What should I send for a proposal?
Start with the site address or assessor’s parcel number, the city or county, and a short description of the complete proposed work. Include a home or ADU, pool, additions, retaining walls, septic system and other planned improvements where applicable. For a commercial site, describe the buildings, pavement, grading and stormwater facilities being considered.
Attach the available site plan, architectural plans, grading plan and structural information. Prior soils reports, agency comments and relevant repair records can help define the scope. Concept plans are useful when the design is still developing; tell us what is confirmed and what remains undecided.
Describe access conditions, including gates, overhead obstructions, steep ground, occupied buildings or pavement. Include the project stage, desired timing and the best contact for site access. Email is strongly recommended so we can review the details while coordinating fieldwork.
What affects investigation cost and turnaround?
The fee follows the work needed to answer the project’s questions. Important factors include the type and size of development, exploration depth and method, access, expected excavation conditions, sampling and laboratory needs, and the scope of engineering evaluation and reporting.
Scheduling also depends on field-crew and equipment availability, site access, utility coordination, testing durations and receipt of the information needed to complete the report. Hard drilling, difficult access or a change in the proposed development can require a revised approach.
NGS provides a project-specific proposal identifying the agreed services. Share a required milestone early so we can discuss a realistic sequence. The investigation, later plan review and construction testing may be separate phases; a proposed report-delivery date is not a promise of agency approval.
How do septic and stormwater testing differ?
Septic percolation testing supports evaluation of onsite wastewater disposal for a particular development. The work considers the proposed wastewater use, soil conditions, available disposal area and the type of system under consideration.
Stormwater infiltration testing supports planning for runoff-management facilities such as infiltration chambers, basins or other proposed stormwater features. Test locations and depths need to relate to the facility the drainage team is evaluating.
Both involve observing water movement into the ground, but their purposes and reporting requirements differ. Identify whether the project needs septic testing, stormwater testing or both. Results should be interpreted for the applicable facility and scope; one service should not be assumed to cover the other.
When should compaction testing be arranged?
Contact NGS before grading, trench backfilling, subgrade preparation or similar work begins. Provide the current geotechnical report, relevant plans, the contractor’s schedule and the areas to be observed or tested.
Observation may be needed at the excavation bottom before fill is placed. Testing is coordinated as fill or base is placed and compacted, while the relevant work remains accessible. Waiting until an area has been covered can prevent the intended observations and may require additional work.
Tell us when work is expected to begin, which activities are planned and who will coordinate in the field. Share schedule changes promptly. The proposal and project requirements determine the agreed scope of observation, testing and reporting.
Planning guidance from Noorzay Geotechnical Services, Inc. Your proposal defines the services for your site. Meet your engineer.