Land Survey Plats
This type of survey is designed to establish or recover boundary lines of a parcel of land and to set or replace the property corner markers. A land survey plat (“boundary survey”, “pin survey”) is required when there is a boundary dispute, a subdivision of land, installing a fence along property lines or simply marking the extent of your property.
Land survey plats may be required to discover easements, rights of way, title conflicts and gaps or overlaps in title. The surveyor often works in conjunction with land title insurance companies to determine the written evidence of title prior to performing a survey. Land survey plats are a product of research of the public records, fieldwork to establish the location of any physical evidence and office calculations of the written record to determine the proper location of the property lines.
A.L.T.A. Surveys
A land survey with especially stringent requirements as developed by a joint effort of the American Land Title Association and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. The ALTA standards are a nationwide uniform set of standards. The survey is specifically designed to satisfy the needs of lenders, corporations and title companies when dealing with valuable commercial properties.
Prior to the survey a current title commitment and completed Table-A of the A.L.T.A., A.C.S.M. standards is required.
Boundary Retracement
Uses the same standards as a land survey plat. This type of survey is designed to establish or recover boundary lines on an ancient parcel of land and to establish the property corners. A boundary retracement survey is normally described by a “metes and bounds” description and may require extensive research of adjoining deeds, original government surveys, highway plans, etc. Surveying neighboring lands is necessary to gather all boundary evidence.
Improvement Surveys
The same as a land survey plat except in addition to the boundary work all improvements to a property are shown and dimension. Counties may require an improvement survey for framing permits to certificate of occupation.