Affordable, transit level recommendations?
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scootr
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I too have a used Laser builders level with receiver and grade stick. Sent it off to be re calibrated when I got it and it has worked for riding arenas to buildings and retaining walls for me. If you are going to build stuff and builders level is a good investment. I traded a tile saw for mine. It's an older model David White Transit. For grading you want the device off of the pad, out of the way. GL
dodge man
Super Star Member
I’m a retired land surveyor and am not a big fan of cheap levels. When they’re on everything is fine but when they get out of whack people don’t know it. I did a lot of construction staking and I often helped contractors discover their problem level. This includes optical levels, rotary laser levels and pipe lasers.
What to buy? CalG posted a picture of the type I used most often. You need a tripod and level rod though and probably can’t get one cheap unless you score a used one. A rotary laser level is good but a quality one is outside your budget. Paul’s Harvey posted what we called a hand level or eye level. Very low tech but if you make an effort you can get good results. I used a folding ruler with one on occasion.
It sounds like you’ll be grading a building pad I’d beg, borrow or rent a good level and set a few stakes and you can then work off them with a string line. For example set grade stakes at each corner and a few in the middle.
The best way to check a level is what’s called a two peg test. Google it because it’s hard to explain but easy to do. It takes 15 minutes tops.
What to buy? CalG posted a picture of the type I used most often. You need a tripod and level rod though and probably can’t get one cheap unless you score a used one. A rotary laser level is good but a quality one is outside your budget. Paul’s Harvey posted what we called a hand level or eye level. Very low tech but if you make an effort you can get good results. I used a folding ruler with one on occasion.
It sounds like you’ll be grading a building pad I’d beg, borrow or rent a good level and set a few stakes and you can then work off them with a string line. For example set grade stakes at each corner and a few in the middle.
The best way to check a level is what’s called a two peg test. Google it because it’s hard to explain but easy to do. It takes 15 minutes tops.
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paulsharvey
Elite Member
Dodge makes a good point; so I think maybe you are expecting to do some digginf/grading, and check the dirt elevation every few minutes. What is more accurate, easier, ect is Take your time (no matter the instrument) setting some grade stakes, then when you need to check your dirt, use strings, 6 ft levels, ect.
I'm going to make a few assumptions. 1) we don't necessarily have a hard, accurate, finished floor elevation that we have to make?
So, once we select our instrument; we need a "bench mark". If we truly aren't interested in "103.5 ft above sea level" and we just want "same elevation as the house", we can use a very defined, set point; that could be a nail and disc in the road, a well defined corner of the house, the top of a well casing, ect. If we dont have that existing, we need to create one (outside the grading area). We can drive a piece of pipe into the group, we can put a rail road spike in a tree, but we need to make sure we set One semi permanent point that we always go back too. If you are close to a road, there might already be one that you can research or find the elevation of.
Anyways, once our bench mark either found or created; we then set some stakes, with marks on them. I would try to set my grade stakes about 10 ft outside my building foot print, running down both sides, about every 25 ft. We are talking about 40 ft (+10 and +10; so 60 ft total distance between stakes). You can string line that, IF you have a helper, but you can't pull tight enough by just lopping the string on the lathe and pulling. So, maybe you can get some help 1 time; to set grade stakes, and pull a Tight string, and set mid point stakes. Now, we have stakes creating a cross section every 25 ft down the slab, with the outside (off set 10 ft) and a mid point stake, you can solo string to your hearts content.
If you prefer, it's not hard to just use a 4 ft level on each grade stake, level out, and use a paint wand to paint F .3 or C .5 or +1 whatever your preferred system is.
I dont trust a string level, they just have too much slack to be reliable, IMO
I'm going to make a few assumptions. 1) we don't necessarily have a hard, accurate, finished floor elevation that we have to make?
So, once we select our instrument; we need a "bench mark". If we truly aren't interested in "103.5 ft above sea level" and we just want "same elevation as the house", we can use a very defined, set point; that could be a nail and disc in the road, a well defined corner of the house, the top of a well casing, ect. If we dont have that existing, we need to create one (outside the grading area). We can drive a piece of pipe into the group, we can put a rail road spike in a tree, but we need to make sure we set One semi permanent point that we always go back too. If you are close to a road, there might already be one that you can research or find the elevation of.
Anyways, once our bench mark either found or created; we then set some stakes, with marks on them. I would try to set my grade stakes about 10 ft outside my building foot print, running down both sides, about every 25 ft. We are talking about 40 ft (+10 and +10; so 60 ft total distance between stakes). You can string line that, IF you have a helper, but you can't pull tight enough by just lopping the string on the lathe and pulling. So, maybe you can get some help 1 time; to set grade stakes, and pull a Tight string, and set mid point stakes. Now, we have stakes creating a cross section every 25 ft down the slab, with the outside (off set 10 ft) and a mid point stake, you can solo string to your hearts content.
If you prefer, it's not hard to just use a 4 ft level on each grade stake, level out, and use a paint wand to paint F .3 or C .5 or +1 whatever your preferred system is.
I dont trust a string level, they just have too much slack to be reliable, IMO
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paulsharvey
Elite Member
A picture that might explain what I mean better, with the Benchmark being away from the area you work, and then the stakes being the Xs along the sides and down the middle.
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paulsharvey
Elite Member
So, when you set the grade stakes around the perimeter, there are kinda 2 schools of thought on how far to offset them; 1 school of thought, keep them out of the way and protected (5-10 ft away), and the opposite, keep them close so that you can quickly check with a 4 ft level, and use a 2-3 ft off set. My feeling is, it depends on the ammount of cut/fill you are doing; if we are moving less than a foot of soil, 3 ft off set works well; but if we are dumping dozens od truck loads of fill to build our building pad, I would prefer to keep my stacks back 5-10 ft, so I'm not running then over
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scootr
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We used whiskers or feathers on grade stakes set at grade, red for cut, blue for fill. Usually set 10 ft apart, pretty easy to cut and fill as needed. These stakes were at finished grade, set with a laser level. Grade like a professional. Get professional results.
www.karaco.com
When making a building pad always consider drainage. Big roofs create big runoffs, more drainage is better than a little when the SHTF as it does occasionally.
6" Survey Stake Chaser / Marking Whisker - Pack of 100/1000
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www.karaco.com
When making a building pad always consider drainage. Big roofs create big runoffs, more drainage is better than a little when the SHTF as it does occasionally.
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paulsharvey
Elite Member
One additional point, if my assumption that a true accurate elevation isn't needed is false, and for flood zone, building department, whatever, you truly need your finished floor to be at 103.50 ft, within a narrow tolerance, it's worth it probably to have a surveyor set you at least your corners.
paulsharvey
Elite Member
Here are some very basic things about using a Lock Level, stolen from the Earthwork Self Study book.
OP
mike0000
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Thanks to everyone for all the help. I’m just leveling up a pad to build a pole barn with a concrete floor in the next year or so. The area doesn’t need to be the same elevation as any other building.
I like the idea of pins outside the building area that I can occasionally stretch a string between to see how things are progressing. No worries about flooding, final grade will allow for water run off.
I like the idea of pins outside the building area that I can occasionally stretch a string between to see how things are progressing. No worries about flooding, final grade will allow for water run off.