There are few tasks in surveying that carry more onerous responsibilities than setting out. The financial cost of mistakes can be horrendous and completely out of proportion to the perceived value of the task. Setting out is just one part of a complex series of processes which spans the whole project from inception to final construction and beyond. Accurate and efficient setting out is essential if any civil engineering project is to meet the stringent financial targets imposed upon it by modern construction systems.

The management of setting out in construction highlights the links between the various activities, indicating where setting out features, and how it fits into the overall construction process. It also discuss the advantages and pitfalls of the increasingly widespread use of global positioning systems (GPS) instruments in providing control for projects, and how this will revolutionise the way in which setting out is performed in the future.

This new design and practice guide has been produced by members of both the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors. All have extensive experience in the engineering surveying process for all types of civil engineering works both in the UK and overseas. This guide is an extremely valuable reference document, providing comprehensive guidance to engineers and surveyors involved in the planning, design and execution of a construction project.