Know how to carry out and record a garden survey

Question 1

What is a risk assessment?

Answer 1

Process of identifying hazards that may cause harm and assessing the likelihood of this harm happening and its consequences.

The final stage is to set out control measures to reduce and control or eliminate the risk

Question 2

Describe how to identify potential hazards and risks on a site, including overhead and underground hazards (e.g. electric cables); unsafe buildings, features and trees; topography and existing features (e.g. watercourses and ponds)

Answer 2

Define hazard and risk as used in risk assessments.

Site topography; unsafe hard landscaping features and garden buildings; trees; areas of underground services.

Question 3

What is the definition of a hazard?

Answer 3

Something that causes harm

E.g. toxic plants or substances, trip hazards, damaged/broked equipment, deep water, uneven surfaces.

Question 4

What is the definition of a risk?

Answer 4

A risk is what could happen as a result of the hazard and the likelihood it could cause harm.

High risk - very likely

Low risk - unlikely

Control measures should be put in place to reduce the risk and to limit the hazard

Question 5

What are the overhead services and their hazards and risks?

How can they be identified?

Answer 5

Hazard: Overhead cables - electricity cables, telephone wires (also pylons and appliances for electricity)

Risk: Electrocution and explosion, death, fire, blackout

Identified: Taking a look, asking client, plans

Electrical sockets need to be included in a domestic garden risk assessment

Question 6

What are the underground services and their hazards and risks?

How can they be identified?

Answer 6

Hazards: Gas supply pipes / water mains / electric cables, sewage / domestic oil line / phone and TV cables

Risks: Electrocution or explosion / environmental damage/pollution from sewage escape / resource waste (e.g. water) / property damage from flooding or explosion / disruption to serices e.g. TV / fire / death / burns and injuries / infection and contamination

Identified: Looking for physical signs to indicate their presence and location / ask clients / survey / plans

Question 7

What are the potential hazards and risks of buildings?

How can they be identified?

Answer 7

Buildings could be unsafe through: rotting timber / damaged masonry / cracks in the walls / loose mortar / pest infestation / broken glass

Risk: Death / injury from pieces of the building falling on you

Identified: Visual inspection / surveys

Question 8

What are the hazards and risks of existing features?

How can they be identified?

Answer 8

Hazard: Steps, steep or too high / water features and ponds / paving / uneven surfaces / plants / pathways

Risk: Tripping from uneven surfaces steps / slipping from moss/leaf covered paving/ground / drowing water features need to be safe for children and petsand plant toxicity considered

Identified: Visual / note where paving etc… has become cracked or broken

Handrails (cohesive with deisgn) for uneven surfaces, steps and different levels / ensure paving and pathways is clear of moss, leaves and obstructions and that features e.g. steps receive regular maintenance

Question 9

What are the hazards and risks of trees in a domestic garden?

How can it be identified?

Answer 9

Hazard: Raised roots / rotting / wounds / root rock / dead branches / learning / leaf fall / debris

Risk: Death, injury from fall branches, trees / tripping on roots / slipping on leaves / toxic sap from wounds

Identified: Visual / maybe even professional surveys to assess the health of the tree

Question 10

What are the hazards and risks of the site topography

of the domestic garden?

How can it be identified

Answer 10

Hazard: Uneven ground / banks and slopes which could be unstable, slippery and steep

Risk: Injury from falling and tripping/slipping on even surface or debris / caught in landslide

Identified: Visual survey / maps / professional surveys

Question 11

What are the hazards and risks that can be caused by the degree of access to the domestic garden?

How can it be identified?

Answer 11

Hazard: Narrow access / off main road / broken, uneven surfaces / steps / area is unlit / gates

Risk: Injury in worst case scenario death from traffic accident, or from collision with hidden feature / tripping / back injury from carrying heavy objects

Identified: In person or online search of the location

Question 12

Describe the potential restrictions which may limit work on the site, including:

financial restraints / difficulties with access for plant, equipment and materials / topography / boundary constraints and restrictions on the time the works cna be carried out

Answer 12

Completion of work in stages to suit client’s cash-flow / access points for plant and equipment, delivery of matierlas / the need to negotiate work at boundaries with neighbours / seasonal restrictions to the timing of work (day, length, weather) / legal restrictions (local byelaws) / Ways to overcome restricted access

Question 13

What financial constraints may limit work on site?

Answer 13

Completion of work in stages according to client’s cash flow and budget / price rises / unexpected costs / the unavailability of material potentially leading to higher costs

Question 14

What difficulties with access for plant, material and equipment may limit work on site?

Answer 14

There may be no direct entry to rear garden (except through house) / do you have legal access? / narrow entry to the garden / what kind of road do they have for ease of accepting deliveries (large deliveries) / are there roadworks? / does the work require the use of large equipment and would they fit?

Question 15

How could the topography limit the work on site?

Answer 15

Difficult to use machinery on graded slopes / the slope could also make it difficult for ease of mobility around the site as well

Question 16

What boundary constraints could limit work on site?

Answer 16

Who owns the boundaries? May need permission from neighbours to work at boundaries / what physical restrictions do you have at the boundary? Is it a hedge or fence/wall - are you able to move it without destroying it, it could physically impede work / small space - difficult to work / are boundaries shared? / impact on neighbours

Question 17

How does the time of year/season limit the work on site?

Answer 17

In residential areas the work would need to be carried out during sociable hours / work needs to be carried out when it is light - shorter days in winter / bad weather could stop or delay work / delivery delays and waiting for equipment to be instock/available / the schedule of the client and yourself

Question 18

What legal restrictions could limit work on site?

Answer 18

Tree preservation orders / local byelaws / their maybe wildlife or plants in your garden that are protected and this would need to be planned for and mitigated against (conservation areas) / laws around features such as feneces/hedges and walls / history of the site

Question 19

How can you overcome restricted access?

Answer 19

Negotiate with neighbours to store equipment etc.. in their garden, or allow access from their garden if it is easier / remove or cut down hedge to allow wider access - allow to grow back or replace / remove fence boundaries to allow better access and replace/return when work is completed

Question 20

State what existing design features need to be identified including building, hard landscape features, and the trees and plants that are to be retained

Answer 20

The survey should identify any significant features to be retained such as:

garden buildings (sheds, greenhouses, any other buildings)

hard landscaping features (statutory, pergolas, archways, paths, steps / water features / patio

trees and plants with design or sentimental importance (specimen trees / ponds / hedges

other features that need removal

Question 21

State why it is important to identify the existence of overhead and underground services

Answer 21

Need to map the exact location to determine how they will impact the design and construction of the final garden / need to be considered for risk assessment / locating the position of these services and marking them on a survey plan is called mapping

Impact on design: the presence of underground services (drainage, water, sewage, gas, oil, electricity, cable TV) can limit where paths/planting areas can be made / manholes need to remain accessible / oil storage tanks may need disguising/ screening / digging is risky in areas with underground services, even if it is buried deep

Impact on construction: the presence of underground services (drainage, water, sewage, gas, oil, electricity, cable TV) can limit where excavations can be made / and where machinary can move (overhead lines may tangle with machinery, or the clearance height between machinery and electricity lines cannot be maintained / overhead cables could also restrict site access of equipment and large plants

Implications of safety damaging the services in addition to health and safety: cost, inconvenience, damage to soil (think back to risk assessment)

Question 22

Describe how to carry out basic linear surveying techniques, including the use of tapes, offsets and triangulation

Answer 22

How to carry out a linear survey using measuring tapes; including running measurements along a defined base line, offets at 90 degrees and triangulation to specific points

Question 23

What is a linear survey?

What is a baseline?

What is a straight - line measurement?

What is a running-line measurement?

How do you carry them out?

Answer 23

Linear: Survey on the flat; surveying the position of boundaries, soft and hard landscaping features at ground level within the garden and does not include the heights of features or contours.

Baseline: A line from which other measurements are taken / usually between two points that are static like the the two cornders of a side of a back wall, house or boundary / new baselines can be done in other areas when obstacles prevent direct measurement from the back of the house / A landscape tape is fixed along a straight line, e.g. a wall of a house.

Straight-line measurement: using a tape measure to find a distance between two points

Fix tape at point A and walk to point B whilst letting out the tape / pull it taut and write down the measurement

Running-line measurement: writing down measurements as you go along; i.e. to measure several features a long a single line; measurements are taken cumulatively

Fix the tape at point A and walk to point B letting out the tape / Pull it taut at each point you want to measure and write down the measurement. / Then keep going.

Question 24

What is triangulation?

How do you do it?

Measuring a tree

Answer 24

Triangulation: Used to determine a location using more than one linear measurement / can’t assume all gardens are square etc.. and at right angles / used to pinpoing things like corners of the garden, the positions of trees or statues etc.. / taking measurement from 2 fixed points to an unknown third point to accurately measure it’s position

How:

1. Establishe a baseline
2. Take 2 linear measurements from each end of the baseline to the unknown third point to locate the position of a tree or corner of the garden
3. Record measurements - the third point can be found in relation to the baseline using the two ends of baseline using the principle of a triangle
4. Knowing the lengths of the 3 sides of the triangle allows you to plot the exact location of the features being recorded.
5. Plot the points on your paper plan (to a particular scale)/ draw line to represent baseline (A-B) according to scale / set pencil and compass to the A-C length and draw an arc / set the pencil and compass to the B-C length and draw an arc / where these two arcs cross is the true position of C in relation to A and B

Larger triangles are more accurate

Tree: Measure to the centre middle of the tree and not the front of the trunk - more accurate / note girth of trunk and extent of canopy

Question 25

What is an offset?

How do you measure an offset at 90 degrees?

Answer 25

Offset: Finding the edge of a curved/irregular shape from a baseline / maps the position of features by taking measurements at right angles to an established baseline / usually used for finer detail of a survey (e.g. position of group of trees, curved border or path)

1. Establish a baseline - often new baselines are established that are closer to the detail being measured / as long as they can be transferred to the plan properly
2. Running measurements are recorded along the baseline - offset measurement taken from unknown point to baseline (at 90 degree angle) / regularly spaced offset measurements taken along the baseling / recorded as running measurements
3. Individual offset measurements are recorded - Each offset measurement from unknown point to baselines is then taken and recorded / essential that the angle between tape and baseline is 90 degrees / need angle and length to be able to transfer info to plant

Need two tape measures if making new baselinea etc…

Question 26

How to ensure 90 degree angle

Plotting curved flower bed

Answer 26

90 dgree: Swing the tape until you see the shortest measurement / take offset measurements from feature to the baseline / swing tape where it meets the baseline until the shortest measuremenet is recorded / this is where the tape is at a right angle to the baseline

Plotting: plot the position of each end of flower bed using triangulation / take measurements at 90 degree angles along the tape at a specified distance / record this distance / on paper mark off the points on your plan (to a scale) the join the dots like a dot-to-dot picture to get the shape of the curve

Can also be used to measure curved walls and boundaries