There are a lot of good reasons for hiring a land surveyor.
It can help you avoid nightmare scenarios like the man who was paying taxes on land that actually belonged to the city of Toronto.
Yikes! It’s well worth it to hire a land surveyor, but they’re not all created equal.
What questions should you ask to determine the best land surveyor to hire?
1. Are You Fully Licensed in My State?
It’s absolutely critical that this important work is done by a professional, licensed Land Surveyor.
This means that they’ve undergone an education, passed an exam, and have racked up years of experience professionally. It’s important that they are not only licensed but appropriately licensed in your state.
While there is a similar path to licensure throughout the United States, each state board for surveyors has its own specific requirements in order to obtain a license. These licenses typically need to be renewed either every year or every two years. It also isn’t uncommon for states to require completion of continuing education courses at the same time as the license renewal process.
2. Do You Have Liability Insurance?
The last thing you want is someone without liability insurance working on your property. It is essential that you are protected in case something unfortunate were to happen while work was being done.
Beyond this, not having liability insurance is a red flag that a land surveyor isn’t professional. Take the time to find a high-quality land surveyor. It will be well worth it and save you a potentially huge headache.
3. What Is the Estimated Cost?
It’s always a good idea to get a sense of how much something will cost before giving the go-ahead.
Getting a price estimate is important to help you budget and have an expectation of the ballpark figure. Any high-quality land surveyor would be more than happy to give you a sense of the land surveying fees. If a land surveyor is unwilling to give you an estimate, this is a sign that you’re better off going with someone else.
The cost of a professional land survey is well worth it. It will vary depending on the property’s location, size, and history, among other factors. There are also different types of property surveys, and the prices between these will differ.
4. Can You Supply References and Reviews?
There are lots of different types of jobs that land surveyors perform, from huge industrial construction to residential homeowners.
That’s why it’s a good idea to ask for references and reviews from prospective land surveyors. It can help give you a sense of whether or not they’re experienced in working with your type of property.
You can also call one of the company’s previous clients to ask what their experience was like. This is a great way to get an unbiased opinion. If the client has adopted the surveyor as one of their trusted contractors, you can feel more certain of their competence.
5. How Experienced and Educated Is Your Crew?
If a crew is made up of brand new land surveyors, the job could take longer than expected. It also means that they will be less likely to know how to solve unexpected issues on the fly.
Experienced crews, on the other hand, will have the ability and confidence to get the job done efficiently and effectively. When it comes to finding boundary evidence and survey markers, they’ll know what to look for.
6. What Will I Receive From the Work You’re Doing?
As a result of the work of a high-quality land surveyor, you should receive a record of survey map. The county surveyor will have reviewed, approved, and signed this survey. It will also be added to the records at the county recorder’s office.
This is important because if a company does not get the document recorded with the county, you’ll be without legal documentation in the case of a dispute. You’ll want to make sure that any land surveyor you hire will be available in the future to offer support if necessary.
7. How Long Do You Think This Job Will Take?
Every piece of land is different, so no two surveys are exactly the same. There are a lot of different reasons to get a property survey and a lot of different types of properties.
A professional land surveyor, though, should have no problem giving you a rough estimate regarding how long the job will take. They’ll produce this estimate based on the type of survey being conducted and the size of your property.
An estimate is just an estimate, so you should always assume that it could take a little longer or get done faster than expected. Having some sense of how long the project will take can help you plan around the surveying process.
Don’t Forget to Ask These Questions When Hiring a Land Surveyor
Whether you’re purchasing a property or trying to settle a boundary dispute with your neighbor, hiring a land surveyor is something you want to do right. If the job is done without great attention to detail and care, you could end up with incorrect information about where your property starts and ends.
That’s why it’s important to shop around when you’re looking for a land surveyor. Asking them these 7 questions before hiring them will help ensure that you’ve found a professional and competent surveyor that will get the job done.
Do you need to get your property surveys? Contact us today to get a free estimate.
