Solving The Mystery Behind Types of Land Surveys

When surveying land the type of survey you need can often be a bit confusing. There are many different types of land surveys that can be done. Your need will determine exactly what you are looking for in a survey. Land surveys for construction, home and business vary in the way they are handled by professional land surveyors. It is best to know have some idea of what you are looking as you begin the process of hiring a professional to work with. You will both need to be on the same page as far as expectations as well as what the professional fees cover. • ALTA Survey: An ALTA Survey stands for American Land Title Association. This type of survey is necessary to supply title companies and financial lenders with a survey and exact location data needed for the issuing of a title and proper mortgage insurance. An ALTA survey needs to cover detailed property lines, any locations on improvements that have been done since the last survey, easement identification, utility locations and anything else that would typically affect the land and property within the sale. The nature of this type of survey makes it expensive and they take some time to complete. This survey is very comprehensive in nature. Most commercial property sales will require an ALTA survey. • Boundary Survey : This type of survey is used to establish the true property corners and property lines of a piece of property. They are usually performed in order to begin building and obtaining the proper permits, to resolve issues between property owners and for fence lines when fencing is going to be erected. If a consumer is looking for easement lines as well they can pay the land surveyor extra for this need when a boundary survey is performed. • Construction Survey: A survey of this nature is made at the start and during the construction phase of construction. This type of survey helps manage the progress and control the elevation, positioning, configuration and dimensions of the building in line with the property. • Control Survey: Land surveying that is used for precise locations of vertical and horizontal position points to determine boundaries, for the mapping of aerial photos and staking off of construction prior to the beginning of work. • Floodplain Survey: A floodplain survey is used to help determine the elevation of land verse structures. This is to help with building plans and to determine flood zones to ensure proper insurance for homes with in flood zones. This is a very common survey needed upon receiving a mortgage. Often there are disputes between mortgage companies and loan recipients due to the fees involved in more flood insurance coverage. • Geodetic Survey: This is a type of land survey that changes because of the curve of the Earth and other astronomic observations. • Topographic Survey: A topographic survey helps locate natural and man-made changes mostly improvements in comparison to the structure located on the land. This can include fencing, elevation changes, land contouring from erosion, tree growth and the changes in water features.