Every property or parcel of land must be properly surveyed before you do anything to it. Whether you are building a structure or conducting a renovation, a land survey will be a valuable reference for information on the property’s boundaries, size, and unique features. There are different types of land surveys you can consider, and your choice will depend on the type of property you own and the surveying requirements.
Here are some of the types of land surveys that you need to know:
- Environmental land survey – Surveys that are conducted for environmental clients cover tasks like GeoTracker reporting, monitoring well, topographic, as-built surveys, construction staking, boundary, and earth quantity calculations. Environmental surveys are conducted to determine the impact of a project to the environment, and conversely, the possible impact of the environment to your project or construction. They may be considered if you want to build or expand landfills or you intend to build something near or within the vicinity of an area of environmental sensitivity.
- ALTA/ACSM land title surveys – For commercial property, a land surveying company can provide ALTA (American Land Title Association) and ACSM surveys, which are conducted following a set of uniform standard code. These are also known as ‘due diligence surveys’ and they are commissioned to provide information on zoning laws, height requirement, and setback requirements. They can provide information on easements and boundaries, certain characteristics of the land that may require further study or investigation, and easements and improvements or encroachments and encumbrances on the property. They may provide suggestions for improvements, too, like rights of ways, fences, and trails.
- Geodetic survey – This land survey supports boundary determination, mapping, infrastructure development, property delineation, scientific applications, and resource evaluation surveys. It establishes the vertical and horizontal positions of points for control of the installation site, project, GIS, study data, or map, while ascertaining point positions of the fixed monuments, which serves as the primary reference for construction and engineering projects.
Residential property survey – This type of land survey measures the boundaries of your residential property or home. Surveyors analyze and research the land to determine the boundaries and plot of the property. They may look up previous surveys, which may influence present findings, too.