Land surveying, to put it briefly, is the science and art of establishing or re-establishing property corners, property lines and/or boundaries. There could be different reasons why someone wants a chunk of property surveyed.

The single most common is to evaluate if a piece of land is vulnerable to flooding, to subdivide real estate to sell or deed to family members or determine if there are any encroachments. This might happen if a neighbour disputes that you’re using a piece of his lot or viceversa (for more about this, read this page).

The Cost of Land Surveying

If you have to have a chunk of property surveyed, first thing will come to mind is “how much would it cost?”There are numerous factors determining how much land surveying on your land would cost. The fact that this type of service must be performed by a professional contributes a lot to the overall cost of the service, but choosing a non-professional to survey your land is dangerous and probably illegal for the non-professional.

This is why you ought to take a good look around before settling with a surveying company. If you must work within a particular budget, discuss this with the surveyor up-front. Often he may be able to offer cost saving steps to get the work you need done within these cost limits.

The shape of the land also needs to be considered. A square or a rectangle piece of land is somewhat quicker to survey than an odd shaped parcel, or one with many different sides. With the latter, the surveyor will have to take more time in surveying the curves and the bends which means the cost of the service would go higher. The actual size of the land is also key factor here.

Keep in mind that the cost of land surveying will likely be proportionate to the time and effort that the land surveyor would spend on the project. If the land that you’re having surveyed is not accessible, or has thick vegetation, then the total price of the survey might go higher.

This is true of the climate conditions which could affect the work. Surveying in hot weather is somewhat slower to keep from putting the crew members in danger. Also, most surveying cannot be done in the rain.

When getting a quote, bear in mind that surveyors base the estimate on expected conditions at the site. These conditions could change, bringing about additional costs. Always ask about these potential additional cost scenarios.

All that being said, competitive prices are also to be expected, this is why we recommend selecting a surveyor in accordance with his experience and reputation rather than on the price he writes on a piece of paper.

Mostly it is far better to invest a good amount of money on a survey that’s well-done rather than choose a company with a very “affordable” price but have the survey repeated because the results were wrong.

To sum up, it is recommended to discuss the expenses of the survey before you ask the surveyor to get started on his work. It’s also wise to receive a contract that lets you understand what is expected of the land surveyor. This is one of the most important steps in getting your land surveyed.

For your land surveying needs, call us at (256) 733-1733 or send us a message by going here.