| Surveying is the art and science of measuring and | | | | easements, keep field notes, address the |
| mapping land and is most often needed to | | | | theoretical uncertainty of his measurements, |
| establish legal boundaries. As with most other | | | | provide a written survey report and in certain |
| circumstances, in residential use the survey | | | | cases, record the plat at the local court house. |
| discloses the actual lot size, the position and | | | | Since the first and most obvious source of |
| dimensions of structures on the property, and the | | | | information available to the surveyor is the land |
| presence, boundaries and positions of legal | | | | itself, their primary job is usually to perform a |
| aspects such as easements and building setback | | | | physical inspection and measurement, but they |
| lines. All 50 states have laws that regulate the | | | | also work from plats, deeds, and other |
| competence, integrity and practice of the | | | | documents filed in public records, and also from |
| surveying profession. | | | | monuments and other physical objects which |
| Common Uses | | | | serve as evidence of where the boundary is |
| Surveys are needed for a variety of purposes. | | | | located. Residential surveys are typically simple to |
| They may be required as part of the lending | | | | perform, but large tracts of land can be highly |
| process. A lender, whether it is a bank, mortgage | | | | complex jobs. Imagine the difficulty of surveying |
| company or some other financial entity, wants to | | | | a tract of land containing thousands of acres |
| be sure that the land and buildings upon which | | | | where boundaries can include one or more winding |
| they are lending money is exactly as described in | | | | rivers. Surveys can be either horizontal or vertical. |
| the contracts and other documents that | | | | Horizontal surveys involve compass directions. |
| accompany the transaction. Surveys establish, | | | | Vertical surveys involve elevations and are most |
| clarify or confirm legal descriptions that appear in | | | | often needed to determine the height of a |
| deeds, mortgages, contracts, and other | | | | landmark, structure or parcel of land above sea |
| documents that affect a properties. Surveying is | | | | level and whether or not a structure lies within a |
| a vital part of the design and construction | | | | flood hazard. |
| process, since it is essential that the physical | | | | Equipment |
| characteristics of any structure being built | | | | Land surveying is a profession that requires |
| conform to the physical and legal characteristics | | | | technical skills, legal knowledge, and specialized |
| of the site. Surveying is also an integral part of | | | | equipment. The types of equipment used vary |
| the design and placement of infrastructure such | | | | with the complexity of the job, but common |
| as roadways or road improvements. A survey | | | | items in the surveyor's tool kit include tape |
| can be used in court to settle disputes over | | | | measures, compass, optical and physical levels, a |
| property boundaries and who owns what. A wise | | | | transit, a tripod, range finder, GPS devices, and a |
| owner should always consult his survey before | | | | magnatic locator to find metal objects such as |
| erecting a fence, garage or storage building, or | | | | marker pins or stakes. Surveyors also must have |
| when planting shrubery near the edge of the | | | | the necessary skills to keep their equipment in |
| property to avoid trouble with neighbors and | | | | proper repair and adjustment. Modern tools in use |
| avoid future problems when selling. | | | | now reduce the actual physical labor involved in |
| What They Do | | | | measuring, and increase accuracy of results. By |
| Land surveyors deal with both mathematical and | | | | example, some measurements that used to be |
| physical aspects of measuring and apply them to | | | | taken by hand using tapes or wheels are now |
| legal aspects of boundary law. To perform a | | | | taken with laser devices. Computers and |
| boundary survey the surveyor might research | | | | software are necessary tools for calculation and |
| the descriptions of adjoiners, retrace prior | | | | reporting, and the widespread availability of aerial |
| surveys, establish or reestablish monumentation, | | | | and satellite images on the internet are useful. |
| show any physical evidence of possession or | | | | |