No one learns to grade and drain sites without practice. Site grading involves so many factors you will have to try to grade a site iteratively. Expect to "go around in circles". It is normal. Experience should make the circles smaller and shorter. If you can't visualize a site from a topo map or do simple multiplication in your head, learn. If you don't get a feel for grading in 3 to 6 months (it stops being impossible and starts being a routine) then try a different career.
When you even start to think you may want to do a scope and fee for grading a site there are some initial steps you should take. Learn where the site is. Get the codes and design manuals for the government where the site is. In order to get a building permit your plans will need to be reviewed by these people. Ask for the drainage, grading and sensitive areas codes and the road standards or equivalents. Also ask for all the design manuals that are applicable. In addition get all the mapping you can. Read through it all and ask questions if you need to.
Understand all this stuff so you understand the level of effort that will be required before you submit a scope and fee. Look at the site and surroundings too. Look for potential fatal flaws (wetlands and other sensitive areas, closed depression, bad up or downstream drainage systems, or zoning limitations.) You must be able to advise the client of problems as soon as you can find them. You must have an adequate fee for the level of effort that will be required. Yow must also be able to advise up front if other experts will be required (wetland biologists, geotechnical engineers, etc.)
Don't do a scope and fee without design experience. If you do, you will lose money or have unhappy clients or both.
You will often be handed a site plan with the building, parking and walks already laid out by the architect. Some architects work with the site, but others are oblivious to the site topography. Put simply, you may get a site layout that ignores the elevation differences on the site or other problems (intrusions into sensitive areas). Again, you must be able to see the problems or potential for problems and inform the client.
In general, if you see a problem, don't hide or ignore it, make it known to the client. It is usually possible to do so in a neutral manner that doesn't appear to be all "doom and gloom". Remember, problems usually don't go away by themselves. If they did, you wouldn't have a job. Be sure to document this stuff in writing. This includes keeping logs of phone conversations. Put your logs, memos and letters in the project directories or files.
If you find deal with problems up front you will have happier clients. If you document everything you do to identify and resolve a problem, you can ensure you will be happier too.
Someone somewhere will try to convince you to split the design of grading and drainage apart. Don't. Grading and drainage in any environment that has rain are tied together with the closest of bonds. Together they determine how water flows on a site. They must be coordinated and done correctly in order to avoid damage the client's buildings or other facilities. Failure to consider these factors together can result in water flowing into a building, or damage to your site or other people's buildings or property.
Site grading is usually done prior to laying out the drainage piping. The first step is to route the water overland as the surface allows. Second, route the flows in subsurface pipes from catch basins to your pond or downstream system. I'd suggest reading the section on grading next.
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