Most homebuyers work with a property or land surveyor before buying a new house. But it’s likewise a great idea for existing homeowners to have their property professionally surveyed by a surveyor just to make certain that they know exactly where their boundary lines—where exactly their property begins and ends—are. This would help in avoiding potential property disputes. But that’s not all land surveyors could do.
What Else Could a Land Surveyor Do for You?
Aside from surveying a new property, you’re looking to purchase or determining your boundary lines; you might also need to work with a land surveyor if you want to build an add-on to your house. Before you could build an addition to your house, like a storage shed or a garage, for instance, it’s vital that you have your property surveyed. If you misunderstand or fail to follow the setback requirements or didn’t know that what you’re building is your neighbor’s property, you could end up in a property dispute with your neighbor that could lead to a lawsuit and/or hefty fines, notes an experienced land surveyor in Utah County. Additionally, if you have been at odds with your for what seems like forever due to a fence she installed that you believe is in your property, a land surveyor could help settle dispute once and for all by conducting a professional survey.
What’s in a Professional Survey?
Essentially, a professional survey would include your property’s exact description and determine limits to your property rights such as:
- Boundary Lines – These could include driveways, fences, as well as other additions that might be encroaching on your property or your neighbor’s. This would ensure that your property’s legal description is accurate.
- Zoning Restrictions – These could significantly limit how you could utilize your property.
- Existing Property Improvements – A professional survey would disclose whether or not existing repairs, improvements, or additions are compliant with local rules and regulations.
- Utility Lines – These include public drains and underground cables on your property. In the event that these public utility lines are present in your property, you might need to observe specific guidelines regarding their proper maintenance.
- Rights of Support – For instance, you might be legally responsible for giving support to your neighbor’s property by ensuring that an existing retaining wall is tiptop shape.
- Easements, Abandoned Roads, and Rights of Ways – The survey would reveal any private agreements or laws that enable others to the right to pass through your property.
Hiring a Professional Land Surveyor
Just as it is when hiring any professional, you need to do your due diligence—check the surveyor’s credentials, look up the surveyor online, ask for references etc. Majority of states require land surveyors to be licensed and sufficiently insured. Ensure that the surveyor also has ample experience working with your specific terrain. The reputation of the surveyor is likewise crucial especially in the event of a lawsuit based on a property dispute. Lastly, it’s best that you obtain multiple quotes from different surveyors, keeping in mind that the most affordable or expensive isn’t always the most suitable candidate.
