Types of survey

ALTA/ACSM Survey: a surveying standard jointly				done to a lesser standard, however most modern
proposed by the American Land Title Association				U.S. state minimum standards require the same
and the American Congress on Surveying and				standard of care for mortgage surveys as any
Mapping that incorporates elements of the				other survey. The resulting higher price for
boundary survey, mortgage survey, and				mortgage surveys has led some lending
topographic survey. ALTA/ACSM surveys,				institutions to accept "Mortgage Inspections" not
frequently shortened to ALTA surveys, are often				signed or sealed by a surveyor.
required for real estate transactions.				Plot Plan or Site Plan: a proposal plan for a
Archaeological survey: used to accurately assess				construction site that include all existing and
the relationship of archaeological sites in a				proposed conditions on a given site. The existing
landscape or to accurately record finds on an				and proposed conditions always include structures,
archaeological site.				utilities, roadways, topography, and wetlands
As-Built Survey: a survey conducted at the				delienation and location if necessary. The plan
completion of a construction project to verify, for				might also, but not always, include hyrdology,
local and state boards, that the work authorized				drainage flows, endangered species habitat, FEMA
was completed to the specifications set on the				Federal Flood Insurance Reference Maps and
Plot Plan or Site Plan. This usually entails and				traffic patterns.
complete survey of the site to confirm that the				Subdivision Plan: a plot or map based on a survey
structures, utilities, and roadways proposed were				of a parcel of land. Boundary lines are drawn
built in the proper locations authorized in the Plot				inside the larger parcel to indicated the creation of
Plan or Site Plan.				new boundary lines and roads . The number and
Bathymetric Survey: a survey carried out to map				location of plats, or the newly created parcels, are
the seabed profile.				usually discussed back and forth between the
Boundary Survey: the actual physical extent of				developer and the surveyor until they are agreed
property ownership, typically witnessed by				upon. At this point monuments, usually in the form
monuments or markers, such as (typically iron				of square concrete blocks or iron rods or pins,
rods, pipes or concrete monuments in the ground,				are driven into the ground to mark the lot
but also tacks or blazes in trees, piled stone				corners and curve ends, and the plat is recorded
corners or other types of monuments) are				in the cadastre (USA, elsewhere) or land registry
measured, and a map, or plat, is drawn from the				(UK). In some jurisdictions, the recording or filing
data. NOTE: The willful destruction and or removal				of a subdivision plat is highly regulated. The final
of above said monuments is illegal in the United				map or plat becomes, in effect, a contract
States. These acts will always result in fining and				between the developer and the city or county,
rarely, but not never, in jailtime.				determining what can be built on the property and
Construction surveying (otherwise "lay-out" or				under what conditions. Always upon finaly
"setting-out"): the process of establishing and				completion of a subdivision an As-Built Plan is
marking the position and detailed layout of new				required by the local government. This is done so
structures such as roads or buildings for				that the roadway constructed therein will pass
subsequent construction. In this sense, surveying				ownership from the developer to said local
may be regarded as a sub-discipline of civil				government by way of a contract called a
engineering.				Covenant. When this stage is completed the
Deformation Survey: a survey to determine if a				roadways will now be maintained, repaved, swept,
structure or object is changing shape or moving.				and plowed (if necessary for your geographic
The three-dimensional positions of specific points				region) by the local government
on an object are determined, a period of time is				Tape Survey: this type of survey is the most
allowed to pass, these positions are then				basic and inexpensive type of land survey. Popular
re-measured and calculated, and a comparison				in the middle part of the 20th century, tape
between the two sets of positions is made.				surveys while being accurate for distance lack
Engineering Surveys: those surveys associated				substantially in their accuracy of measuring angle
with the engineering design (topographic, layout				and bearing. Considering that a survey is the
and as-built) often requiring geodetic computations				documentation of one-half (1/2) distances and
beyond normal civil engineering practise.				one-half (1/2) bearings this type of survey is no
Erosion and Sediment Control Plan: a plan that is				longer accepted amongst local, state, or federal
drawn in conjunction with a Subdivision Plan that				regulatory commitees for any substaintial
denotes how upcoming construction activities will				construction work. However for determining the
effect the movement of stormwater and				extent of you property boundaries for way of
sediment across the construction site and onto				peace-of-mind this type of survey is the least
abutting properties and how developers will adjust				expensive, least time consuming and least
grading activities to limit the depositing of more				invasive, while being no where close to accurate
stormwater and sediment onto abutting				for the standards that are practiced by
properties than was done prior to contruction.				professional land surveyors.
Foundation Survey: a survey done to collect the				Topographic Survey: a survey that measures the
positional data on a foundation that has been				elevation of points on a particular piece of land,
poured and is cured. This is done to ensure that				and presents them as contours on a plot.
the foundation was constructed in the location				Wetlands Delineation & Location Survey: a survey
authorized in the Plot Plan, Site Plan, or Subdivision				that is completed when construction work is to
Plan. When the location of the finished foundation				be done on or near a site containing defined
is checked and approved the building of the				wetlands. Depending on your local, state, or
remainder of the structure can commence. This				federal regulations wetlands are usually classified
should not be confused with an As-Built Survey				as areas that are completely inundated with
which is not to be done until all work on the site is				water more than two (2) weeks during the
completed.				growing season. Contact you local or state
Hydrographic Survey: a survey conducted with				Conservation Commission or Wetlands Regulatory
the purpose of mapping the coastline and seabed				Commission to determine the particular definition
for navigation, engineering, or resource				for wetlands in your given geographical region.
management purposes. Products of such surveys				The boundary of the wetlands is determined by
are nautical charts. See hydrography.				observing the soil colors, vegetation, erosion
Mortgage Survey or Physical Survey: a simple				patterns or scour marks, hydrology, and
survey that generally determines land boundaries				morphology. Typically blue or pink colored flags
and building locations. Mortgage surveys are				are then placed in key locations to denote the
required by title companies and lending institutions				boundary of the wetlands. A survey is done to
when they provide financing to show that there				collect the data on the locations of the placed
are no structures encroaching on the property				flags and a plan is drawn to reference the
and that the position of structures is generally				boundary of the wetlands against the boundary of
within zoning and building code requirements.				the surrounding plots or parcels of land and the
Some jurisdictions allow mortgage surveys to be				construction work proposed within.

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Types of survey