Whether you're building a new home or a new fence or are adding rooms to an existing home, you can benefit from the work of a land surveyor. If you're wondering what their role entails and how it can help, read on.
Determining Boundaries
No matter what construction you're undertaking, it's essential to make sure you know the exact boundaries of your property. Pulling down and moving a newly-built fence or dwelling that infringes on a neighbour's property wastes time and money. A land surveyor—at times through the research of historical documents—establishes the exact perimeter of a property. Measuring and marking the land, they check that the reality matches the records.
When choosing a land survey, you will often have options for different kinds of investigations. Some involve public lodgement with the relevant local government body. They then become part of the historical paper trail for that property. In the future—it could be in another hundred years or so—that report might be part of an evidence trail for future land surveyors. Some types of surveys carry more legal weight than others and so are more useful in a boundary dispute. Check the details of any survey you order to make sure it fulfils your needs.
Analysing The Land
Whether you're building a new home or moving walls and adding rooms, a land surveyor's report will help to optimise the land—noting all the relevant characteristics of the soil so that construction goes ahead efficiently and smoothly. Using an instrument called a theodolite, a surveyor collects topographical information which helps the builder design and manage the process. For instance, they might determine the soil quality and whether it's susceptible to flooding. The report could look at whether the land can support a building, whether it has an incline that needs attention and what the underground water levels are. With all these factors known, the builders can design appropriate drainage and manage any issues that have come to light.
When constructing dwellings, the builder will consult with the surveyor to mark out their exact location within the property confines. Often local regulations will specify a minimum gap between the structure and the land perimeter, so this needs factoring in also. Otherwise, you could end up remodelling your new home or addition unnecessarily. Ultimately, a land surveyor takes care of all the spatial aspects of a site, its boundaries and topography to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible.
