What you should know about a Land Survey and when you need one.

A land survey is very important, especially if you have the intention of purchasing a new land or you are making plans to set up a structure on a property you already own.

Over the years land disputes have arisen among landowners, simply because one person encroached into another person’s property without knowing it. Though such actions may be done ignorantly, it can as well be avoided by surveying any land to know the extent of ownership.

A land survey helps you to determine the property lines and the various locations of the features of the property. If you don’t carry out a land survey, there is no way you can tell where the land begins and where the land ends.

Considering also that in the settlement of such disputes, probably in court, one would incur more cost or expenses. All these can be handled well if a land survey is done.

What is a Land Survey?

A land survey is a drawing which shows the boundaries of a particular area, it includes the horizontal distances, directions, angles, and elevations. It also reveals the dimensions and the location of any buildings or other site improvements on the property.

When a land survey has been carried out, the architects make use of the measurements given to them to understand and maximize the landscape when designing, the engineers, on the other hand, ensure that the structures are planned in a safe and accurate manner, so the building that is to be constructed fits properly into the land and will be able to be constructed in that given land.

Land Survey  - When do you need one?

If you are only going to depend on legal descriptions being given concerning a land, it may be wrong or misleading. To be certain to a reasonable extent, you will most likely need to involve a land surveyor to examine the land. It will as well help you to meet certain requirements that are needed in the purchase or development of the land or property.

There are lots of reasons why a land survey is needed, some are;

•          To locate utilities.
•         Settling of boundary lines disputes.
•          To update a property survey that is already outdated.
•          To build a house or set up a particular structure.
•          To know exactly what you are buying, this could help in decision making.
•         To meet mortgage requirements.
•          To discover property lines.
•         To get title insurance.
•         Locating easements.

Some landmarks or monuments may have been referenced which are no longer present at the property, that is why it is necessary to carry out new measurements in other to ascertain accurate boundary lines. By doing so, there can be new references made concerning the property.

Types of Land Surveys

Land surveys serve different purposes and when a particular survey is being carried out, it is not necessarily going to cover everything, except that is what you want, otherwise, a survey could be specific.

A land survey can be done in other to identify lines of a property, it could also be done in a situation when land is to be split. There are different options available, it all depends on what you need.

Some types of land survey are;

Location Survey: A location survey is like a boundary survey, but it’s different in that it has an inclusion of site improvements. This type of survey shows the locations and size improvements and the distance measurements between them and the property lines. For zoning permits, property owners make use of a location survey.

Boundary Survey: For a boundary survey, it is used to know the extent of a property, that is, the location of its boundaries which are on a piece of land. In a situation where land disputes arise, a boundary survey is used to know how much of a property someone owns. It can also be carried out for the sake of having personal records.

Site-planning Survey: In the application of building permits, a site-planning survey is what is often used. It is used in planning for the development of site improvements.

Construction Survey: In the construction survey, the surveyor puts out the location that has been planned for setting up structures and also making improvements.  This is done so that the construction workers know where to build and also know the distances between each improvement that is to be made.

ALTA Survey: ALTA being the acronym for (American Land Title Association) is usually done when the purchase of a home or investment property is to be made. An ALTA survey is always required before a title company gives out title insurance. Lenders also always require an ALTA survey before giving out finance, hence it is also referred to as a mortgage survey.

Subdivision Survey: In dividing a parcel of land into multiple lots, a subdivision survey is usually carried out. It is also used in making subdivision plats, and this has to be filed in the land records with the office of the recorder.

Topographic Survey: With the topographic survey, there is a layout of the location of man-made and natural features that exist on a property. Some of these features are ponds, rivers, trees, fences, buildings, etc. Architects as well as engineers make use of a topographic survey, in other to plan site improvements.

How much does a land survey cost?

When it comes to the cost of a land survey, one may not have an actual cost as it varies, various factors influence the cost of serving a land.

Some factors that influence the cost of a land survey are;

• -         Type of the survey to be carried out.
• -         Size of the property.
  
• -         The shape of the property.
  
• -         How much information is available, knowing that it will cost a little or more to get some certain information.
• -         The Terrain.
• -         The time frame.
• -         The travel time of the surveyor, considering that some surveyors have to travel quite a distance to go check out a land.

According to HomeAdvisor, some land surveys are within the price range of $200 - $800. The average one would get is $500. For properties with more corners, it is going to be higher.

For an ALTA survey, the average cost is between $2,000 - $3,000. The average cost for the ALTA survey is higher because of the extra work being done as it regards researching documents and making more details available.

Also, it is important to note that these costs are averages throughout the United States of America. For a residential survey, the cost can vary and it depends on the particular market and the available public records.

Looking at California as an example, the cost of the survey is most likely to be between $5,000 and $10,000, this amount is also not fixed and could be higher, as it depends on how complex the survey would be.

How to get a copy of a recorded land survey

For a certified copy of a land survey, one can find it at the building department’s office, or it could also be found at the office of the land recorder. In some other places, the survey can also be found recorded with the office of the local tax assessor.

Title insurance companies usually make a demand for an ALTA survey before they give out title insurance. So, title companies are likely to have a copy of a recorded land survey.

Land surveyor qualifications

When surveying land, it has to be done with utmost care and concern, it is a very technical process which shouldn’t accommodate any form of error. Seeing how important it is, every state stipulates requirements for who is permitted to carry out a survey.

Though each state has its stipulation and licensing requirements for those who can survey lands, as a general application, it involves;

-         Examination.

-         Minimum experience.

-         Required Education.

For some other states, there is a need for continued education and development so that their license can be maintained. For the relevant education to be a surveyor, some people earn a degree in surveying, geomatics, or mapping.

Beyond just getting the licensing requirements, some companies will expect surveyors to possess a minimum amount of experience before they are permitted to carry out any survey and certify it.

The whole essence of a land survey.

A land survey will show everything about your property which includes the location. If the property lines are not known or defined, the construction team won’t know what they are working on and where to start building, the bank would also not know what it is giving out a loan on.

You must ensure that your land survey records are up to date and new improvements or property features are reflected.

It is also important that your land survey is accurate and truly represents what it says, therefore care must be taken in picking the right surveyors for your property. Picking just any surveyor to survey your land, can be a great risk for you.