
Anchor Bolt Template vs. Locating Jig: What's the Difference?
Templates set bolts before the pour; locating jigs measure them after. Here's how they differ and which you need. Read more...