Boundary Survey Defined

Let’s first define boundary surveying. Boundary surveying is the verification of property lines of a parcel of land as detailed in the description in the deed. It may also show all the structures found on the property including any easements and encroachments, and also the restrictions imposed by local governing authorities.

To avoid unnecessary expenses and free you from frustrations brought by unexpected lawsuits, it is vital to conduct a boundary survey in the LaGrange area before purchasing or selling a parcel of land. A survey is also required before subdividing a lot, building structures or improving the property to make sure that you don’t end up having to move a building or resolve a boundary dispute with your neighbors.

Other Uses of a Boundary Survey

A boundary survey may also help you identify whether you are located in a floodplain, which would mean you are required to obtain flood insurance. A boundary survey in LaGrange is also very helpful in completing the requirements for a mortgage loan from a lending institution, which includes checking the accuracy of the description of the property in the deed and the presence of improvements, easements, and any encroachments.

Boundary Survey Costs

The cost of a LaGrange boundary survey depends on several factors, some of which can only be determined once the work has begun. Some factors are size of the lot, the terrain, the vegetation type, the season of the year (which greatly affects the growth of vegetation). The work begins with the deed research that can be started with the deeds or abstracts that the landowner may possess and can extend as much as going to the courthouse and putting together the pieces of the deed. The job could get more complex if the property involved has been passed on through several owners over the years. Some may have sold off a portion of the parcel or may have added to adjacent lots. The more of these additions and subtractions can significantly impact the complexity of the work to be done, which consequently adds to the survey cost.

Boundary Survey Drawing

After the boundary survey is done, a landowner should expect to get a survey drawing that contains a sketch of the survey findings and the legal description of the property. It is also expected that proper markings of the property lines and corners have been placed, which are usually bright-colored ribbons or paint, wooden stakes, or concrete monuments. Others survey projects may or may not include a drawing or report, depending on the services agreed upon.

ALTA Survey Standards Lead to Consistency

Most states have widely varying standards for surveying. Thus, ALTA Surveys follow a national standard for surveying aimed to generate consistency regardless of the location of the survey. This type land survey is usually done on a multi-family residential or commercial site and when the owner and/or lender are from different states. But more often than not, it is prepared for commercial properties because it provides the information needed in order to insure the title to the land. Commercial developments may also require improvements to a high level that is also obtained through this survey.

ALTA Title Surveys are very complex and are commonly more costly than surveys following state standards because it takes more time and effort.

Costs for such surveys could be up to 50% – 200% more than a similar boundary survey. It is also important to note that the more restrictive standard is followed in the survey if the state standard is more restrictive on a certain aspect than the ALTA standard. An ALTA Title Survey must show all data including boundary lines, main building location and all its improvements, location of ancillary buildings, rights-of-way, and easements or access rights by utility services such as water, telephone, gas, railway and other utilities. A helpful tip in outlining the scope of services of the land surveyor is to thoroughly go over the elements of “Table A – Optional Survey Responsibilities and Specifications”.

ALTA Survey Requires Title Committment

Before an ALTA Title Survey can be completed, there must be a current title commitment. This is where the land surveyor will refer for the legal description of the property and all legal encumbrances or exceptions. The areas of ownership, encumbrances, and improvements will be presented graphically including encroachments, if there is any.

All the affected parties; the buyer, seller, lender, and title insurance company must be indicated on the ALTA Title Survey certificate. The land surveyor and the title insurance company must closely work together in order to illustrate comprehensively all matters affecting the ownership of the land and improvements.

Requirements for an ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey as detailed by the American Land Title Association, National Society of Professional Surveyors and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping is certainly met through an ALTA Title Survey.

If we can help you with an ALTA Title Survey in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact us at LaGrange Land Surveying at (706) 407-2722 or fill out our contact form by clicking the link.

What is Land Surveying?

Land surveying is the art and science of accurately measuring parcels of land. Measurements such as dimensions, lengths, boundary lines, including structures within the area are all precisely determined through a land survey. These measurements are used to establish land maps, boundaries for ownership or for governmental purposes. It is a detailed study of every physical and cultural property of the land, whether above or beneath it, to illustrate it in usable form. 

 Data is gathered through observations, research, field measurements, and data analysis for establishing property boundaries. Records from previous surveys and government records will strengthen the reports made after the survey. 

What covers land surveying?

A land survey is classified according to the purpose or why the survey is being performed. Some of the common types of land survey are boundary surveys, topographic surveys, partition or subdivision surveys, flood elevation survey, property line adjustment survey, and extended title insurance coverage survey. 

Other services such as mapping, construction layout surveys, judicial surveys, registered land surveys are all part of land surveying. It is an essential element in every development of the environment especially in the fields of construction, transport, communication, mapping, and most especially in the definition of legal boundaries for ownership.

The key component in the field of land surveying is the land surveyor. A land surveyor is a person that takes charge of every activity that transpires during a land survey. It is the surveyor who makes the research and data gathering and even interpretation and analysis of all data wherein translation of all data gathered is crucial and should be checked, attested, and sworn in the law to be true and correct. It is important then for you to choose a land surveyor with the highest degree of expertise and who can assume responsibility for the complex tasks at hand. It should be emphasized that only a surveyor who has knowledge of the elements of geometry, trigonometry, engineering, mathematics, physics, and the law are expected to have the best land survey outcomes.

Land surveying – dated back in history

Land surveying is a profession as old as the Egyptian times yet its importance to the human race still lives on. It is the best method to settle disputes over land ownership, it gives a clear picture of what buildings are suited to be constructed in a given land area, and it’s a convenient way to determine the exact dimensions of real estate to be purchased or sold. 

Optimum potential of the land you own can only be defined once you have a land survey. Whether you are planning to put it on the market, or should you want to use it for commercial purposes, a land survey must back you up if ever questions regarding everything about the land arise. Land surveying will provide a sense of security and peace of mind to every land owner and even to the future buyers.

Land surveying will always be an integral part in protecting real estate and upholding of laws governing the utilization and distribution of your land assets. 

Call LaGrange Land Surveying today at  (706) 407-2722  or fill out a contact form request for more information concerning your land surveying needs.

Today, man-made constellations are in orbit. Their purpose is to provide instant, exact and global positioning information. This global positioning system of GPS is revolutionizing the modern construction sites, automating and guiding land surveying equipment, providing instantaneous circles and volume gap, simplifying total and controlled surveys. Nearly everyone involved in the land surveying and construction industry has heard something about satellite positioning technology or maybe you or someone you know is already using it. Whether an operator or a casual observer, there are still many questions about how this exciting system really works.

These positioning satellites don’t stay in one place like the stars; they orbit the earth about twice a day. Constantly transmitting uniquely identified radio signals that can be perceived by specialized units on earth. These signals are used to precisely measure the distance to the receiving instrument from each satellite visibly overhead.

Just as stars have exact locations in the sky, the locations of the GPS satellites are also defined, becoming orbiting reference points. Using a process based on triangulation, a GPS receiver processes the signals from multiple satellites to compute an accurate position on Earth, which is why it is widely use in land surveying.

For mobile applications that require high accuracy, such as three dimensional machine control, there are two requirements that must be met. First, the signals from a minimum of five satellites must be received at all times. And second, those five satellites must be distributed across the sky. This is called Dilution of Precision or DOP. The simple rule of thumb is this, the more satellites received the better your system will perform.

All land surveying receivers incorporate standard GPS tracking technology; unfortunately the GPS satellite constellation alone cannot continuously make the minimum requirement of accurate mobile positioning. For any given location, there are times in a day when there are less than five available satellites or very poor DOP.

Now, consider a land surveying job site with trees, buildings, or other obstructions when satellite receptions are easily be further reduced. All land surveying GPS receivers suffer this same problem because they all use the same satellites to operate.

Even the planned signal modernization to the GPS satellites won’t solve this problem. An obstruction that blocks one signal blocks all signals from that satellite. A land surveying equipment provider has solved this problem. The solution isn’t adding more signals from the same satellites; it’s adding more satellites.

Today, there is a second positioning satellite constellation in operation, the Glonass System. This positioning system is operated and maintained by the Russian government; much like the GPS is operated and maintained by the United States government; combining these two satellite constellations give land surveyors access to 38 different satellites; 14 more than a GPS-only system.

The additional satellites mean stronger and more accurate positions and better performance in obstructed land surveying areas. These additional satellites mean maximum up time in all land surveying locations, in all conditions.

For an up to date and accurate land surveying service, contact LaGrange Land Surveying at (706) 407-2722 or better yet, you may fill out our contact form request and a licensed land surveyor will contact you. 

FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) or just Flood Maps are provided after a flood risk assessment has been completed or updated for a community.  This study is known as a Flood Insurance Study.  The FIRM gives you the Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) and insurance risk zones in addition to floodplain boundaries.  The FIRM may also show a delineation of the regulatory floodway. 

Once the "insurance risk zone"  (commonly referred to as the flood zone) is determined, actuarial rates, based on these risk zones, are then applied for newly constructed, substantially approved, and substantially damaged buildings.  FEMA uses these rates to determine the insurance rate you will pay for flood insurance

FEMA's Digital Flood Maps

FEMA discontinued the production and distribution of paper flood maps in 2009 as part of its Digital Vision Initiative. This affected all the Flood Maps, boundary information, and study reports. However, clients can still view the products for free through their website or buy them in digital format.

To view these flood maps online, go to FEMA's Map Service Center and key in your address (hi-lited area shown here) search for your home.  This will prompt you to then select the map that covers your area.  The Flood Maps are somewhat cumbersome to use online. It is best to go through the tutorial on the bottom right of the address search page for an easier and more effective use of the GIS map.

Montgomery Flood Maps by FEMA

If you are located in the City of Montgomery, you might also want to check the Phenix City Interactive GIS maps for more information and a little easier interface. Check the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map box on the left to view the flood zones on this map.

Call Phenix City Land Surveying at  (334) 408-4311 or  contact us if you need help with this process or if you discover you are near a flood zone and need an elevation survey completed.  We are here to help you minimize your flooding risk.

This site is intended to provide you with information on a Land Surveying Company in LaGrange, GA. If you’re looking for a LaGrange Land Surveyor, you’ve come to the right site. If you’d rather talk to someone about your land surveying needs, please call (706) 407-2722 today. For more information, please continue to read. 

Land Surveyors are professionals who measure and make precise measurements to determine the size and boundaries of a piece of real estate.  While this is a simplistic definition, boundary surveying is one of the most common types of surveying related to home and land owners. If you fall into the following categories, please click on the appropriate link for more information on that subject:

LaGrange Land Surveying services:

1. I need to know where my property corners or property lines are. (Boundary Survey)
2. I have a loan closing or re-finance coming up on my home in a subdivision or I’m purchasing a lot or house in a recorded subdivision. (Lot Survey)
3. I need a map of my property with contour lines to show elevation differences for my architect or engineer. (Topo Survey)
4. I’ve just been told I’m in a flood zone or I ‘ve been told I need an elevation certificate in order to obtain flood insurance or prove I don’t need it. (Flood Survey)
5. I’m purchasing a larger tract of land, acreage, that hasn’t been subdivided in the past. (Boundary Survey)

If your needs don’t fall into one of the above, don’t worry, we’ll get to the bottom of it. CALL LaGrange  Land Surveying TODAY at (706) 407-2722 OR better yet, fill out a Contact Form request to discuss your survey needs.

Also, there are verses in the Bible that support the practice of land surveying

•  Proverbs 22:28 Do not move the ancient boundary, which your fathers have set. 
•  Deuteronomy 19:14 “You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary mark, which the ancestors have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the Lord your God gives you to possess.
• Deuteronomy 27:17 ‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary mark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ 

Now what does land surveying really mean?

Land surveying basically means measuring and mapping lands. It is the science of accurately calculating the land’s area; determining the points of distance between a land and another. The actual purpose of this is to establish land maps and set boundaries for ownership. It is commonly used in the execution of nearly every form of construction.  The system of land surveying has proved itself to be a very important factor in the development of human environment as the earth’s surface continues to change according to the lifestyle of people.

Just imagine a world where people freely claim an area of land for their benefit without even thinking of the others. Imagine people crossing over another person’s land because there are no borders that would express the ownership of anyone. Imagine people building any construction they want in any land they prefer. Or just simply imagine your neighbors removing your fences. If this happens, it would lead to chaos. That is why land surveying has been made to follow.

The importance of land surveying is identical to its purpose. It is responsible in the establishment of the maps of every city, region, country, continent or the earth itself. Through this system, there would be definite borders blocking any people from owning what another person owns. With this procedure, the distribution of the vast space of land would be fair enough. Everything would be organized and regulated.  This would mean that the buildings, railroads and even our houses would be made without having any complications if it had undergone land surveying.

As you can see in books, magazines, websites and other things that contain information about our world’s structure, we can see that there are boundaries which separate one place from another. This diminishes the complications in the ownership of lands among people. Since humans tend to get selfish, it is best to have everything in order, up to the issue of allocating land areas for everyone. This is the real essence of land surveying.

Call LaGrange Land Surveying today at (706) 407-2722  or fill out a contact form request for more information concerning your land surveying needs.

The post The Essence of Land Surveying first appeared on LaGrange Land Surveying.]]> https://lagrangelandsurveying.com/building-house/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=building-house Tue, 05 Jul 2016 13:11:05 +0000 http://montgomerylandsurveying.com/?p=419 Land Surveying in Building your house It is a very good idea to build your home because you will be able to get exactly what you want instead of when you buy. Of course, you may need to add some … Continue reading →