Owning property is both a blessing and a burden. The blessing is when you get to enjoy all the benefits of home ownership and make it a castle of your own. The burdens come when you have obligations imposed by law that can tax your savings. 

Surveying your home is one of those burdens that can be reduced by shopping around for the right price before an unexpected issue requires prompt attention. Let's discuss what surveying entails and the reasons why you should get your land surveyed in greater detail below:

What Does Land Surveying Entail?

Land surveying is necessary to verify property boundaries and provide accurate descriptions of the land for official public records. These records are often important when disputes arise over the boundaries between neighbors and for sake of insuring the title on a mortgage. 

Surveying may also be used to ensure regulatory legality of new construction and additions onto an existing structure. At times, land surveying is used to locate utilities or even the existence of old cemeteries underground.

The land surveying company will use laser measuring devices, chains, tapes, wheels, compasses, clinometers, maps, levels, transits, theodolites, magnetic locators, prisms, reflectors, and other equipment to measure features of the land in complex processes. 

The land surveyor will also examine all the public records on file to determine whether any easements were included with the property. An easement is a legal right granted to permit passage by a third party. An easement may be granted, for example, to provide access to a pier that is technically on one party's property but used by both.

Why Should You Get Your Land Surveyed? 

Most homeowners are reluctant to pay the expense of something they don't immediately benefit from and will only opt for land surveying as the need arises. In most cases, a land survey is necessary before they can obtain a home mortgage loan.

In other cases, they may be selling the property or building near its boundaries and require accurate records to verify legal rights. Surveyors may also play a part in the architectural and new construction process. 

The average price for a land survey can range from $400 to $1,000 or more. In some cases, the surveyor will uncover that fences, trees, and other structures have wandered past the boundaries of the property. This can be a flashpoint for hostile neighbors and family feuds. So, it is important that a survey be conducted before building fences or anything near the boundaries of the property.

In the case of new construction, it can raise serious legal issues if the house is significantly encroaching on a neighbor's property. Ensuring that the boundaries are clear before construction begins is simply the prudent thing to do.

Types of Surveys

American Land Title Association (ALTA) surveys provide verification of the property's description data for lenders and title agencies to obtain a title insurance policy. These surveys are often necessary before a new home is built or purchased. This is very similar to a Mortgage survey. 

Topographic surveys are used to accurately record the features of a property. These natural and man-made features may include lakes, trees, roads, ditches, buildings, utilities, and streams. Architects and engineers typically require these surveys to develop improvements on the property. 

As-Built surveys are, likewise, used by architects to help them envision the building of a new home. The surveyor uses lasers to create a computer-generated three-dimensional rendering of the home. The surveys can also provide accurate blueprints to complete the project with precision.

Subdivision surveys are used to create official property records of subdivisions as required by government regulations. The legal record of a property must accurately reflect the physical property and how it is used.

Boundary surveys are used to accurately define the perimeters of a property. It also entails the examination of legal records and updating records to ensure that the property is accurately described.

New construction surveys are used to determine the vertical and horizontal grading of a land parcel and are required before the construction of bridges, houses, utilities, and roads.

The Advantages of Professional Surveying

It is possible to determine the boundaries of the land yourself by examining the deed. However, you cannot update the accuracy of a property's boundary records if you try to determine the boundaries and mark them yourself.

Furthermore, homeowners simply lack the specialized tools, education, and experience to accurately survey the land. This is a job best suited for professionals and one that requires professionals when the surveying involves any legal or financial obligations.

Written by Taylor McKnight, Author for KLS Group Inc.