Land surveying can be defined as a scientific or legally sufficient method to determine the location of points on the surface of the earth, the angles formed by such points, the distance between them. According to historical records, land surveying was practiced by the ancient Egyptians even prior to the construction of the Great Pyramids. Surveyors in ancient Egypt and other people interested in civil law recognized the importance of surveying in civilized society and began keeping a registry of land surveys as early as 3000 BC.As a scientific method of inquiry and research, land surveys incorporate elements of geometry, physics, math, engineering, and law into their determination. Land surveys satisfy important needs in many fields. For example, topographic surveys are used by geologists and cartographers in order to create elevation maps. Archaeologists refer to current and historic surveys prior to conducting excavations.
Engineers and builders will not risk beginning a new construction project without reliable surveys onsite. Real estate and mortgage professionals require knowledge of land boundaries and precisely where a building structure is located prior to closing a transaction. Title insurers, attorneys, and judges depend on the accuracy of legal descriptions provided by a land survey in order to resolve property litigation issues.The basic legal purpose of land surveying is to determine boundaries. This can be accomplished by establishing where the metes and bounds of land begin and end. Civilized society has depended on the accuracy of land boundaries to respect the borders of sovereign states, jurisdictions, municipalities, land use planning, and private property. To this extent, different types of land surveys are used these days to recognize and respect boundaries.
Cadastral survey
All countries in the world posses some type of land registry records system that identifies boundaries. In the United States, for example, the Public Land Survey System keeps plats, diagrams, sketches, maps, and other documents that establish the boundaries of all public and governmental use lands in the country. This is known as a cadastral system. Local governments have an interest in land surveying for the purpose of taxation. A cadastral survey is a search conducted from records kept in a public land record registry. Comprehensive land surveys such as the ALTA include cadastral surveying.
Boundary survey
Government offices that issue building permits will often require a minimum of a boundary survey or sketch prior to granting commencement of construction work. The property lines must be clearly defined in these surveys in order to spot possible issues such as easements and encroachments.
Site planning survey
In addition to identifying boundaries and obtaining the required building permits, architects and engineers will need a topographic survey that identifies elevation features in order to create a site plan. Construction of tall structures often requires the review of site planning surveys prior to breaking ground.
Subdivision survey
The construction of new housing complexes that include several units arranged in neighborhood blocks often requires that a tract of parcel of land be divided into smaller parts. To this effect, a subdivision survey that includes topographical elements must be used. This type of survey is not only used for construction purposes. Lot design, drainage, street access, landscaping, utility mapping, and recording are also dependent on subdivision surveys.
Mortgage inspection
In certain mortgage lending operations, a simple review of existing surveys, public records, and other legal documents may be sufficient to prove ownership, easements, and/or encroachments. While mortgage inspections may include a sketch and even indicate boundaries, these are not true surveys.
GPS survey
The rising popularity of geographical positioning systems has found its way in land surveying. While GPS surveys are not as complete as ALTA surveys, they are being used for urban planning and to augment the cadastral recording systems. The useful Geographic and Land Information Systems rely on GPS data, and these systems are increasingly being used as reference by land surveyors.
Court Exhibit or Judicial Survey
In property litigation, a court may appoint an expert land surveyor to provide careful and detailed analysis of legal descriptions, prior surveys, maps, recorded documents, and other existing evidence in order to settle a dispute over real estate.
There are many different types of land surveys. Residential land surveys are among the most common, and are the type of survey most likely to be encountered by the general public. Residential land surveying involves the precise measurements of the boundaries surv3D of a certain piece of real estate. This may also be called a boundary survey. Land surveys may be used in the case of property disputes or before you build on the land; title and lending companies may also require a land survey showing structures on the property.
Residential land surveying is much more complicated than simply measuring the boundaries of your land according to the property deed. Land surveyors actually research and then plot the true boundaries of the property. One step that is often forgotten about by those considering a survey of their land is the research that begins before the actual measurements may be taken.The first step of a land survey is to search for any records concerning the property. These include title certificates, deeds, and other papers. Then, the land surveyor researches past surveys, easements, and other records which may influence his findings. Most of today's homes are built on property that was sold after dividing up a larger piece of property; this can make the survey's job more challenging, especially if this division was not surveyed or recorded properly.
Once the surveyor understands the historic boundaries of the property, the land surveyor will take the measurements of your land, determining whether the in-use boundaries conflict with the boundaries recorded in records or past surveys. Various points are marked, usually using stakes, to make re-surveying the land easier at some point in the future.The measurements may be taken using a transit and tape measure, or an electronic tool known as an EDM. Today, GPS may also be used for land surveys, though not usually in areas that are heavily wooded. Newer technology is allowing residential land surveying to be undertaken with very accurate results.
Usually, a land surveyor will measure each location multiple times, averaging these results to determine the true position of the point. The location of boundaries and easements will then be marked on your land. After the measurements are complete and have been marked on your land, the land surveyor will generally walk the property with you, pointing out the landmarks measuring each point, such as a plastic or metal stake. Then, the surveyor will advise you on any differences between the current survey and previous surveys or records of the land, including any areas where neighboring property owners have encroached on the land.
When a professional land survey is complete, the property lines as stated by the licensed surveyor become the legal boundaries of the property. Usually, these boundary lines do not differ significantly from the previously accepted land boundaries, but this is not always the case. In some situations, your neighbors will also need to have a residential land survey conducted as well, if there is a boundary dispute. Having your property surveyed by a residential land surveyor can give you peace of mind as you gain certainty about the exact boundaries of your property.