While most people think of land surveys in the standard sense, the drawing of the boundaries of a house, in actuality there are many varied and different means of surveying that service a variety of industries. Property surveys certainly are a large part of the business, but additionally, there are surveys and surveyors that service the construction industry, environmentally friendly sector, and many others. The forms of surveys which are conducted would surprise a lot of people, and some things that it might seem are surveys aren't surveys at all. Rather than the standard two-dimensional measuring from one point to another, today's surveys not only measure the land, but also the air and water above and below us.
The most frequent and well-known surveys conducted today are boundary surveys, mortgage surveys, and topographic surveys. An ALTA survey, that is actually a shortened title for ATLA/ACSM, combines elements of all three, with a set of standards put forth jointly by the American Land Title Association and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. ALTA surveys are most commonly useful for commercial properties; with a universal standard, companies can assure themselves of the level of thoroughness and be confident when the results are guaranteed by an ALTA survey.
Have a peek at this website are just what the name describes: a survey to establish the true boundaries of confirmed property. Through previously recorded markers and the establishment of new landmarks, a surveyor will establish the real boundaries of a property and mark the corners and lines of the plot, using markers such as iron rods, pipes or concrete monuments in the bottom, or nails set in concrete or asphalt. Previously, piles of stones, trees or other, less permanent markers were used, which resulted in confusion once the markers were either destroyed or changed.
Mortgage Surveys are simple surveys that, generally, determine land boundaries and building locations. They are usually required by title companies and lending institutions if they provide financing to show there are no structures encroaching on the property and that any structures on the house meet current zoning and building codes. You should ensure that you are getting an officially licensed mortgage survey performed by way of a licensed land surveyor, and not a mortgage inspection, that is a substandard survey which does not abide by any set standards and is not regulated or accepted as an official land survey.
Topographic Surveys are land surveys which locate natural and man-made features. For example, buildings, improvements, fences, elevations, land contours, trees and streams. These are then measured for his or her elevation on a specific parcel, and presented as contour lines on a plot. Topographical surveys are sometimes required by the government. Engineers and architects also use topographical surveys to assist in the design of improvements or developments on a site.
Among the largest and most rapidly growing segments of land surveys are in the construction industry. Surveys are crucial tools from inception and planning, to actual construction and maintenance afterwards. Most construction surveys fall under the discipline of civil engineering, which might require additional degrees and certifications to be able to conduct. All construction projects begin with the Plot Plan or Site Plan, which sets out the program for the entire project, including all existing and proposed conditions on confirmed site. As-Built Surveys are conducted many times during a construction project to verify for local and state boards that the task authorized was completed to the specifications set on the plot plan. Foundation Surveys are a type of as-built survey which collects the positional data on a foundation that is poured and is now cured. Foundation surveys are done to ensure that the foundation has both been constructed in the correct location and has been built in the correct manner according to the plan.
For existing structures, a Deformation Survey determines in case a structure or object is changing shape or moving. By the taking of three-dimensional positions on specific points on an object, then letting a period pass before retaking and measuring the points, a determination of whether a structure is moving could be made.
Although it might seem counter-intuitive, land surveyors may also be responsible for performing Hydrographic and Bathymetric Surveys. Hydrographic surveys collect data associated with any body of water, and the data collected may include the water depth, bottom contours, the direction of the current, observing and recording high water marks and water levels, together with location of fixed objects and landmarks for navigational purposes. They can also be conducted to gather information for engineering or resource management purposes, such as for example hydro power plants. Bathymetric surveys deal exclusively underwater, and map the seabed profile.
Geodetic surveys are categorized as both land and water category, as they map out the shoreline. Thomas Jefferson commissioned a geodetic survey in 1807 because the Survey of the Coast. Progress on the survey moved slowly at first, as they didn't even have the proper instruments to perform the survey until 1815. It still exists today because the National Geodetic Survey and its own responsibilities now are the interior lands of america along with its coasts.
Wetlands Delineation and Location Surveys belong in a category all by themselves; they are performed when construction work that is being planned on or near a site containing defined wetlands. Local, state, or federal regulations vary, but wetlands are usually classified as areas that are completely inundated with water more than two weeks during the growing season. Boundaries of wetlands are determined by observing the soil colors, vegetation, erosion patterns or scour marks, hydrology, and morphology of the land in question. Data is then collected on the locations of the placed flags and an idea is attracted to reference the boundary of the wetlands and compare it to the proposed boundaries of the surrounding plots or parcels of land and the construction work proposed within.
While there are many more types of land surveys, to list all of them and their attributes would result in a very long article. The options presented above are simply the most common forms of land surveys, and those that the general public is most likely to encounter.