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How Can Environmental Consulting Firms Help Your Next Build?

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There’s a price for progress that’s occasionally overlooked; the land that is being built on should be deemed safe for occupancy. It should be surveyed for various legal reasons, and projects should follow environmental laws and regulations to protect the surrounding area. Developers who take their responsibilities for environmental compliance and safety seriously should hire a consulting firm that specializes in land surveying. Any investor or homeowner interested in purchasing any land for commercial or residential development can do the same.

Environmental consulting firms can help with land surveying for new builds and environmental planning. They can also:

  • Test groundwater and soil.
  • Perform environmental impact assessments.
  • Execute an assortment of land surveys.

Environmental Consulting Firms Can Test Groundwater

Water from private wells is more likely to be contaminated than other sources. So testing water from wells can help protect your loved ones.

If you’re a homeowner who’s building a new home, you might want to make sure the water your family uses every day is safe. Polluted water can cause serious health problems if left untreated. You can reduce the likelihood of your family getting sick by hiring an environmental consulting firm to test, monitor, and remove dirty water.

Any buildings on undeveloped lands can have their groundwater tested. If you’re a developer or investor, you can have the water tested to protect yourself from lawsuits claiming your tenants fell ill due to unhealthy water.

Environmental consulting firms can:

  • Identify polluted water.
  • Clean up any tainted water.
  • Continually track water quality.

Environmental Consulting Firms Can Test Soil

It might seem obvious, but the ground beneath our feet is indeed essential. Soil testing isn’t just meant for agricultural endeavors. A host of qualities like soil fertility and pH levels are vital in determining how to use the land.

Environmental consulting firms can help determine the suitability of an area of land. If the earth is polluted, measures should be taken to clean it before further development occurs. The same firms that tested the soil can sometimes handle clean-up tasks.

If you’re a homeowner who’s concerned about the land your house is being built on, then you can hire a firm, too. You can never be too safe when it comes to safety and health. Getting regular updates about how the ground under your feet is holding up can help prevent future illnesses and damage to physical structures.

Environmental consulting firms can:

  • Test the soil in any given area.
  • Help landowners assess the suitability of their land.
  • Implement clean-ups.

 

Environmental Consulting Firms Can Assess Impacts

An environmental impact assessment analyzes a project’s or development’s effects on the surrounding environment. In addition, it gauges the socio-economic, cultural, and health impacts before work begins.

The assessments are meant to mitigate any negative impacts on the community. They often guide the decision-making process of active projects. If an evaluation finds a negative impact in one area, developers can resolve that issue.

Environmental impact assessments show the public that the developers are environmentally responsible. Some factors that are examined include:

  • Polluting.
  • Ecological imbalance.
  • Carbon emissions.
  • The materials being used during construction.
  • Water contamination.
  • Hazardous landfill waste.
  • Public health risks.
  • Potential noise and smells.

Environmental consulting firms can help developers and construction companies reconcile regulations with their sustainability goals.

 

Environmental Consulting Firms Can Conduct Land Surveys

Land surveys are probably the most critical assets an environmental consulting firm can offer real estate developers, construction companies, and homeowners. Land surveys are essential for defining property boundaries. Building on a neighbor’s land can create legal headaches. Knowing where to build is just as crucial as knowing if the soil is healthy and how the construction affects the community.

Land surveys serve multiple functions. They can:

  • Help developers how to effectively manage the land.
  • Ensure building projects adhere to codes and zoning mandates.
  • Settle land ownership disputes.
  • Provide information for a mortgage and title insurance.
  • Verify accurate property tax identification numbers and land location.

A common type of land survey is the boundary survey, which shows where a piece of the property begins and ends. Other kinds of land surveys are:

  • Location surveys: These show any site improvements for the procurement of zoning permits.
  • Construction stakeout surveys: These surveys mark where new buildings will be located on a site.
  • As-Built Surveys: These are usually conducted once construction is finished. They supply representations of where structures or modifications have been built on the property.
  • Topographic surveys: These include any trees, bodies of water, fencing, driveways, elevation measurements, and more.

Land surveys require specialized knowledge and equipment. Errors can create misunderstandings regarding property lines that can, in turn, create costly litigation. However, environmental consulting firms can survey land with a high degree of accuracy. They typically employ experts who can provide results that can help see new builds successfully realized and completed.

 

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