The Importance of a Land Survey

Utah Land Survey is essential to establishing property lines, resolving disputes and maintaining accurate land records. It requires detailed research and field work using precise measuring instruments.

Land Survey

A professional land surveyor can help you determine the dimensions of your land and find out where to build, which is important in order to adhere to building codes and zoning regulations. It also helps avoid future legal disputes.

A boundary survey identifies and defines the property lines for a parcel of land. Land surveyors use a combination of historical records, field work, and modern data collection tools to establish accurate property boundaries. The process requires a great deal of research and meticulous cross-checking.

Boundary surveys are commonly used for a variety of purposes, including residential construction and real estate transactions. They are also critical for determining the extent of any existing easements and encroachments. A professional boundary survey can help avoid a wide range of problems, including legal disputes, costly construction projects, and expensive redrawing of property boundaries.

The first step in a boundary survey is to examine historical information, such as old maps and property deeds. The surveyor will then perform a physical evaluation of the land, taking measurements and marking the true property corners with flags. This phase of the survey involves using advanced equipment, specialized skills, and extensive knowledge of law, mathematics, and engineering.

Once the surveyor has finished the physical examination, they will create a map displaying all the relevant data and details. This map will include the surveyed boundary, as well as references to any applicable deeds and legal descriptions. The surveyor will also provide recommendations for resolving any disputes or discrepancies that have been identified.

Another important aspect of a boundary survey is to determine the location of any existing improvements, such as buildings and fences. This can be difficult, as the property may have shifted over time due to erosion or other natural processes. The surveyor will also mark the locations of any encroachments or easements, which are restrictions on the land by a neighboring owner.

Once the boundary surveyor has completed the map, they will then compare it with the corresponding legal description to ensure accuracy. This final step is crucial to preventing legal disputes and guaranteeing compliance with local regulations. For example, it is important for a surveyor to accurately identify whether or not a property is located within a floodplain. This will prevent buyers from unknowingly purchasing property that is prone to flooding, which can be very costly and cause severe structural damage.

Topography

A topographic survey is a detailed map of the land’s natural and man-made elements. A licensed surveyor uses specialized technology to scope out a property’s natural and structural features, creating a map that helps architects, civil engineers, and builders better understand the land and how it might be developed.

A typical topographic survey includes contour lines, which are graphical representations of elevation data. The contour lines connect points of equal elevation across the landscape, revealing a visual snapshot of the shape of the terrain. Additionally, topographic surveys include details such as roads, buildings and structures, bodies of water, vegetation, and other human-made elements.

The process of conducting a topographic survey takes a significant amount of time, depending on the size and complexity of the land. However, technological advancements like laser scanning and drone survey photogrammetry offer new possibilities. These tools require less time on site and allow for faster data collection. Combined with traditional line and level data, they can create a 3D model of the land that is both useful and accurate.

Having a topographical survey conducted is important for any project that involves building on a piece of land. Without a clear understanding of the property’s boundaries, it’s possible to make costly errors that could potentially delay or derail projects. The same goes for the elevation of a piece of land; if a lot is too high, it may be impossible to build on.

Topographic surveys can help mitigate these issues, ensuring that the project is well-planned from the start. Whether the project is construction of a home, roadway or railway, it’s crucial that all the relevant information is available to the project team.

Having a land survey conducted can also help you avoid potential disputes with neighbors or other parties who might have an interest in your property. The information gathered in a topographic survey can help you clearly define property lines and establish boundaries, which is an especially important factor if you plan on selling your property in the future.

Staking

When a property owner wants to add on to their land, build new structures or change the layout of their property, they will need to have a professional survey done. The survey will help them know exactly where the property lines are and what features are on the land. It will also show them the dimensions of the land and where any existing buildings or other improvements are located. This helps avoid legal disputes with other property owners or misunderstandings with contractors who may be working on the land.

A land surveyor can use a variety of tools to complete a survey, including GPS, topographic lasers and theodolites. These tools can measure both horizontal and vertical distances on the ground. They can also determine the surface elevation of the land and mark it with a stake.

This can be helpful if the land has been platted, or divided into smaller parcels. When a land surveyor marks the boundaries of a piece of land, it will have a permanent record that can be referred to in the future. It can also help prevent encroachment by other parties that want to take advantage of the properties undeveloped potential.

Other services that a surveyor can provide include wetland delineation, percolation testing and general site reconnaissance. These types of surveys are important to ensure the success of a construction project and to meet local environmental regulations. Land surveyors can also advise on land development projects and check overlays, land zoning, municipal strategic statements and permitted land uses for a property.

Having a land survey is a smart investment for any homeowner, as it can protect them from legal disputes with their neighbors or the need to buy extra property down the road. It will also give banks confidence to lend money on a home, and it will help construction crews know where they can and cannot build on the property.

If you are looking for a professional land surveyor to complete your next survey, contact Millman National Land Survey today! Our licensed professionals are ready to answer your questions and get started on your project.

Plat

A land surveyor prepares a map showing the boundaries of a piece of property or subdivision. The map is typically filed along with deeds and other public records regarding the property in the county recorder’s office. The Plat Map is often used in the process of selling or building on the land and can help settle disputes about the property lines between neighbors.

In some cases, mortgage lenders may require a Plat Survey before approving a loan. Even if it isn’t required, the Plat Survey helps to protect both the mortgage lender and the borrower. It verifies that any improvements on the property are located within the legal description of the property and that any encroachments onto the neighboring properties have been cleared.

This is a very important document for both the owner and the mortgage holder because if there are problems with the Plat Survey, the entire property transaction could be halted. Land Surveyors use the Plat Survey to determine the exact location of the property and the boundary lines. The Plat Survey also provides a physical marker (typically a monument) that indicates the exact location of the property boundaries.

A survey can also identify the location of easements, which are the rights to use someone else’s land for specific purposes, such as access to water, roads, utilities, etc. A land survey can also determine if the property is in a floodplain, which is an important piece of information for a home buyer as it could affect their ability to obtain insurance or to build on the site.

When a Plat Survey is completed, it will include the legal description of the property, the location of any improvements, and the property corners. The surveyor will then place permanent monuments at the property corners, which will serve as a reference for future surveys. These monuments can be either physical or referenced to a computer database.

A land survey is an essential tool for anyone who owns or wants to purchase real estate. It can help prevent costly litigation with neighbors, construction stoppages, and other issues that can arise from inaccurate boundary lines. Land surveys can also determine whether a plot of land is suitable for the desired purpose, such as building a home or installing a utility line.