Landmark Surveying

When is a survey advisable?

What type of survey do I need?

What does a Boundary (Property) Survey involve?

What can a professional land surveyor do for you?

How much will a property survey cost?

What Information do I need to provide to my land surveyor?

When is a survey advisable? A survey should be performed when any of the following situations arise:

• Land is being transferred to a different owner and the property is not clearly defined by plat, description, survey markers, or occupation lines.
• Land is to be divided by land contract, will, deed, court order, or desire of the owner.
• Land is to be improved by the construction of buildings, out-buildings, roads, fences, lakes, etc.
• There is a boundary dispute between you and your neighbor or you believe someone is encroaching upon your land.
• There is a reason to believe the description, plat, or location of any property line or corner is incorrect.

What type of survey do I need? Different types of surveys include:

• Boundary (Property) Survey - A survey for the purpose of either showing an existing parcel of land or, when a new parcel of land is being created by either splitting or combining existing parcels, showing the new parcel(s). This involves locating, setting and/or restoring the corners, boundary lines, and/or easements of all relevant parcels of land.
• Topographic Survey - A survey locating topographic features, natural and man-made, such as buildings, improvements, fences, elevations, trees, streams, contours of the land, etc... This type of survey may be required by a governmental agency, or may be used by engineers and/or architects for the design of improvements or developments on a site.
• Subdivision Survey - A survey dividing a tract of land into smaller parcels in conformance with governing ordinances.
• Construction Survey - Construction staking to establish the correct location of proposed structures like roads, pipelines, buildings, and other improvements that are shown on engineering design plans.
• ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey - A survey for the purpose of supplying a title company or lender with data necessary for issuing title and/or mortgage insurance.
• Court Exhibit Survey - A survey analyzing various legal descriptions and survey maps, locating recorded and existing monuments and physical features, and mapping this information for the purpose of presenting a visual exhibit to be used in a courtroom.

What does a Boundary (Property) Survey involve?

The surveyor is required by law to make a diligent search for all written and physical evidence of the boundary lines. Once this is completed, the parcel can be located and/or identified. Then, the information is compiled into a written plat of survey. More specifically, the steps to produce a survey include:

• Research - The first step is to research written evidence which may locate the boundary lines of the parcel. This may be in the form of deeds, plats, road establishment records, road construction plans, original government surveys, railroad maps, and many others.
• Field Measurements - The next step is to locate monuments either in the corners of the parcel or that can be used to determine the boundary lines of the parcel. This search may include excavation in order to verify the existence of corner monuments. All relevant monuments are located in the field using GPS instruments.
• Marking Boundaries - If desired, your survey can mark the boundaries of a parcel with iron rods, flags, and/or stakes.
• Plat of Survey - The data from the field work is then compiled into a written plat of survey which shows the findings of the survey. This is given to you, the client, and, by law, it also must be filed with the country recorder of deeds.

What can a professional land surveyor do for you?

Your land surveyor renders a highly technical and complex service which, legally, can only be performed by a surveyor licensed in the state where the survey is needed. They:

• Are trained and required by law to thoroughly research
• Systematically find and locate field measurements using precision equipment
• Work up a complete picture of the survey
• Produce an accurate and clearly understood survey.
• If necessary, appear in court as an expert witness and/or provide written legal opinions in regards to disputes

None of these responsibilities are taken lightly

How much will a property survey cost?

This is probably the most frequently asked question, but depends on several factors including:

• Research - The amount of research required can vary based on what information is needed and available.
• Field Evidence - The presence and amount of iron rods, corner stones, occupation lines, and other monuments in the survey area aid the surveyor, and their absence makes the survey more difficult.
• Size and Shape - An irregularly-shaped tract of land has more corners and a longer perimeter than a square containing the same area.
• Terrain & Accessibility - A level, open field is much easier to survey than a wooded, hilly tract of land.
• Excavation - Monuments may be buried and may require excavation. Additionally, In the case where excavation is required to find a section corner monument, the assistance of the county surveyor and/or engineer may be required.
• Sectionalized Survey Work - Depending on the survey, a survey of the entire section (+- 640 Acres), or even of additional adjacent sections may be required to determine property lines.
• Legal Description - Often the legal description to be surveyed or that of the neighboring properties may be too vague, incomplete, contradictory, or mathematically inaccurate.
• Complexity - The amount and complexity of the data that needs to be conveyed on the resulting Plat of Survey will affect how long the surveyor will need to work to compile it.

All of these factors will be considered as the surveyor estimates the amount of time they will need to complete your survey. The surveyor will then give you a quote or a possible range of cost based on this.

A surveyor should be selected based on competency, reputation, education, and experience. Competitive bidding for the lowest price does not always prove to be in the best interest of the client.

What Information do I need to provide to my land surveyor?

• Goals - Most importantly, you need to convey why it is you are looking for a survey to be performed. You need to clearly communicate what your end goal is. For example, if you are building a fence and you need to know where your property line is or if there are any encroachments or easements, the surveyor needs to know this so they can clearly mark it for you. Or, If you are splitting a parcel of land into two, you will need to show the surveyor precisely where in the field you want it split. Communicating your goals can help the surveyor focus on what you need and eliminate unnecessary steps that can add a lot of time and effort to the process.
• Legal Description (Deed) - The first piece of information your surveyor will need is a legal description. If you have a property deed, providing that for the surveyor can save time and effort. This can also be found on an Abstract or a Title Insurance Policy, but ultimately, the deed should be consulted.

What Information do I need to provide to my land surveyor?

• Goals - Most importantly, you need to convey why it is you are looking for a survey to be performed. You need to clearly communicate what your end goal is. For example, if you are building a fence and you need to know where your property line is or if there are any encroachments or easements, the surveyor needs to know this so they can clearly mark it for you. Or, If you are splitting a parcel of land into two, you will need to show the surveyor precisely where in the field you want it split. Communicating your goals can help the surveyor focus on what you need and eliminate unnecessary steps that can add a lot of time and effort to the process.
• Legal Description (Deed) - The first piece of information your surveyor will need is a legal description. If you have a property deed, providing that for the surveyor can save time and effort. This can also be found on an Abstract or a Title Insurance Policy, but ultimately, the deed should be consulted.