A professional surveyor absorbs liability from their clients to ensure property line locations or planned construction is done correctly.

A good survey provides a lot of information and distills it into a useable format. Whether that means markers set on the ground or a map you can plan with, the result is information provided from a licensed professional regarding the location of your land and real property. In some situations a survey might not be required, in others it could save you thousands of dollars.

Estimated Costs: This can vary greatly based on your project needs. These are general approximations of what survey work might cost. All properties are unique, and these estimates are nothing more than an approximation.

• Consulting (research and non-field survey work) are charged at time and material rates and have a minimum of $1,000.

• Corner Records (simple boundary surveys) start at around $2,000 and go up based on complexity, terrain, and parcel size.

• Monument Preservation (8771 Corner Records) start at around $1,500 and go up based on location.

• Records of Survey (complex boundary surveys) start at around $5,000 and go up based on complexity, record information, terrain, and parcel size.

• Topographic Mapping starts at around $3,000 and goes up based on information required, size of project area, record information, and terrain.

• Lot Line Adjustments (Boundary Line Adjustments) start at around $7500 and go up based on complexity, record information, terrain, and parcel size.

• Parcel Maps (Minor Subdivisions) start at around $10,000 and go up based on complexity, record information, terrain, and parcel size.

The short answer is that on many properties a survey has not been performed in over 50 years, if at all since the original establishment of the PLSS corners in the 1850s-60s.

Recovering, restoring, or resetting monuments requires a field crew spends several hours minimum measuring with extremely precise tools.

Dense vegetation or extreme topography can make this work more difficult. In areas with extensive construction happening nearby, or with recent fires, recovering monuments can be very time consuming work.

After performing field work, hours of time creating an accurate map for recording with the county is often required, which adds to cost. County Recording and Map Checking Fees vary by county and are another source of survey cost.

For a detailed explanation on the PLSS system you can refer to MBS Survey’s Why are land surveys on sectionalized land so expensive?

Not filing or recording, while saving costs in the short term, leaves no traces in the public record and holds no real value should a dispute arise around a property boundary determination.

Recording or filing a map creates a publicly available document that serves as a timestamp of your property boundaries on the date of the survey. Should a survey on your property be needed in 50 years, the recorded (or filed) map showing found and set monuments will be available to both the public and surveyors who attempt to follow the footsteps of the previous surveyor.

A Professional Land Surveyor is required by the State of California to file a Corner Record or a Record of Survey with the county whenever they are establishing or re-establishing a property boundary.

To be in compliance with the laws regulating Land Surveying in California any surveyor setting a monument is required to file a Corner Record map or Record of Survey with the County.

The penalty for violating the law in this regard is losing license to practice.

An ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey is a detailed survey used for commercial real estate transactions. It meets specific standards set by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS).

This type of survey provides critical information about property boundaries, easements, improvements, and encroachments, ensuring clear land title transfer. ALTA surveys are essential for title insurance purposes in Northern California commercial real estate deals.

An ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey is crucial for commercial real estate transactions in Northern California. It helps ensure clear title transfer by identifying property boundaries, easements, encroachments, and other potential issues that could affect the land title. Lenders, title companies, and buyers often require an ALTA survey to mitigate risk and ensure a thorough understanding of the property before finalizing the transaction.

The cost of an ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey varies based on property size, location, and survey complexity. In Northern California, costs generally range from $2,000 to $15,000 or more, depending on factors like the number of easements, topography, and the specific requirements of the title company. Submit a form inquiry for an estimate from us.