Property corners can be marked with a variety of materials. In the 1800’s, surveyors typically did not carry monuments with them. The surveyors would create a property corner monument using whatever materials were available. This usually meant piling up some rocks or hacking a nearby tree. Other items used in times past were railroad spikes and car axles.
The most common material used today is iron rebar. Other items that might mark property corners include: iron pipes; wooden stakes; poured concrete monuments; cross-cuts or shallow drill holes placed in concrete; and masonry nails driven into asphalt pavement.
There are many possible reasons someone may greatly benefit by having a current survey of their property. Here are a few of the most common reasons:
- Discover the boundaries or features of your land
- Satisfy local requirements for minor development
- Determine whether or not you have encroachments on your land
- Settle a dispute over a property line with your neighbor
- Determine the location for fencing, buildings, development
- Using land where the boundary has not been established
For insurance & miscellaneous purposes:
- Obtain a lower insurance rate. It’s not uncommon that your house is higher than the insurance company is giving you credit for. For example, homes are sometimes rated as being at ground level (slab-on-grade), even though they may be a couple feet higher. An Elevation Certificate will demonstrate the actual height of the building.
- Floodproofing projects for commercial buildings will require the elevation information contained in an elevation certificate.
- Lending institutions usually require one before finalizing a construction loan. This is to ensure the building was properly erected above minimum flood levels.
- If a building was built prior to 1975 (Pre-FIRM), new insurance reforms will likely require an Elevation Certificate, so the rates can be determined by exactly to what depth the building is below the flood line (BFE) for that location.
Fees for surveys vary significantly in relation to the scope and nature of the work. Some of the factors that influence cost of specific types of surveys are listed here:
The cost of physical surveys varies widely, and the most significant influence on cost is the legal description of the property. The legal description determines the extent of research and fieldwork required. Neither of these tasks can be shortcut, or the final survey result will not stand up to challenge from another surveyor or in court.
Large parcels of land tend to be more expensive to survey, but the intensity of the effort required is generally independent of the size of the parcel. This fact is not readily apparent to most clients, and if there are questions, we can explain the level of effort needed to conduct a proper boundary survey.
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A Physical Survey (also known as Mortgage Survey or Boundary Survey) is a legal document containing a map of your property. A Physical Survey will also show the location of important physical features within the property such as buildings, fences, pools, concrete, asphalt, decks, etc. Additionally, any restrictions such as public and private easements or building setback lines that are shown on the recorded plat will also be depicted on your survey. For more information on Physical Surveys click here.
For more information on other types of surveys view our Services page.