LA Landscape key terms

A written record compiled near substantial completion that lists incomplete or defective work the contractor must correct before final payment and closeout are approved.

The stage when the work is sufficiently finished for the owner to use it for its intended purpose, triggering warranty start, retainage release, and punch list work.

A percentage of each payment withheld by the owner until the project reaches substantial or final completion, protecting against unfinished work or liens.

A written modification signed by owner and contractor that adjusts contract scope, price, or schedule after the agreement is executed.

A written owner instruction ordering a change before price and time are agreed, used when work must proceed and negotiation cannot wait.

A formal written question from the contractor seeking clarification of drawings or specifications, answered by the design professional and logged as a project record.

A statutory claim recorded against a property by contractors or suppliers who were not paid, allowing forced sale to satisfy the debt.

A document in which a contractor or supplier gives up the right to file a lien, often required before each progress or final payment is released.

The systematic collection of existing physical, biological, and regulatory data about a site, forming the factual base for analysis and design decisions.

The interpretation of inventory data to identify opportunities, constraints, and relationships that shape a site's program and design concept.

A mapping method that overlays site attributes such as slope, soils, and drainage to rank land areas for a proposed use.

A scaled drawing of existing site conditions, including contours, boundaries, utilities, and improvements, on which design work is overlaid.

A line on a plan connecting points of equal elevation; spacing between contours indicates slope steepness and direction of drainage.

A point labeled with its exact elevation, used to define grades at corners, inlets, and other locations that contours cannot describe precisely.

The planned reshaping of ground surfaces by cutting and filling to achieve desired elevations, drainage, and usable space.

The balance of soil removed from high areas and placed in low areas to reach design elevations, ideally minimizing off-site hauling.

The final elevation and surface condition of the ground after construction, shown on grading plans and verified before planting or paving.

An intermediate earthwork elevation, typically within a few tenths of a foot of finish grade, prepared before topsoil placement and fine shaping.

Temporary storage of runoff in a basin or vault that releases it slowly, reducing peak flows to downstream channels and sewers.

Permanent storage of runoff that does not discharge to surface waters, instead infiltrating, evaporating, or being reused on site.

A structural or nonstructural technique used to control stormwater pollution and volume, such as bioswales, rain gardens, or silt fences.

The speed at which water moves into soil, usually expressed in inches per hour, governing the feasibility of infiltration-based stormwater practices.

A field test measuring how quickly water drops in a test hole, used to size infiltration systems and evaluate septic drainfields.

The relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay particles in soil, which control drainage, water holding, and workability.

The arrangement of soil particles into aggregates or peds, affecting porosity, root penetration, and resistance to compaction.

The densification of soil by mechanical pressure, reducing pore space and water movement; often a construction damage requiring remediation.

The upper soil layer richest in organic matter and biological activity, typically stripped, stockpiled, and respread during site construction.

A planting area grouped by similar water needs, allowing irrigation to be scheduled by zone rather than uniformly across the landscape.

Landscape design that reduces or eliminates supplemental irrigation through appropriate plant selection, soil improvement, and efficient watering methods.

The share of applied water actually reaching plant root zones, improved through matched precipitation, pressure regulation, and scheduling adjustments.

A written project document describing materials, workmanship, and execution requirements, organized by divisions or sections and read with the drawings.

A large-scale drawing showing how assemblies are built, including dimensions, materials, connections, and tolerances not visible on general plans.

A view cut through a site or structure showing vertical relationships, such as wall construction, grades, and buried utilities.

Marked-up drawings recording the actual constructed conditions, including field changes, dimensions, and locations, submitted at project closeout.

A clean final set prepared by the design professional incorporating as-built information, often retained for future maintenance and renovation reference.

Contract provisions defining the rights, duties, and procedures of owner, contractor, and design professional, including payment, changes, and dispute resolution.

Local law regulating land use, density, setbacks, height, and other development standards for parcels within a municipality.

The minimum required distance between a structure or improvement and a property line, lot line, or waterway established by code.

A regulatory cap on the percentage of a site that may be covered by roofs, pavement, or other surfaces that block infiltration.

A protected strip of land along a waterway, wetland, or property edge that limits disturbance and filters runoff before it reaches sensitive areas.

The field determination of wetland boundaries using vegetation, soils, and hydrology criteria, often required before permitting work near waters.

A federal authorization required before discharging dredged or fill material into navigable waters, including many wetlands, in the United States.