Land surveying is an artform, no two surveys will ever be the same. However, the steps of a land survey never change. Of course, the time it takes to complete a land survey largely depends on the property/properties involved but getting a land survey now instead of later on can save yourself from legal troubles and land disputes.
There are many steps to getting a land survey for a property. Today, we want to break these steps down, so you know there’s more that goes into a land survey than just drawing lines in the ground.
ALL LAND SURVEYS START WITH RESEARCH
The first and more important stage of a land survey is research. Before a land surveyor goes out in the field, they need to thoroughly research the history of the land in question. Depending on the time it takes to obtain information from the town department, this stage can take anywhere from a couple hours to a few days. The timeframe varies depending on if the property is commercial or residential, and whether previous owners have added, subtracted and/or divided the property.
In accordance to state statutes, land surveyors must be able to show they have done adequate research prior to moving on with the land survey process. If there is a mistake or an overlooked process, it’ll cost time and money to correct the problem, which may even lead to legal troubles that’ll put the land surveyor’s ability in question. It’s for the client’s sake that a land surveyor is methodical with the research the first time around to avoid any issues. As such, a land surveyor cannot rush their work during the research phase, making it hard to gauge a price point at this point in a land survey.
FIELDWORK IS THE SECOND STAGE OF A LAND SURVEY
The next part of a land survey after research is to go out and assess the boundaries of the land in question. The time this phase takes largely depends on the size of the property, as well as the time it takes for a land surveyor to locate existing boundary markers such as fences, monuments, pipes, etc. If these markers no longer exist as noted in previous surveys, the land surveyor may have to use markers far outside the geographical area of the project as a means to compute the property boundaries.
BACK TO THE OFFICE FOR DRAFTING & COMPUTATION
Next, the land surveyor has to now process the information collected out in the field back at the office. This phase consists of two parts – drafting and computation. The quality of the draft can widely vary depending on the skill of the draft person. Here at Adkan Engineers we make sure that our surveyors have years of drafting experience to complement their surveying skills. The final draft will be compliant to our own CAD standards and in accordance to the State of California’s Code of Regulations.
Computation can sometimes be the most time consuming part of the land survey. The land surveyor must compare the latest land survey with neighboring properties and the previous land survey to make sure their numbers make sense. The boundary lines should mathematically add together and fit like a puzzle piece into the existing boundary lines of adjoining plots of land.
CONCLUSION
The entire point of a land survey is to use collected data in an effort to form a boundary line opinion of a property. Here at Adkan Engineers, our land surveyors will always stand with their survey and to the best of their ability defend their opinion should there be any professional or legal challenges. We want our clients to trust our surveyors to do the job right and be able to stand by their final product.
If you are in need of a land survey, we recommend you contact us at Adkan Engineers. Call us at 951.688.0241 or fill our online contact form for more information or to schedule a land survey today.