Evaluate and Prepare a Residential Building Site

A. Finished-Deliverable Specification

Deliverable: one existing-conditions record — consisting of fixed-reference-point photographs, a hand or digital sketch, a written boundary, access, hazard, and drainage summary, and approximate grade notes — plus one completed site-readiness checklist bearing a documented proceed, conditional-proceed, or stop-work decision.

B. Assessment Record Schedule (Deliverable Schedule)

Item	Quantity	Form	Content Requirement	Purpose
Fixed-point photographs	At least one per visible property corner, plus the approximate footprint center	Digital image, dated and captioned	Reference point named, direction faced, and date recorded	Documenting existing conditions from a repeatable position
Site sketch	1	Hand or digital sketch	North arrow, approximate scale note, all identified reference points and improvements	Recording the spatial layout of existing conditions
Boundary marker log	One entry per marker found	Written log entry	Approximate location relative to a named reference point; condition; whether ambiguous or unresolved	Recording visible property markers without disturbing them
Hazard log	One entry per hazard identified	Written log entry	Hazard type, location, whether it meets the stop-work criteria, and responsible party if flagged stop-work	Recording hazards before layout or ground disturbance begins
Access notes	One entry per access route or constraint	Written log entry	Route description, width or clearance limitation, and vehicle types affected	Confirming worker, delivery, and equipment access
Drainage observation	1	Written note, with photograph when practical	Observed or inferred flow direction, date, and weather condition at time of observation	Recording existing surface-drainage patterns
Site-readiness checklist	1	Completed written form	All sections complete; decision selected, dated, and signed	Issuing the documented proceed, conditional-proceed, or stop-work decision

C. Document and Permission Takeoff

• Source documents: the available site plan, survey, property information, utility records, and permit conditions, obtained before the site visit.
• Permissions: documented permission to enter, inspect, mark, and photograph the site, confirmed before entry.
• Consumables: marking flags and flagging tape sufficient to temporarily flag identified hazards and reference points without relocating property markers.
• Records retained: this chapter produces no fasteners, hardware, or physical components; its material takeoff is limited to documentation and temporary, non-destructive flagging materials.

D. Acceptance Standards

Check	Standard
Reference-point photographs	Every required photograph captioned with reference point, direction faced, and date; none missing without a documented reason
Site sketch	Includes north arrow, approximate scale note, and every reference point and improvement identified during the walk
Boundary marker log	Every visible marker located and logged; no marker relocated, reset, or disturbed
Hazard log	Every hazard identified in Step 6 logged with location, type, and stop-work determination
Access notes	Every access constraint identified in Step 5 logged with route, limitation, and affected vehicle types
Site-readiness checklist	Every section complete; decision is one of proceed, conditional-proceed, or stop-work; checklist signed and dated
Procedure	Permission confirmation, perimeter walk, hazard and access assessment, drainage observation, and checklist completion performed independently and in the required order

E. Preparation — Document Review and Entry Permission

1. Obtain the available site plan, survey, property information, utility records, and permit conditions. Assemble every document before the site visit and note any document that is missing or unavailable.
2. Confirm permission to enter, inspect, mark, and photograph the site. Obtain and record documented, non-destructive-only permission from the property owner or authorized representative before proceeding to Step 3.

F. Perimeter Walk and Existing-Conditions Identification

1. Walk the site perimeter and identify visible property markers. Locate each marker relative to a named reference point without relocating or disturbing it, and log it in the boundary marker log.
2. Identify existing structures, improvements, vegetation, slopes, and neighboring conditions. Record buildings, fences, retaining walls, driveways, wells, septic components, drainage features, overhead lines, vegetation, slopes, and neighboring improvements as they are encountered.
3. Identify access constraints for workers, delivery trucks, excavation equipment, concrete trucks, and emergency vehicles. Log each route, width or clearance limitation, and the vehicle types affected.
4. Identify visible hazards. Log unstable slopes, soft ground, standing water, overhead utilities, buried-utility indicators, contaminated material, abandoned structures, and restricted areas as they are encountered.
5. Mark immediate stop-work conditions and record who must evaluate or correct each one. Flag the location from a safe distance without approaching or probing the hazard, and name the responsible party in the hazard log.

G. Drainage, Elevation, and Zone Planning

1. Observe the direction of existing surface drainage during or after rainfall when practical. Record the observed or inferred flow direction, the date, and the weather condition at the time of observation.
2. Identify likely locations for the building footprint, material storage, topsoil stockpile, spoil stockpile, equipment movement, temporary access, and erosion controls. Mark each likely zone on the site sketch.
3. Record existing grades or approximate elevation changes using the approved site-measurement method. Note the method used and the reference point each elevation observation was taken from.
4. Photograph and sketch existing conditions from fixed reference points. Complete the required photograph set and finish the site sketch with north arrow, scale note, and all identified reference points and improvements.

H. Site-Readiness Checklist and Decision

1. Prepare a written site-readiness checklist. List acceptable conditions, unresolved conditions, required professional reviews, permits, utility-locate requirements, and next actions.
2. Review the proposed work sequence against access, drainage, neighbor protection, and environmental constraints. Confirm the checklist reflects every constraint identified during the walk.
3. Correct administrative and housekeeping deficiencies that can be resolved without disturbing soil. Document each correction made and each deficiency that remains open.
4. Issue a documented proceed, conditional-proceed, or stop-work decision for Chapter 2. Select one decision, state the reasoning, and sign and date the checklist.

I. Recut and Closeout Procedure

1. Resolve every open item before issuing a proceed decision. Classify each open item as documentation, permission, boundary, access, hazard, drainage, or professional-review before resolving it.
2. Label and retain the completed record. Store the existing-conditions record and site-readiness checklist for use as the controlling reference in Project 02.