Land, Property, and Boundary Surveys Are All The Same
Although they are often call different things, these types of surveys are pretty much one and the same.
A Land Survey, is a mathematical closure of real property located in various breaks or systems. They can be part of a Townsite. They can be part of a commercial subdivision, residential subdivision, block, and more.
There are different types of land surveys that help us to understand and map the Earth. Boundary surveys are one of the most common forms of land surveys and they play an important part in every day society.
What is a Boundary Survey?
Boundary surveys are a type of land survey used to establish the boundaries of a parcel of land using its legal description.
The method of creating boundary surveys usually involves setting or finding previous markers or monuments along the lines and in the corners of the land parcel. These markers range from iron rods and concrete blocks to something as discreet as a stick or stone.
Using these markers, the land surveyor can draw up a map or plat that represents the location of these markers and in turn the boundaries of the land.
In some circumstances the boundary markers may have been vandalized, eroded away or simply buried over time. This can mean that the boundary surveyor needs to use other methods to create the boundary survey. Methods can include looking for fence locations, monuments on neighboring property, wood lines and other evidence.
What are they used for?
Boundary surveys have a variety of purposes, however they are most commonly used to help property owners establish exactly what land is theirs. A boundary survey will show you what is on your property as well as any easements or encroachments.
If you want to put an extension onto your home or even just to install a fence, shed or landscape your garden – then you will need a boundary survey before you are able to do this.
Boundary surveys are relatively simple and inexpensive surveys – so many valuable and large commercial properties choose to have a more detailed ALTA (American Land Title Association) survey done instead.
If you are buying a new home you should always consider getting one done before making the final purchase. In many cases the title and deeds of the land can be out-dated and inaccurate, meaning you may not be getting as much land as you expected. Getting a survey will ensure that you have a legal document outlining what is rightfully yours.
A boundary survey will also indicate on it any limitations to the property that may have been imposed by local or state regulations.
What does it involve?
A licensed land surveyor conducts boundary surveys and will start by researching historical documents related to the land and often the land surrounding it as well. Some of the documents and resources they will probably look at include: the Registry of Deeds, county commissioners office, town offices and more.
After the prior research the land surveyor will then head onto the land itself and create a traverse (control network to help view all areas of the land sequentially). They do this to help find existing monuments that may mark the boundaries of the land.
The final stage is to gather both the field work and earlier research together to compile a final boundary survey. If changes need to be made, the boundary surveyor will go back to the land to place new monuments. A report, legal description and map will be created.
How much does it cost?
The costs vary depending on a variety of influencing factors. Some of these factories include: the size, terrain, vegetation and location of the land parcel. The season will also affect the price of the boundary survey – as it will take longer to complete in harsh weather.
A lot of the price cannot be determined until after the boundary surveyor has begun work – as the price will increase if they are unable to find markers or there is little historical evidence to use.
About Author
As a full time business consultant and top performing real estate agent in the NY/NJ area, Angela along with her associates now share their expertise in various real estate and land surveying topics exclusively on the Land Surveyors website. To learn more about land and property surveys, be sure to visit LandSurveyors.com for all your land surveyeying needs.
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The Different Types of Land Surveys
By Charles Iner
While most people think of land surveys in the most basic sense, the drawing of the boundaries of a property, in actuality there are many varied and different ways of surveying that service many different industries. Property surveys are a large part of the business, but there are also surveys and surveyors that service the construction industry, the environmental sector, and many others. The kinds of surveys that are conducted would surprise most people, and some things that you might think are surveys aren’t surveys at all. Instead of the standard two-dimensional measuring from one point to another, today’s surveys not only measure the land, but also the air and water above and below us.
The most common and well-known surveys conducted today are boundary surveys, mortgage surveys, and topographic surveys. An ALTA survey, which is actually a shortened title for ATLA/ACSM, combines elements of all three, with a set of standards put forth jointly by the American Land Title Association and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. ALTA surveys are most commonly used for commercial properties; by having a universal standard, companies can assure themselves of the level of thoroughness and be confident when the results are guaranteed by an ALTA survey.
Boundary Surveys are exactly what the name describes: a survey to establish the true boundaries of a given property. Through previously recorded markers and the establishment of new landmarks, a surveyor will establish the true boundaries of a property and then mark the corners and lines of the plot, using markers such as iron rods, pipes or concrete monuments in the ground, or nails set in concrete or asphalt. In the past, piles of stones, trees or other, less permanent markers were used, which led to confusion when the markers were either destroyed or changed.
Mortgage Surveys are simple surveys that, for the most part, determine land boundaries and building locations. They are usually required by title companies and lending institutions when they provide financing to show that there are no structures encroaching on the property and that any structures on the property meet current zoning and building codes. It is important to ensure that you are getting an officially licensed mortgage survey performed by a licensed land surveyor, and not a mortgage inspection, which is a substandard survey which does not adhere to any set standards and is not regulated or accepted as an official land survey.
Topographic Surveys are land surveys which locate natural and man-made features. For example, buildings, improvements, fences, elevations, land contours, trees and streams. These are then measured for their elevation on a particular piece of land, and presented as contour lines on a plot. Topographical surveys are sometimes required by the government. Engineers and architects also use topographical surveys to aid in the design of improvements or developments on a site.
One of the largest and most rapidly growing segments of land surveys are in the construction industry. Surveys are crucial tools from inception and planning, to actual construction and maintenance afterwards. Most construction surveys fall under the discipline of civil engineering, which may require additional degrees and certifications in order to conduct. All construction projects begin with the Plot Plan or Site Plan, which sets out the plan for the entire project, including all existing and proposed conditions on a given site. As-Built Surveys are conducted several times during a construction project to verify for local and state boards that the work authorized was completed to the specifications set on the plot plan. Foundation Surveys are a type of as-built survey which collects the positional data on a foundation that has been poured and is now cured. Foundation surveys are done to ensure that the foundation has both been constructed in the proper location and has been built in the proper manner according to the plan.
For existing structures, a Deformation Survey determines if a structure or object is changing shape or moving. By the taking of three-dimensional positions on specific points on an object, then letting a period of time pass before retaking and measuring the points, a determination of whether a structure is moving can be made.
Although it may seem counter-intuitive, land surveyors are also responsible for performing Hydrographic and Bathymetric Surveys. Hydrographic surveys collect data relating to any body of water, and the data collected may include the water depth, bottom contours, the direction of the current, observing and recording high water marks and water levels, as well as location of fixed objects and landmarks for navigational purposes. They can also be conducted to gather information for engineering or resource management purposes, such as hydro power plants. Bathymetric surveys deal exclusively underwater, and map the seabed profile.
Geodetic surveys fall under both the land and water category, as they map out the shoreline. Thomas Jefferson commissioned a geodetic survey in 1807 as the Survey of the Coast. Progress on the survey moved slowly at first, as they did not even have the proper instruments to perform the survey until 1815. It still exists today as the National Geodetic Survey and its responsibilities now include the interior lands of the United States as well as its coasts.
Wetlands Delineation and Location Surveys belong in a category all on their own; they are performed when construction work that is being planned on or near a site containing defined wetlands. Local, state, or federal regulations vary, but wetlands are usually classified as areas that are completely inundated with water more than two weeks during the growing season. Boundaries of wetlands are determined by observing the soil colors, vegetation, erosion patterns or scour marks, hydrology, and morphology of the land in question. Data is then collected on the locations of the placed flags and a plan is drawn to reference the boundary of the wetlands and compare it to the proposed boundaries of the surrounding plots or parcels of land and the construction work proposed within.
While there are many more forms of land surveys, to list them all and their attributes would result in a very long article. The options presented above are simply the most common forms of land surveys, and the ones that the general public is most likely to encounter.
We at Point to Point Land Surveyors pride ourselves on accuracy, customer service and quality work delivered on time, guaranteed. Residential land surveys are a specialty.
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