Why You SHOULD Have a Land Survey Completed Before Purchasing Land?

Buying land, whether commercial or residential, is always a financially demanding endeavor, despite that prices have eased somewhat lately. Because of this seeking out for a lot which you like and making a deal for it without performing a land survey within the area might well be the biggest mistake that one can make.

Here’s why it’s important that you have land surveying done first:

Land surveyors can analyse if you’re actually getting what you’re likely to pay for. This simply means uncover whether the sidewalks, trees, driveways and even the bird bath is part of the property you’re planning to buy.

Land surveying would also see whether the neighbors are encroaching into your property, which will then mean you’re gonna have problems at some point with your neighbors. Signing on with land surveyor doesn’t only mean they know what you’re getting or otherwise not getting – land surveyors are the experts, and they can help with building regulations, wetland regulations, etc.

Be aware that these regulations can change anytime, but land surveyors ought to be updated on these regulations, or they can refer you to somebody is.

Suppose the existing landowner (the one selling the land) can present you with old land survey documents? You should still hire your own land surveyor to verify that the boundary monuments are still in position.

Also, land surveying done a long time back might not exactly show recent changes to the land. When the existing survey is older than about 10 years, you must get a whole new survey. Technology and surveying standards are way better now and may give you more confidence in the survey work.

Second, that survey was completed for that owner. He could have instructed the surveyor not to show specific things on the drawing. At least have a land surveyor get out there and review the parcel with this survey in hand. We have witnessed numerous instances when a whole new land survey would save the client thousands so don’t be a victim.

Land SurveyI’ve heard many people say employing a land surveyor is nothing but unnecessary expense. I’ll show you what’s unnecessary: the worries caused by paying lots of money for something and ending up not getting whatever you were expecting. If you’re smart, you’d hire an approved land surveyor prior to any land purchases.

For any land survey concerns, call us at (334) 403-4503 or send us a message by going here.

Important Things to Know When Building Your House

Land Surveying

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 things or you may not know what you are getting yourself into.

It is a huge decision choosing the right builder since it is one of the largest personal investments that you will make. Be sure to give an interview to all of the possible contractors and then pick the one that will help make your dream home come true.

While you are talking to the possible contractors be sure you ask all of the pertinent questions that will help you choose the best; their how long they have been in the business, experience,  what are the kind of buildings that they have experience building and it would be great if you can see some of their work.

It is also crucial to pick house plans which may lead to a good home now and in the future. This is something that your contractor should be able to help you with and they may call on the services of an architect.

Budget in building your house

Before to planning your house design consider these factors; your budget, the size of the home to be built, location of the home, wall finishes, design features that you would like, ceiling height, number of stories, fixture types, exterior finishings, also your time frame.

If you happen to be uncertain about any of these items, your contractor or architect should be able to guide you through this very important process. They will help you choose the details that are right for you down to the very smallest detail.

They may refer you to other consultants for things like finishes, colors, and the like so be prepared to sit and discuss with them for a few hours to talk about all these choices that you may have.This is the reason that your choice of a builder is important.

If your builder isn’t able to advise you on home location they should refer you to a real estate agent. A real estate agent is familiar with important details like neighborhood home values, school districts, traffic issues, funding options, etc.

Land Surveying: avoids future problems

Another stop you should make is to see a land surveyor. Land surveyors are trained and experienced in identifying features of the land that might have an impact on your new home – called land surveying.

Some of these features are flood zones, property line encroachments from neighbors, lot dimensions, and building setbacks. Land surveyors are measurement experts. And, since your home is your most valuable asset, land surveying should be one of your first steps in any new construction.

Avail Land Surveying service from your local surveyor:

Call us Troy Land Surveying today at (334) 403-4503 or contact through our contact form.

What Is A Land Surveyor?

Land Surveyor

A Land Surveyor is essential whenever you plan on building a house, buying or selling a property, or dividing your property amongst your children. Many land surveyor made it down to history. In fact, three of the four faces carved in Mt. Rushmore are land surveyors (Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln were all three surveyors, Teddy Roosevelt was not.).

Others popular names were Daniel Boone, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark (Lewis & Clark), Sir George Everest, Charles Mason & Jeremiah Dixon (of the Mason-Dixon Line fame) and author Henry David Thoreau practiced for a time in Concord, Massachusetts.>

What is a Land Surveyor?

A land surveyor is a person with the academic qualifications and technical expertise to measure and plot the lengths and directions of boundary lines and the dimensions of any portion of the earth’s surface (including natural and other structures). That definition is quite a mouthful, but in actuality the field of surveying (geomatics) includes many other facets.

If you plan to purchase a lot, build your dream house, divide your property to your children, or simply want to know the details of a land property, a land surveyor is the best person to help you out.

A land surveyor locates the boundary of your property and the location of your home within that boundary to determine if there are any encroachments by your neighbors onto you or vice versa. Common encroachments are fences, driveways, etc.

These days a land surveyor in the United States is regulated and licensed by the various state governments. In Alabama, the Alabama State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors was established in 1935 to protect the public.  A land surveyor’s duty is “to safeguard life, health, and property, and to promote the public welfare by providing for the licensing and regulation of persons in the practices of engineering and land surveying.

This purpose is achieved through the establishment of minimum qualifications for entry into the professions of engineering and land surveying, through the adoption of rules defining and delineating unlawful or unethical conduct, and through swift and effective discipline for those individuals or entities who violate the applicable laws or rules.”

How to become a land surveyor?

As of 2007, a newly licensed land surveyor is required to finish a four year degree in surveying or a closely related field, a four to eight years of on-the-job training under a licensed practicing surveyor.

In addition to that, licensed land surveyors are mandated to attend 15 hours of continuing education annually to ensure that they are kept updated with the new know-hows that would help them on their professional growth.

What does a land surveyor do?

As part of a standard lot or mortgage survey of a property, expect your land surveyor to review tax maps, aerial maps, deeds, subdivision plats, zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations and possibly even flood maps.

For a typical lot survey, the subdivision plat is the most important of these because it tells the exact dimensions of your lot and the relative location of your property corners. The surveyor uses this to locate and/or re-establish your property corners.

In the field, a land surveyor will search for your property corners along with some of your neighbors’ corners. If yours can’t be found, they’ll measure the distances and angles between all of the points, locate the improvements on your property, including your house, pool, out-buildings, retaining walls, fences, driveways, sidewalks, and other home improvements.

Other improvements like sanitary sewer mains, storm drainage ways, overhead power lines and the like are located because these might indicate an easement across the property. The plat should show these, but may not in all cases.

Once all of the field information is gathered, the crew chief takes the field notes and prepares a preliminary sketch of the work. This is passed along to a draftsperson who prepares the final outline for your use. The draftsperson will check all of the maps mentioned earlier to make sure that all building setback lines and easements are shown on the draft.

The surveyed distances and directions are compared to the plat distances and directions as well. Any discrepancies or encroachments are shown on the drawing. Your lawyer may use the draft to determine if any other legal work is needed during the closing. The mortgage company or the bank may also use the survey for their records.

So now, what do you have for your money. You have a drawing which shows your house on your lot. You should have stakes and/or flagging by all of your property corners. Make sure you know where they are located.

The actual corner is marked by an iron pin or pipe of some sort. (The type of monument should be shown in your survey drawing.) You might also want to take a look at them at least once a year to make sure they’re still there. (Even animals mark their territory more often than that.)