The team used some of the GPS system's components and specialized computer software back at the office for making up the proposal. The Leica Geosystems equipment used included a GPS 1200 Base Station and a GPS 1200 Rover to help layout the revised topographic maps. "We had to be sure that the originally designed topo[graphic] made by the engineering company was held in the same balance when making ours. The Leica [Geosystems] equipment coupled with our computer software enabled us to do the project in a minimum of time and effort yet with great precision," says Ploskonka.

The bottom line to this nine-inch lowering of the grade saved the owner one-million dollars in site construction costs. The reason is, the original design necessitated importing a considerable quantity of backfill from distant borrow pits. The nine-inch lowering of the grade was not chosen arbitrarily but was the precise grade needed to ensure no excavated ground need be exported or additional ground need be imported.

JRi was able to increase the profits on this project too because the GradeSmart 3D GPS system enabled the company to carry out all the cut/fill and grade activities without stakes. Ientile says that reduced surveying labor by $119,000 dollars. "This one 20-week project paid for most of the capital investment we have in the Leica [Geosystems GradeSmart 3D] GPS system. Projecting this cost savings rate, we can pay for the second new GPS system in less than year. We already have a 45-acre project that will be started in April," said Ientile.