FAQ
What is a Land Survey?
A land survey locates, describes, marks and maps the boundaries and corners of a parcel of land. It also may include topographic mapping of the parcel and mapping of buildings or other improvements on the parcel.
What is a Professional or Licensed Land Surveyor?
A person who practices professional land surveying and is currently registered with the state board. Registration is earned with years of education and experience, and the passing of licensing exams. A Licensed Land Surveyor renders a highly technical service, and this service must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, standards and codes established by the state, county, local government and professional societies.
What is a Boundary?
Any natural or artificial separation marking the border of adjacent properties. A river is an example of a natural boundary. An artificial separation are those created by the Public Land Survey System, subdivisions or deeds.
How are boundaries created?
Most are created by written documents (such as warranty or quit claim deeds) that contain specific descriptions. Property rights also may be established by unwritten means, such as long-time physical occupation of the land. Our company will research these factors and how they affect the boundaries of your property.
When should I have my land surveyed?
- Before you purchase it. This will disclose the relationship between the lines of possession and the deeded property lines.
- A lending institution may require either a Retracement Survey Plat or an ALTA of your property when you borrow money on it.
- Whenever you believe there may be a conflict of use on your property.
- Before dividing any parcel of land for sale.
- The county or city where you live may require a land survey before the construction of any structure or improvement on the property.
- When you intend to sell any tract of land.
- When your lawyer, architect, real estate agent or municipal planning or engineering office advises or requires it.
How do I authorize a land survey?
Explain why you want the survey, and the surveyor will then advise you on the standards and type of survey required. Be sure to give the surveyor a description of the property, along with any other information or documents you have regarding the parcel. These would include abstracts of title, title reports, previous survey reports and maps, and the location of any corner markers, or monuments.
How much will it cost?
Our surveying fees are based on the anticipated difficulty of the project and time required to complete it. Be aware that in many situations, we cannot predict the amount of work that will be required to cover necessary monuments, restore lost or obliterated corners, research city and county records, collect field data, complete calculations, and prepare descriptions and maps. These steps must all be completed to establish property corners and create the final map.
One of the most uncertain and costly parts of the survey is the recovery of monuments. Careless treatment and destruction of survey monuments over time adds time and cost to modern surveys.
Competitive bidding for the lowest price does not necessarily protect the interests of the landowner, public or Licensed Land Surveyor. Consider the competency, reputation, education and experience of several surveyors before hiring.
What can Jesse Suzan Land Surveying LLC do for me?
- Review your deed, along with other evidence, and render a professional opinion as to the locations and conflicts of boundaries on your land.
- Set monuments at your property corners and mark them, so they can be easily found and identified.
- Keep an accurate record of all services performed and measurements taken.
Identify and advise you of any apparent defect in your land description or evidence of conflict of ownership and/or use. - Prepare a plat or map of your property that indicates boundary measurements, the monuments found and placed, and the calculated area.
- Provide the client with copies of these maps, bearing the Licensed Land Surveyor’s signature and seal. Copies of these maps also will be filed with the county where the land is located. This will ensure the plat is available for public inspection.