Land Surveys
Comments
-
This is an interesting thread and right up my professional alley. Here's the facts as I understand them. A fence is wanting to be built and the adjoining property owner disputes the property boundary.
Some comments:
1. To definitively confirm the metes and bounds of a parcel, a survey by a licensed land surveyer is required. Pins, etc placed by other surveryors are very helpful, but not definitive in and of themselves if the pins cannot be tied back to a survey map that was stamped by the surveyor.
2. Survey costs will vary depending upon the level of difficulting and uncertainty placed before the surveyor. Existing pins (particularly if there are several placed by various surveys) will bring the cost down considerably. The acerage to be surveyed will affect costs. Surveying is a labor intensive professional activity that requires a licensed professional to do it.
Several hundred dollars for a city lot survey and nearly always over $1000 for an acerage lot survey. $5000 is not unusual for a complex survey of say 10+ acre parcel.
Regardless of cost, always demand a plat map that is stamped by the surveyor. The map (roughly 24 X 36") is worthless unless the surveyor affixes his/her state issued suveyor's stamp on it. The map is always accompanyed by a written document that has the verbal metes and bounds described. This is the language that is found in deeds, etc.
As others have suggested in this thread, shop around for surveyors. The key item to get a price on is the delivered STAMPED survey. NOTE: Most surveryors will not deliver to YOU a stamped survey until you pay them off in full. They know the survey is legally worthless unless it is stamped. They also know that have limited recourse if ripped off by you (you don't pay) by delivering a stamped survey beforehand.
You will get an unstamped plat map for review upon the survey completion. Once you pay them off, they will give (and you should expect/demand) a stamped version. This is how things work in that arena.
3. With a stamped platt map, the only way your neighbor can argue with you lay with him/her getting a stamped conflicting survey. Few as*hole neighbors are willing to expense such things. They generally blow smoke.
4. Concerning the placement of improvements in relation to your property line (and a fence is considered to be an improvement), check your local zoning codes. They vary all over the place. As others have stated, 1.0 to 1.5 ft from the property line is generally the norm for a fence. Buildings require greater set backs..
Whatever is the rule is where you live is what counts though. I've seen newly constructed fences torn down because the erecting land owner was not spot on certain about the local ordinance ... and made a mistake. Be certain that your as*hole neighbor will call the code enforcment officer on you if a fence goes up.
Hope this helps.
