Land surveying is often needed when time is of the essence, so knowing what kind of time frame you’re dealing with can help lower your overall stress. Any number of things could need to happen quickly — a house may need to be sited, or utilities may need to be installed, especially if the property is to be sold as soon as possible.
A land surveyor handles many tasks, not the least of which is confirming the boundaries of the property, an important part of the home-buying process, as well as confirming the legal description of the property. They will also determine if you have any easements or other restrictions on the property in question.
This is an important step in buying a house, of course, but land surveying can also be done at any other time. If you’re planning on buying a house or a piece of property, you’ll need to work with a land surveyor to determine where the property’s corners and edges are legally. However, a land surveyor must carry out certain tasks before they can even begin to set the corners of the property.
Steps in a Land Survey
First, the old survey or legal description needs to be received. With this, the new surveyor can begin their research into all available physical and non-physical information about the property. For rushed services, this step can usually be completed between three and five business days. Standard services without a rush order are usually completed within five to ten business days.
It’s also important to note that this five to ten-day estimate assumes that the surveyor’s schedule is open, and they can begin your survey as soon as they receive the order. Since this isn’t always the case, it’s best to plan for a longer duration if at all possible. In most cases, surveyors will be happy to provide you with an estimate as to how long it will take to get to your order and roughly how long it will take to complete.
If possible, it’s best to put in an order for a survey as early in the process as you can to avoid last-minute bottlenecks. Surveyors are often happy to work with you if you need a survey within a tight turnaround. Just bear in mind that you may not always have that option and may instead be in a holding pattern for the usual five to ten business days.