Land Surveying is considered the second oldest profession in the world and more over it is an integral part of communities across the globe. Land Surveyors are highly trained professional that use their skills in mathematics, physics and cartography to complete their very precise work. Anyone who is developing property, either residential or commercial, needs a land survey company as it helps to plan and organize the development by taking into account the shape of the land. It is also important from a legal standpoint. Land surveying helps to establish property ownership and define boundaries between land owned by one person and the next.
If you are buying residential property, you should know whether your new neighbors are encroaching onto the property, or maybe the previous owner of the property you are buying was encroaching onto the neighbor’s property. You are unknowingly walking into an existing boundary dispute. This is basic due diligence that often is not practiced until disputes arise. For these reasons, it is also a good idea to have your property surveyed if you plan to sell. It is becoming more popular that a potential buyer wants a survey prior to purchase, which can sometimes hold up a sale. Have a survey completed and provide the map as part of your marketing material for potential buyers.
A good survey equals good neighbors. Knowing where your property boundaries are, on the ground, can be invaluable. Imagine this: you hire a fence contractor to install a fence on your property; you meet the contractor on site and show the crew where you want the fence built. You head off to work and they begin. You get home from work, excited to see the progress on your fence. You are inspecting their work and here comes your neighbor and he/she does not look happy… You can see where this story is going.
As friendly as your neighbors are, people get protective when it comes to boundary lines. A survey will identify the shared boundary and the fence can be built on that line without question. Knowing where the boundary is prior to building the fence will avoid future conflicts and costly fence relocations.
In understanding differences between land and boundary surveys, a land survey is an all-encompassing term. Land surveys are broad, and there are many different types available for landowners depending on the project they’re trying to complete. In contrast, a boundary survey is a type of land survey.
Boundary surveys are relatively straightforward to complete. The main goal of a boundary survey is to measure property lines. If you need a survey that measures other things, such as elevation, then you’ll need to request a different type of land survey.
More often than not, the person who pays for a boundary survey is the one who requests it. While there are certain exceptions to this rule, on general principle, if you want a land survey done, you have to pay for it yourself. Thus, there’s very little reason to compel another party to pay for a boundary survey unless there’s a good legal reason to do so.
If you need to find your property boundaries, the best way to do so is to consult with local records about the land you own. If there are none available, you should hire a land surveyor to determine where your property boundaries are accurately. Even though you can technically measure the boundaries yourself, it’s still best to get a professional to help you.
Getting a land survey done can cost anywhere from a couple hundred to more than a thousand dollars. It all depends on:
The size of your property
The scale of your project
The type of survey you need
The terrain of the land
Any special requests or additional data you need
For the most accurate estimate of how much your land survey will cost, it’s best to talk with experienced land surveyors. Most land surveying services will offer you a free estimate to learn more about how much you’ll have to pay.
