Boundary Surveys
A boundary survey involves locating the property lines and the physical monuments that mark the property corners of land as described in a deed. This is a formal method of determining boundary lines between properties, aka “property lines”. A boundary survey is often done before the purchase of a piece of property, but they are also conducted when properties are subdivided when significant renovations and add-ons are going to be done to structures on the property, and also when a piece of land is going to have new structures built on it. The corners of the property are a key component of a boundary survey which will be clearly marked and by your land surveyor.
Boundary Surveys can be broken down into many subtypes, the most common being:
Boundary Retracement
Exemption Surveys
Subdivisions
Dependent Resurveys
Independent Resurveys
Cadastral Surveys
Certified Federal Surveys
Native Land Surveys
Fence Line Surveys
Certificates Of Survey
ATLA/NSPS Land Title Surveys
Property Line Surveys
Boundary Line Adjustment Surveys
Easement Surveys
Amended Subdivision Plats
Right-of-way Surveys
Site Plan and Subdivision Platting
When you hire Lammons Land Surveying to do a boundary survey for you, the information you’ll receive can include:
Existing structures and improvements
Existing fences
Easement and Right-of-Way locations
Legal descriptions
Property line locations
Definitive lot limits
Lot acreage and dimensions
Precise corner locations
A boundary survey by Lammons Land Surveying will begin by researching historical surveys and title records to find additional information that can serve as proof of the boundary limits. Next is the fieldwork stage where your surveyor will carefully inspect the land, searching for physical evidence and data with which to define the property boundaries. All property corners monuments will be found or set, and clearly marked in the field to show these property boundaries.
Once the fieldwork is complete, the information collected is compared with the historical record research data and reconciled. This is when several factors are finalized:
Acreage
Encroachments
Corner locations
Easements
Rights of way
Covenants and Restrictions
From there, conclusions are reached about the property limits and more fieldwork may be conducted. Finally, a full report and drawing is completed and legally recorded per county, state, and/or federal requirements.
Boundary surveys are required for any division of land and are considered good practice before buying a piece of property to ensure the limits of the property can be defended should any disputes arise in the future. It is for this same reason that a boundary survey will come in handy before completing any improvements on the lot, as well as prior to subdividing it or building on it. An official boundary survey can prevent lawsuits, boundary disputes, and the potential of having to tear down a building and start in a new location. Often, lenders will require a boundary survey to protect their investment.
The price of a boundary survey can vary depending on various factors. These factors include:
- The size of the land being surveyed
- The accessibility of the terrain
- The ease of research
- The state of the vegetation on the land
- The location of the land
- The season
- The reason for the survey
The Size of the Land
A larger parcel of land is going to take longer to survey, which will, in turn, cost more than a smaller piece of land.
The Accessibility of the Terrain
If the land being surveyed is rugged and difficult to traverse, a survey is going to take more time and end up with a higher cost than a survey on flat, accessible land.
The Ease of Research
If the research required to complete the survey is particularly difficult, this can extend the time and the cost of a boundary survey.
The State of the Vegetation
Vegetation can impede the progress of a survey requiring more equipment and time to complete. As such, the state of the vegetation on the property can be a factor that determines the cost of your boundary survey.
The Location of the Land
If the surveyed land is off the grid, difficult to access or even in a high-traffic area, your land survey can require more time than usual, which will affect the final cost of the survey. Further, if Lammons Land Surveying needs to travel large distances to reach the land being surveyed, that can also affect the cost.
The Season
As with any outdoor work, surveys are always easiest when the sun is shining and the temperature is mild. A winter survey amid feet of snow and frozen conditions could require more equipment and time and will have an effect on the cost.
The Reason for the Survey
Different types of surveys have different requirements and related costs. Depending on why you need your survey conducted by Lammons Land Surveying, it could come with outside fees and other associated costs.
It’s always important to ensure you’re hiring the right land surveyor to do your boundary survey. Someone who has experience and certification behind them is going to be a safer bet in the long run because an unreliable boundary survey can cause immense complications in the future. When a boundary survey is unreliable, you could face boundary disputes, loss of income, code violations and issues with deeds, titles, and transfer of ownership
If you are in need of a boundary survey of any kind, get in touch with Lammons Land Surveying today and we’ll take it from there!