How Emlid Flow site survey app powered a 70-acre construction project

Accurate positioning, reliable data, and smooth coordination between field and office are essential at every stage of a project, from initial survey to final validation. The site survey app Emlid Flow supports this end-to-end workflow with the various tools, including COGO ones, designed for precision and real-time collaboration.

In this post, we share how Michael Lambert and his team at ADM Geomatics applied Emlid tools throughout a large multi-building office development project from the initial topographic survey and clash detection to the final as-built verification.

Setting the stage for smooth execution

Michael Lambert, VDC Manager at ADM Geomatics, began work on the project nearly a year before construction started. The project spanned a 70-acre site planned for the development of several office buildings.

Michael’s initial focus was on collecting all essential design files to capture the existing data on-site—CAD survey control, building models, and other related datasets. First, this data was used to prepare BIM models for clash detection, helping the team identify conflicts between systems, such as plumbing and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), before construction began. Second, it supported planning site logistics, including equipment access, parking zones, and material storage areas.

Using Reach RS3 and Emlid Flow site survey app, the team efficiently captured all the features directly in the field. The collected data was synced in real time to Emlid Flow 360, making it immediately accessible for review and coordination. From this data, the team generated detailed terrain and topo models that served as the foundation for design planning. It ensured that future layout and construction activities were based on accurate, up-to-date site conditions.

Michael noted that with the combination of accuracy and cost-effectiveness in an environment where most tools are rented, Emlid provided a flexible alternative for long-term use.

Bridging CAD design and on-site reality

Once the topographic survey was complete, Michael’s team was ready to begin layout activities across the site to define how the planned infrastructure would fit into the existing landscape. The ability to load and reference CAD design files in the field has already made a significant impact.

“Just having the CAD linework is huge,” Michael explained. “On a site this size, with multiple structures and utilities, it’s easy to lose your bearings when all you see are a thousand stakeout points. The visual context CAD provides is critical.”

Combined with surface staking, it allows the team to load the design surface, walk the site, and understand where major cuts and fills will occur. This insight is critical: moving material can be either a major cost or a significant efficiency gain. Material logistics play a big role in construction. The goal is to reuse on-site material as much as possible, minimizing the need to haul it in or out. Michael adds that being able to walk the site and see cut and fill values in real time while looking at the physical terrain is a great way to manage where materials need to go. Efficient staging—keeping materials accessible but out of the way—is key to smooth progress and cost control.

Emlid Flow supports both CAD-based stakeout and surface staking, allowing crews to locate geometries and elevations directly from uploaded design files or survey data. Layered views and code libraries further streamlined collaboration across teams, helping everyone stay on the same page as the project moved forward.

Making sure the build matches the design

As construction progresses, ensuring that what’s built matches the design becomes a key priority. Emlid Flow as construction survey software provides multiple ways to validate completed work directly in the field.

ADM Geomatics used Inverse and Traverse tools in Emlid Flow site survey app to check key positions and elevations. Using these tools, one can compare measured points to design values with precision. This process gives project managers a clear view of how closely the construction aligns with the plan—and where any deviations may exist. Whether for internal quality control, client documentation, or regulatory compliance, these tools help teams efficiently confirm that each element has been built to spec before handover.

Michaels notes, “Inverse is a great real-time tool for quick field validation. If you know the planned dimensions, you can shoot two points, run an inverse, and immediately check whether something was built to the specification, whether it’s two structures that need to be a certain distance apart or a wall that should be a set length from a reference point. It’s fast, simple, and really effective on-site.”

As-built work can take different forms depending on the stage of the project. For example, in land surveying, a formal ALTA survey often used for land title documentation includes locating property boundaries, fences, and underground utilities. That’s one type of as-built. In this project, the goal was as-built verification during construction, followed later by final documentation to confirm that the site was built according to plan.

From site planning to final as-builts: streamline every step with Emlid

Nowadays, projects involve more than just collecting coordinates—they demand fast, accurate collaboration across teams, devices, and phases. Whether you’re planning logistics or validating final builds, Emlid building surveying software and Reach receivers help keep your workflow connected and efficient from start to finish.

Here’s what you can achieve using Emlid Flow with the Survey plan and Reach receivers:

• Sync and manage your data between the field and the office using Emlid Flow & Emlid Flow 360—no need to transfer files manually.
• Plan and visualize the site using CAD files, terrain models, and background maps.
• Align your project to the real world with on-site calibration using the Localization tool.
• Stake out design elements directly from CAD linework and surface models with real-time GNSS feedback.
• Capture accurate as-built data using field tools like Inverse and Traverse for validation and documentation.
• Guide machinery with precision by integrating Reach receivers into machine control systems via external radios.