Land surveying, in short, is the art and science of establishing or re-establishing property corners, property lines and/or boundaries. There could be different reasons why someone wants a piece of land surveyed. Probably the most common is to evaluate if a piece of land is susceptible to flooding, to subdivide real estate to sell or deed to members of the family as well as to know if there are any encroachments. This could happen if a neighbour disputes that you’re using a part of his lot or viceversa (for more on this, read this page).

Cost of Land Surveying

If you need to have a piece of land surveyed, first thing may come to mind is “how much would it cost?”There are many factors determining how much land surveying for your land would cost. The fact that this type of service has to be done by an expert contributes a great deal to the total cost of the service, but choosing a non-professional to survey your land is dangerous, and in all likelihood illegal for the non-professional. This is why you ought to take a good look around before settling with a surveying company. If you must work inside a particular budget, discuss this with the surveyor up-front. Often he might manage to offer cost saving steps to get the work you need done within these cost limits.

The shape of the land must also be considered. A square or a rectangle piece of land is somewhat easier to survey than an odd shaped parcel, or one with a lot of sides. With the latter, the surveyor is required to spend more time in surveying the curves as well as the bends which means the cost of the service would increase. The overall measurements the land is also key factor here. Remember, the cost of land surveying is usually proportionate to the time and effort that a land surveyor would spend on the project.

If the land that you’re having surveyed isn’t accessible, or has thick vegetation, then the total price of the survey could go higher.

This is true of the varying weather conditions which might affect the work. Surveying in warm weather is sort of slower to keep from putting the crew members in danger. Also, most surveying can’t be done during the rain.
When requesting for a quote, bear in mind surveyors base the estimate on expected conditions at the site. These conditions could change, leading to additional costs. Always ask about these potential additional cost scenarios.
All that being said, competitive prices are also to be expected, which is why we recommend choosing a surveyor based upon his experience and reputation instead of on the price he writes on a piece of paper.

Most times it is far better to shell out a good amount of money on a survey that’s well-done rather than pick a company with a very “affordable” price but have the survey repeated because the results were wrong.
In conclusion, always discuss the costs of the survey before you ask the surveyor to begin his work. You should also obtain a contract that lets you know what is expected of the land surveyor. This is one of the most important steps in having your land surveyed.