There is no need to talk to you about the importance of measuring in construction. Everything that is done in construction is based on measurements and building based on these measurements. In some cases, even when you are off by what may seem like a small amount, the entire project will be thrown off and things will need to be adapted or started from scratch.
In addition to this, taking accurate measurements to quote a job is extremely important. You would not want to underestimate a project because you did not measure properly or overestimate and not get the job. You also would not want to get a project just to find out that you did not measure your elevations properly and you need to install more steps to compensate. All of this will not be good for business, but there are tools on the market that will help you to avoid these downfalls.
Having the right tools at your disposal to be able to take accurate measurements is extremely important to the building process involved in construction. This is why it is important to know what tools you need when you are first starting out and which tools will help make your life much easier.
Measuring Tools for Construction
The best measuring tools will aid in creating the best results for your customers. It will also help you to accurately quote work to help ensure that you do not miss anything in your quote essentially keeping you from leaving any money left on the table.
Accurate measuring tools are becoming increasingly advanced each and every year. Though the traditional tools are still as valid today as they were many years ago, there are alternatives and even better tools that will help you accurately measure jobs in the future. We are using this article to expand further on the best measuring tools that are offered on the market.
Considering that this is a hardscaping website, the tools we discuss will be specific to this industry. Regardless, a lot of these tools can be used in various construction industries. We also will recommend one tool specifically for each category. This is based on this recommendation being either: the industry standard or the best value based on price and reception of that tool in the industry based on reviews. This does not mean that there are not alternatives to these suggestions that are just as good.
Best Measuring Tools and Equipment:
Precision Measuring Tools List
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Elevation Measurement Tools
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Rotary Laser
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Zip Level
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Measuring Distance
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Measuring Wheel
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Laser Measuring
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Utility Locator Equipment
One of the best laser measuring tool that you can have with you on a job site, a rotary laser sends a laser out 360 degrees. With the use of a grade rod and a receiver, while having a self-leveling rotary laser on a tripod, you can get the measurements of the grade of your job site wherever you stand with the rod and receiver. It is a simple concept that has been useful to construction sites for a long time now.
You can find more of the best laser measuring tools and more information on rotary lasers in our post here.
The Zip Level is an incredible tool that allows you to simply and accurately measure elevation. It is easy to operate and to get a reading that will help in measuring the elevation of an area to decide how many steps you are going to need to install, whether you need to build a raised patio or a patio on grade, or any other projects that are going to require the measuring of elevation. It can also be used during a project to level your screed bars to obtain the perfect slope or when installing a retaining wall. There are countless uses for this tool, and the best part about using it is that the two points of measurement do not need to be in sight like they would with a rotary laser.
Using this tool is as simple as creating a zero point for your first measurement and then moving the rod to your next measurement to take a reading from zero. Whether you are moving up or down, you will be provided with a positive or negative measurement from your zero point.
If you want to be able to measure and estimate jobs quickly without having to fumble around with a tape measure? Then you need a measuring wheel at your disposal. This will speed up the process while also help to make you look a little bit more professional in front of the customer when you first take your measurements. These are especially for long runs of drainage that you intend to install.
Having a range finder never hurts to have. Though not necessarily essential with other tools on this list, it is a fairly small and inexpensive tool to have if you want to quickly take a read of a distance from one point to another. This can be handy to speed up the process of taking an approximate measurement that is still very accurate, or even taking your time to get an accurate measurement from one place to another.
Digging without getting your locates done is not something you want to do. We are sure we do not need to explain why. Waiting for them to get done can be painful especially when it is holding up a job and it has gone well past the time they said it would take. When you finally get them, you do not even have the depths of the utilities that they located and you only know a general area of where they are. Also, they do not locate private lines in most cases.
This is where having one of these handy can be a lifesaver. Quite literally. Not only will it locate all utility lines, but it will also let you know their depth so you can plan your excavation accordingly. There is no doubt that this is something worth investing in at some point in your business.
Conclusion
Having accurate measuring tools at your disposal will not only improve your quality of work, but it will also help you estimate and quote jobs properly. These are great investments to make into your business in order to improve your efficiency and to help you improve your revenue.
It is always important to invest in the right tools for your business to help it grow. From small tools to the larger pieces of equipment, everything plays a role in expanding your business and creating efficient systems in which your business can continue to grow and expand upon.
Let us know what measuring tools you are using on your construction site or if you are using any of these tools already in the comment section below.