Scope before quote

The field reality sets the price.

A useful quote starts with a useful scope. Here is how SureTrace separates a focused locate from a multi-site program or a high-consequence infrastructure corridor — and what changes the cost inside each envelope.

Scope register
Three variables shape the envelope
01Footprint and site count
02Utility density and disciplines
03Evidence depth and access window
01 / Scope envelopes

Start with the shape of the work.

The tier is a starting envelope, not a substitute for a site conversation. The same team can scale from one focused locate to a coordinated corridor program when the footprint and evidence requirement call for it.

01Tier
Single-locate
A defined site question with a focused field visit.
  • One site visit
  • One utility class or focused locate question
  • QL-D record or existing-information review
Typical output

PDF field sketch

Best fit for a contained decision, a small excavation area, or a first-pass site question.

02Tier
Multi-locate
A roster of sites, disciplines, or days that needs a repeatable field rhythm.
  • Multi-day or multi-site roster
  • Multi-discipline sweep across the defined footprint
  • QL-C/B work with coordinated field notes
Typical output

ASCE 38-compliant .dwg / .kmz

Best fit for programs with multiple work fronts, recurring crews, or a wider utility mix.

03Tier
Complex infrastructure
High-consequence work where crossings, congestion, and evidence depth drive the plan.
  • Multi-bore crossings and congested corridors
  • ASCE 38 QL-B targets
  • Methodology-led field evidence for design or construction decisions
Typical output

Multi-discipline composite

Best fit when the record must hold up across disciplines, stakeholders, and a longer project life.

02 / Price-up factors

More field complexity means more time in the evidence.

Cost moves when the field team must work slower, coordinate more carefully, or produce a deeper record. These are the conditions we look for before we put a number on the page.

Dense or uncertain subsurface conditions that require more investigation time

Congested utility corridors with overlapping signals, crossings, or access constraints

Night work, shift work, escorts, or a schedule that compresses field access

03 / Cost controls

A clean site plan protects the budget.

The fastest way to hold a scope steady is to make the field conditions legible before mobilization. Open access, a daytime window, and clear marks all give the team more room to do careful work efficiently.

Price-down factors
  • Open corridors with clear access and room to work methodically
  • Daytime access with a predictable site contact and workable sequence
  • Pre-marked sites, usable records, and a defined area of concern before mobilization
04 / Deliverables

The record should match the decision.

Each scope tier ends with a usable artifact. The format follows the evidence depth: a concise field record for a contained question, coordinated geometry for a broader program, or a composite that can travel with complex infrastructure work.

01 / Single-locate
PDF field sketch

A clear PDF sketch for the immediate field or excavation decision.

See the scope envelope
02 / Multi-locate
ASCE 38-compliant .dwg / .kmz

ASCE 38-compliant .dwg/.kmz geometry for coordination across the program.

See the scope envelope
03 / Complex infrastructure
Multi-discipline composite

A multi-discipline composite that keeps crossings, corridors, and evidence in one view.

See the scope envelope
Ready to put a boundary around it?

Give us the footprint, the constraints, and the decision ahead.

We will recommend the right scope envelope and explain the evidence level behind it. For the standards behind complex-infrastructure work, start with the methodology papers.