Ludlow Engineering and Land Survey

Land survey engineers in Pensacola are extremely familiar with ALTA standards, but their customers have probably never heard of them. ALTA, or the American Land Title Association, was founded in 1907 represents companies that deal with the abstracts of title or title insurance, and is a national organization.

ALTA memberships are very common among title insurance companies, but not strictly required. Their “Principles of Fair Conduct” that all members must follow, ensures that all companies provide a fair workplace. Some time ago, ALTA and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) came together to produce a set of standards that were to be adopted across the United States promoting uniformity in all of the surveying information in America. Boundary surveys that meet the minimum requirements set forth by ALTA are considered ALTA standard surveys.

The standards were adopted to reduce or prevent the potential risk of real estate transactions. The ALTA standards are the most detailed and reliable in the USA and are therefore the most reliable. The landowner really should not be without one. ALTA standard surveys are given much more credibility than just a simple deed to the property. The land survey map itself must also conform to several rules, including specifications about the scale and symbols on the map. It must be clearly and conveniently located on the map. The graphic scale should be in feet or meters, but in the best cases, both.

The list of features that must be included on an ALTA survey standard map is quite long. Some of the things that must be included on the map are: driveways, alleyways, cemeteries, burial grounds, ponds, springs, lakes and rivers. Any walls, fences, buildings and other physical improvements five feet either side of the boundary line must be included on the survey map, and also their condition must be noted. Fire escapes, bay windows, doors that open out, cornices, steps and stoops must also be included as projections from the structure.

ALTA survey standards are very detailed and precise – and land surveyors need to spend a lot of time learning the methods required. The ALTA website and their headquarters in Washington D.C. have documents outlining the requirements for ALTA surveys, and these are updated regularly. Your survey engineer in Pensacola is fully informed about ALTA, and if you have any additional questions contact them.

About the Author:
James Parker is an Engineer in Pensacola. He specializes in writing content for various Pensacola engineer firms such as Gulf Coast Engineers.

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  Surveying or land surveying is the technique, art, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them. These points are usually on the surface of the Earth, and they are often used to establish land maps and boundaries for ownership or governmental purposes.

To accomplish their objective, surveyors use elements of geometry, engineering, trigonometry, mathematics, physics, and law.

An alternative definition, per the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM), is the science and art of making all essential measurements to determine the relative position of points and/or physical and cultural details above, on, or beneath the surface of the Earth, and to depict them in a usable form, or to establish the position of points and/or details.   (Wikipedia)

As a Land surveyor in the State of Utah, the above definition is an accurate description. In addition, the land Surveyor researches old documents and survey data from the times of the pioneers through the late 1800′s. The surveyor needs to locate points on the ground called Section corners, that were set back in these times for the control of a land boundary survey. This sometimes requires hours of research and planning. The old records will sometimes describe the location of the section corner by reference to other physical features such as the top of a ridge, a ledge, a stream, a road, or old trail. Some of these features still exist and are used to help locate the section corner, which may be a stone, a post, mound, or other type of marker as described in the old record.

 The old methods of surveying were not entirely accurate. Sometimes the bearings and distances are considerably different on the ground from corner to corner than was stated in the old record. The law states the corner shall forever remain in the original position it was placed for the corner it was intended to represent, regardless of the error to record.

 Land Surveying in Utah and in all other States can sometimes be a complicated process. That is one reason why we need the talents and skills of the Professional Land Surveyors.

                                                                              Daryl N Penrod PLS, Utah

Are You in Utah – Get ALTA Survey Here

Ludlow Engineering and Land Surveying is registered in Utah, Idaho and Arizona.  We have spent a great deal of time in all three states and consider the opportunity to survey there a great one.

There have been many people ask the question about what a ALTA Survey really is.  I have found an article that gives us more detail and answers our question.  Please Enjoy!!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angela_Goldstein-Meyer