Land Surveying Frequently Asked Questions

A land surveyor measures, maps, and documents land, property boundaries, improvements, elevations, easements, rights-of-way, and other physical features of a property.

Depending on the type of survey, a professional land surveyor may research deeds and property records, locate existing monuments, take field measurements, establish property corners, prepare plats or maps, determine elevations, and provide information needed for construction or development.

There are many reasons to have property professionally surveyed. Common situations include:

• Buying or selling property

• Building a home or commercial building

• Installing a fence

• Adding a driveway

• Constructing a garage, shed, pool, or other improvement

• Determining property lines

• Resolving a boundary disagreement

• Dividing or combining property

• Planning new construction

• Obtaining certain permits

• Identifying easements or encroachments

• Establishing elevations

• Floodplain documentation

• Commercial development

• Construction staking and layout

Having accurate property information before beginning a project can help prevent expensive mistakes later.

A boundary survey identifies the legal boundaries of a parcel of land.

The surveyor researches available deeds, plats, and property records and compares that information with physical evidence and measurements collected in the field. The resulting survey can identify property corners, boundary lines, and relevant improvements or features.

Boundary surveys are commonly requested by homeowners, buyers, sellers, attorneys, developers, and contractors.

The most reliable way to determine your property's boundaries is through a professional boundary survey.

Fences, landscaping, utility poles, driveways, and what appears to be a natural property line should not automatically be assumed to represent the legal boundary.

A professional land surveyor evaluates recorded documents and field evidence to determine the property's boundaries.

Online maps can be useful for general reference, but they should not be relied upon to determine exact legal property boundaries.

Parcel lines displayed by online mapping systems may be approximate. If you need to know where a legal boundary is located before building, purchasing, selling, fencing, or improving property, you should obtain a professional survey.

A survey can provide valuable information before purchasing real estate.

It may identify property boundaries, easements, encroachments, improvements, and other conditions that could affect how you use the property.

Survey requirements can vary depending on the property, lender, title company, and transaction, so buyers should consult with the professionals involved in their closing.

It can be beneficial, particularly if there are questions about boundaries, acreage, easements, improvements, or potential encroachments.

Having accurate property information available can also help address certain questions before they become issues during a transaction.

We strongly recommend knowing exactly where your property lines are before installing a fence.

A fence placed over a property line can create disputes with neighboring property owners and may ultimately need to be moved.

A boundary survey provides much greater certainty about where your legal property boundaries are located before you invest in construction.

Yes, it is often advisable.

Before making a significant improvement, you need to understand where your property lines, easements, and other restrictions are located.

A survey can provide information your contractor, architect, or other professionals may need when planning the project.

Yes. Boundary disputes are one of the common reasons property owners hire professional land surveyors.

A surveyor researches the property's legal descriptions and recorded documents and evaluates physical evidence in the field to determine the boundary.

A survey can provide objective information about the property's legal boundary.

An encroachment occurs when a structure or improvement extends across a property boundary or into an easement or other restricted area.

Examples can include fences, buildings, sheds, driveways, retaining walls, and other improvements.

A professional survey may identify apparent encroachments affecting the property.

Survey pricing varies because every property is different.

For a typical half-acre lot, LRS Surveying has historically found survey costs may generally fall in the $850–$1,300 range, but the actual price depends on the property and scope of work.

Factors that can affect cost include:

• Property size

• Property shape

• Terrain

• Vegetation

• Accessibility

• Availability and quality of existing records

• Number of property corners

• Complexity of the legal description

• Type of survey required

• Amount of fieldwork required

• Required deliverables

The best way to determine your actual cost is to request a quote based on the specific property.

Yes. LRS Surveying provides free, no-obligation quotes for surveying services.

Providing the property address and information about why you need the survey will help us determine the appropriate service and provide a more accurate quote.

The amount of time required to perform the survey itself depends on the property and type of survey.

Property size, terrain, accessibility, vegetation, weather, existing records, and project complexity can all affect the amount of work required.

LRS Surveying strives to provide timely service and can discuss current scheduling when you request your quote.

Start with:

• Property address

• Your name

• Phone number

• Email address

• Type of survey needed, if known

• Reason for requesting the survey

• Any available deed, plat, or property information

• Desired project timeline

Don't worry if you aren't sure what type of survey you need. Tell us what you're trying to accomplish, and we can help determine the appropriate surveying service.

An elevation certificate documents elevation information for a structure or property in relation to floodplain information.

Elevation information may be requested for floodplain management, insurance, construction, permitting, or other property-related purposes.

LRS Surveying has a certified floodplain surveyor on staff and can help determine what surveying or elevation documentation may be appropriate for your situation.

LOMA stands for Letter of Map Amendment.

A LOMA is associated with FEMA flood mapping and may be pursued when property owners believe a structure or property has been incorrectly included within a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area based on elevation information.

The process can require professional surveying and elevation data.

A surveyor can provide elevation and property information that may be used with applicable flood mapping and floodplain requirements.

Because floodplain questions can have significant insurance, lending, and construction implications, it is important to obtain accurate information specific to your property.

Yes. LRS Surveying provides professional commercial land surveying services for property owners, developers, businesses, contractors, engineers, architects, and other professionals.

Commercial surveying can support property acquisition, development, design, construction, financing, and other real estate activities.

An ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey is a detailed survey commonly associated with commercial real estate transactions.

It follows nationally recognized standards established by the American Land Title Association and the National Society of Professional Surveyors and can provide detailed information concerning boundaries, improvements, easements, and other property conditions.

The specific requirements should be established before the survey begins.

Yes. LRS Surveying works with professionals involved throughout the property development and construction process.

Our surveying capabilities can support projects from initial property evaluation and design through construction layout and final documentation.

Construction layout translates information from construction or engineering plans into precise locations in the field.

Surveyors establish reference points and stakes that help contractors correctly position project elements.

Depending on the project, layout services may be used for the following:

• Buildings

• Foundations

• Roads

• Utilities

• Site improvements

• Infrastructure

• Other construction elements

Even small positioning errors can create significant problems during construction.

Accurate construction layout helps contractors build according to approved plans and specifications and can reduce the risk of costly positioning mistakes.

Ideally, involve the surveying team early enough to review project requirements and coordinate scheduling before field layout is needed.

Waiting until equipment and crews are already on site can create unnecessary delays if survey work has not been scheduled.

A topographic survey maps the elevations and physical characteristics of a property.

Depending on the project, it may document features such as the following:

• Ground elevations

• Buildings

• Roads

• Driveways

• Drainage features

• Utilities

• Significant site improvements

• Other physical features

Topographic surveys are frequently used by engineers, architects, developers, and property owners for design and planning.

You may need one when planning:

• New construction

• Site development

• Drainage improvements

• Grading

• Commercial development

• Engineering projects

• Building additions

• Infrastructure improvements

The required level of detail depends on how the information will be used.

An easement gives another person, company, government entity, or utility certain rights to use a portion of property for a particular purpose.

Common examples include utility, drainage, access, and ingress/egress easements.

A survey can help show the location of recorded easements when applicable to the scope of the survey.

A plat is a map showing information about a parcel or subdivision.

Depending on its purpose, a plat can depict property boundaries, dimensions, lots, roads, easements, and other relevant property information.

Yes. LRS Surveying provides subdivision and plat-related surveying services.

Property division can involve surveying as well as local planning, zoning, and governmental requirements. We can help with the surveying portion of the process and identify the information needed to get started.

In appropriate circumstances, parcels may be combined through a consolidation process. LRS Surveying provides consolidation plat services and can discuss the surveying requirements for your property.

Yes. LRS Surveying provides industrial surveying and mapping solutions for complex facilities and projects.

Industrial surveying can be used for facility documentation, expansion planning, construction, engineering, asset management, and other specialized applications.

3D scanning captures large amounts of precise spatial measurement data to create a detailed digital representation of an existing environment.

The resulting data can be valuable for documenting complicated structures and facilities where traditional measurements alone may not provide the necessary level of detail.

Depending on the project, 3D mapping and scanning can assist with:

• Existing-condition documentation

• Industrial facilities

• Engineering

• Renovations

• Expansion planning

• Facility management

• Volumetric calculations

• Complex site measurements

• Project visualization

Contact LRS Surveying to discuss whether 3D scanning or mapping is appropriate for your project.

LRS Surveying has been serving clients since 2007, and our team brings more than 30 years of surveying experience to residential, commercial, construction, and industrial projects.

Yes. LRS Surveying provides professional surveying services with appropriate licensing and insurance and has a certified floodplain surveyor on staff.

Yes. LRS Surveying is a veteran-owned, family-operated business.

LRS Surveying offers a 5% discount for veterans, first responders, and teachers, subject to applicable terms and restrictions.

Yes. Se habla Español. LRS Surveying serves both English- and Spanish-speaking customers.

LRS Surveying is located in Cartersville, Georgia, and primarily serves Northwest Georgia and surrounding areas, including projects in the greater Cartersville and Atlanta region and surrounding markets.

Contact us with your property address to determine service availability for your specific location.

Property and construction decisions often depend on accurate measurements. LRS Surveying combines the personalized attention of a local, family-operated company with the experience, technology, and capabilities needed for sophisticated surveying projects.

Our advantages include:

• More than 30 years of surveying experience

• Serving the region since 2007

• Veteran-owned and family-operated

• Residential and commercial surveying

• Construction layout

• Industrial surveying

• 3D scanning and mapping

• Floodplain surveying expertise

• Modern surveying technology

• Licensed and insured professionals

• Free, no-obligation quotes

• English and Spanish service

Every property and every project is different. If you aren't sure what type of land survey you need, tell us what you're trying to accomplish.

Whether you're trying to locate property lines, purchase land, install a fence, build a home, develop commercial property, obtain elevation information, lay out a construction project, or document an industrial facility, LRS Surveying can help determine the surveying services appropriate for your project.