Boundary surveys are a performed for various purposes. They may be requested for a mortgage, for estate planning, or to clarify boundaries for disputes. They can provide landowners with the location of their boundaries for new construction or perhaps just find lost corners. Survey details can vary depending on the client's needs and information required to clarify outstanding property questions. We provide an array of options for the client to choose from so that the best product can be chosen to meet their needs and budget.

If you're interested in a boundary survey, you may be wondering what is involved, what type of boundary survey is needed, and what it will cost. This can be overwhelming to someone that is requesting a survey for the first time. A surveyor can help you make this determination. It is important to explain your exact needs for the survey and be clear and honest about your concerns. If there is a dispute or a specific concern, it it important to express this up front so that the necessary information is collected during the course of the survey. If you have an attorney, they can also help you determine what type of services you may need to request. Remember, a boundary survey is a legally binding product that is prepared by a professional licensed by your state.

What is involved with a boundary survey? Perhaps you have seen surveyors on the side of the street taking some measurements. Is that all there is to it? That's a good question. There is actually a lot more to a boundary survey than the field work. For a surveyor to perform a survey it takes years of school, an apprenticeship, and licensing examinations to be properly trained and certified to provide an accurate survey for a client. In order to provide this product, the surveyor must be able to determine what their client needs based on their concerns and issues. The necessary research must be done to answer specific questions regarding the property in question. The correct information must be gathered in the field work to properly solve the boundary lines in the office, and a surveyor must know how to relay this information on a map that is not only accurate, but can also be understood by their client and anyone else that might be using the survey.

What kind of survey do I need? There are many kinds of boundary surveys. They are classified by their intended purpose and the level of detail required to complete the survey. The most basic is a typical boundary survey. It will show the least amount of detail and is usually performed for general information or for a simple conveyance. Another type is a mortgage survey, which is often required by a lending institution when financing or refinancing a property. The level of detail can vary, but typically these surveys will show the major features of a property, such as a house, well and septic. There is also the NYSAPLS survey performed in New York State. This type of survey is done using the standards adopted by the New York State Association of Professional Land Surveyors. This will typically show major and minor improvements and observed surface utilities. The most complex type of boundary survey is most often the ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey. This survey can vary in complexity and detail, but includes title certificate review, and can include such things as subsurface encumbrances, wetlands, elevation relief, offsite servitude, and more. The purpose of these types of surveys is to assist in clarifying a title so that a title policy may be written. These are most often prepared for commercial properties.