How To Make Sure A Building Is Square and Plumb: My Tool List

What tools and equipment do I use on the daily to make sure a building is square and plumb?

I use a total station and builders level to locate the structural elements. As for layout of said structural elements, I use a variety of smaller hand tools to make sure each element in the building is square and plumb. I will describe all of these items more in depth below.

The Survey and Control Equipment list:

• Total Station: A modern total station does many things, it combines the job of a theodolite with the ability to measure distance. A total station is an electronic optical piece of equipment used for surveying and construction. This instrument is used to measure both vertical and horizontal angles, direct or sloped distances from the instrument to a particular point. In addition, a total station is also capable of storing the collected data and processing it however you need. A total station is used in tandem with a Prism or Target Card. Without either of these items a total station is mostly useless.
• Prism/Peanut Prism: A prism is a reflector placed on a tripod over a specific point and is used as a target for distance measurement using a total station. The total station measures the time it takes for the light to travel from itself to the prism and back. Then, The total station uses this duration and converts it to a distance. A prism is useless without a total station.

How Do You Measure Elevations?

• Builders Level (aka Surveyors level or Dumpy level): Similarly, This is another optical instrument used to establish or verify points in the same horizontal plane in a process known as levelling, and is used in tandem with a grade rod to establish the relative height levels of objects or points. It is used in surveying and construction to measure height differences and to transfer, measure, and set heights of known objects or marks. A Builders level is useless without a Grade rod.
• Grade Rod (aka levelling rod or staff): A Grade rod is a graduated wood or aluminum rod, used with a Builders Level to measure the difference in height above two points. A grade rod is useless without a Builders level.

• Laser Level: In construction, the laser level is a control tool consisting of a rotating laser beam mounted on a tripod. Most laser levels are self-leveling and project a beam in a plane about the horizontal and/or vertical axis. Most laser levels have a receiving counterpart. This receiver is placed on a grade rod to tell you precisely at what plane the laser is projecting onto.

What’s In My Tool Bag?

The self-explanatory tools are:

• Hammer
• Pliers
• Cut Resistant Gloves
• Nails
• Carpenters pencil and other marking pens
• Bubble Level

Slightly more unique tools that you might not see every day are:

• Chalk and Chalk Line: a tool for marking long, straight lines on a flat surface. Usually between two points.
• String Line: A yarn string used between to control points to denotate where certain elements are supposed to go.
• Construction Calculator: A regular calculator with the capability to do math in Feet-Inches rather than only decimal Feet.
• Speed Square: A tool that combines a Try Square, Miter Square, Protractor, Line Scriber, & Saw Guide into one handy tool.
• Target Card: A small card with an X on it used to guide a surveyor when measuring angles with a total station.
• Engineers Ruler: A foldable ruler with both decimal Feet and Feet-Inches markings on it. Basically a smaller version of a Grade rod.

There ya go! With the right tools any job can be done efficiently and effectively. These happen to be the ones I use. To recap, how do I make sure my building is square and plumb? When creating control around my structure and locating my elements, I use a total station and Builders level. However, to layout location, size, and height of these elements, I use my smaller hand tools as described above.

If you have any more questions or want me to further clarify something please leave a comment below! In case you want to read a previous post, please click here. The previous post discusses using the Pareto Principle to build up your wealth.

Thank you,

– E J