[LM]

Yes, it’s standatd to sign a release in exchange for receiving another consultant’s autocad file(s). The use of release forms in exchange for .dwg files is not limited to surveyors. Usually the release language is really sweeping, and says you agree that the info is accepted as-is, the .dwg might contain drafting errors, and might include a virus. Some are worded more ominously than others. I’ve never had a problem either way.

[LM]

If you know how much room you have, you can state that the transitions from the 2:1 slope at the top and toe shall occur smoothly in no less than (for example) ten feet.

[LM]

Interesting thought. There is overlap between the disciplines… but imho, no way an LA prepares civil CDs, reports, etc., for 99% of commercial projects, at least in my experience. Your clients won’t save anything by having the civil sub to an LA. I mark up my sub’s fees at least 10% to cover administering their contracts and paying them in a timely manner, preferably 15%. Vice versa can work: Civil firms without their own pet LA hire LAs to prepare commercial site plans / landscape plans so that the civils don’t get their brains wrapped around the axle.

[LM]

From the ASLA ethics page, https://www.asla.org/ContentDetail.aspx?id=4276. The 2nd sentence is more relevant.

[from R1.109] “Commentary: Members shall not take credit for work performed under the direction of a former employer beyond the limits of their personal involvement and shall give credit to the performing firm. Employers should give departing employees access to work that they performed, reproduced at cost, and a description of the employee’s involvement in the work should be noted on each product and acknowledged by the employer.”

Bottom line, the work you did is yours, unless you signed some sort of agreement stating otherwise. Your former employer may beg to differ as to what your role was. Going forward, I encourage you and anybody working for somebody else to be diligent about saving copies of work. Document the heck out of what you did as you go.

Best of luck to you!

[LM]

I work for a civil firm. Andrew’s description is accurate, including the part about complaining about the need for an LA. That said, several of the larger LA firms prepare site plans and frequently team with civil firms over and over again. To answer your last question: I have not seen an LA stamp a grading and drainage plan/report, etc.

[LM]

You wouldn’t be the first to switch to civil engineering from landscape architecture, although I have no idea how much more fulfilling the civil side might be for you. To be fair, I’ve only known one person who made a similar jump. She is now in a leadership role in the public sector after a successful consulting career.

It’s been a while since my graduation; however, I had a pretty good understanding of what the consulting side of the profession was long before I entered it. I am interested to learn what you thought the LA profession would be, versus your actual experience.

[LM]

Where are you working?

LAs frequently take a lead role on large multi-use planning & zoning projects in and along the Front Range. It really depends on the type of project and the developer’s preference as to who gets hired as the lead. Civils and architects can be perfectly capable of taking the lead as well, although in my experience that usually that works out better on smaller jobs.

[Author]

Posts