A licensed surveyor will research the documents available about your land, including tax maps, deeds, filed maps and previous surveys that are filed in the respective county seat. Then, the property will be physically measured, usually measuring each location several times, averaging the results to determine its true position. These dimensions will be compared against the previous records to determine if there are any discrepancies. At this point, a certified map will be drawn, showing any existing structures, driveways, walks, walls, fences, pools, hedgerows etc. and their relationship to the property line. If Stakes are ordered, various points on the land will be marked, usually using iron rods or concrete monuments so the owner can see exactly where his/her boundaries and property corners are. Staking the property also makes re-surveying of the land easier if it needs to be done at some point in the future.
Although a survey may seem unnecessary, there are many instances in which a survey is required or recommended in order to prevent confusion or possible legal problems in the future. Banks, funding agencies and mortgage companies often require a survey in order to protect their interest in the property.
Before building any permanent structures, such as a house, fence or shed, or installing a new septic system, pool or driveway, near the edges of land that you own, it would be useful to have a surveyor mark your property
lines. There are many things to keep in mind when building a permanent structure, such as easements, set backs, and other requirements which will be marked on your new land survey map.
You might also consider having a survey done if you are planning to sell your property. Acreage, shorelines and road frontage are three selling points that can be measured by a surveyor and will make your property
more marketable.
A survey map will help you visualize exactly what the property looks like and contains, and it also gives you a type of protection. It will highlight any encroachments there may be onto your property and will help to identify
any other irregularities that may result in possible future legal disputes.
The surveyor assumes full professional responsibility for the accuracy of the survey and therefore may serve as an expert witness in court. In this way, a new survey enhances your title insurance policy.
When a professional survey is completed, the property lines as established by the licensed surveyor become the legal boundaries of the property. These boundary lines do not usually differ significantly from the previously accepted boundaries, but that
is not always the case.
An old survey does not always reflect current existing conditions and is therefore it is not recommended to rely on one.
Yes, there are different surveys to cater for different needs.
You can find more detailed information on our services page here.
Stake out of property vs. a maps only title survey
Banks and mortgage companies require a survey map, they do not require a property to be physically staked. What most clients do not realize is
that the staking process requires a second trip to the property and therefore costs more.
It is however entirely understandable that a client would assume that a “survey” would include a survey map and physical staking of the parcel boundaries. Your surveyor should be very clear about the cost and
time difference and discuss with you the pros and cons of staking the property. It is often recommended that a client walk their new property with map in hand. If the property has obvious physical features such as fences,
stone walls, buildings etc. shown on the survey, one can deduce the proximity of the lot lines. If these features do not exist, or if the client feels they need a better understanding of the lot lines, stakes can be
requested before or after the purchase of the property (closing) is completed.
The cost of a new survey is influenced by many factors. Some of which are, the type of survey required, the size, location and terrain of the property. Therefore, the cost of each survey is quoted on an individual basis.