How Surveyors Establish Accurate Property Boundaries
Land surveyors, and particularly Licensed Cadastral Surveyors (LCS) help landowners determine exactly where their property ends and their neighbour’s property begins. They conduct boundary surveys, which accurately mark property lines or corners so that everyone understands who owns what land.
However, if you’re in need of a professional boundary survey, you may be wondering how surveyors determine property lines. What do they do to accurately define lines, and how do they make sure their results are correct?
How Surveyors Identify Accurate Property Boundaries
Essentially, surveyors (LCS) are trained professionals who conduct surveys to learn more about parcels of land. Boundary surveys are meant to identify boundary lines. If you need to determine your property lines, then you will need to hire a surveyor to define them for you. It’s their responsibility to determine precise property lines, interpret land deeds and clarify legal ownership rights.
How do they do this? Defining boundaries isn’t a simple job, which is why this task should only be taken on by an experienced Licensed Cadastral Surveyor who knows what they’re doing. It may involve reviewing existing land records, maps and previous surveys.
Here are a few basic steps that your boundary surveyor may take when conducting your survey:
Reviewing Existing Land Records. Your surveyor will first research existing records and legal documents, including current land records, deeds, maps and previous surveys held by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) taken by professional surveyors. This will help them gain a full understanding of the property’s legally recorded boundaries.
There are also different kinds of land boundaries to consider. For example, Unit Title, Cross Lease, natural boundaries are created by cliffs, bodies of water and other natural formations. Your surveyor will take care to understand what kind of land your property is and what kinds of boundaries it has.
Measuring The Land Itself. Once they understand your land’s recorded data, they’ll begin to actually measure and examine the land itself. Modern surveyors often use advanced methods, utilising technology to speed up the process and deliver accurate results. 3D laser scanning and GPS surveying are commonly used to easily identify property lines safely and quickly.
Traditional methods, such as using tape measures and theodolites, are also sometimes used on-site to ensure accuracy and double-check the information gathered by the more advanced methods.
Marking The Boundaries. After boundaries are determined, your boundary surveyor will mark them so that you and your neighbour know exactly where they are. The corners of your site will be pegged to clearly define your property lines. These pegs can also be offset if required.
When Are Boundary Surveys Necessary?
There are several cases where understanding your precise property lines is necessary:
- Clarifying Data. If physical land features, such as fences or trees, do not match legal descriptions, then professional boundary work can help settle the accurate location of property lines.
- Settling Boundary Disputes. Boundary disputes can arise if property lines aren’t clearly defined and one neighbour builds on another neighbour’s property. A boundary surveyor can identify the lines so that any changes can be made. In cases like this, the surveyor may collaborate with both parties involved to help settle the issue.
- New Property Purchase. Of course, when someone is buying a new plot of land, they want to know precisely what they’re buying. You may want to have a survey conducted when you’re selling your property so you can accurately advertise your land. Or, you can talk to the owner of a property you’re interested in purchasing about conducting a boundary survey so you know what you’re buying.
- Construction Projects. If you’re going to build something on your land, you need to make sure you’re only building on your property. Going over your property lines, as mentioned above, can lead to legal disputes and angry neighbours. Additionally, fixing your structure by tearing it down or renovating it can be expensive and time-consuming. Having a boundary survey done before you construct your new home, fence or other kind of structure can help you plan your project accordingly. Then, you don’t have to stress about accidentally building outside of your land.
- Subdivision Of Land. Large pieces of land can be subdivided to create smaller land parcels. These smaller properties are typically much easier to sell and develop than larger properties, so subdividing is a popular option for NZ landowners. A Licensed Cadastral surveyor can analyse your situation with you, discuss your primary goals and consider any obstacles you’re facing. They can help you with the overall subdivision process.
Understanding Your Land With Auckland Land Surveys
If you’d like to speak to reliable, professional surveyors in NZ, just give us a call at Auckland Land Surveys. We’ll be happy to identify the precise boundaries of your property. However, that’s not all we do – we also have experience with topographical surveys, land transfer surveys, cross-lease conversions and more. Our team uses advanced tech, such as 3D laser scanning and GPS surveying, so you can trust us to provide you with reliable results.
To get in touch, call us on 021809457 or use our contact page.
Auckland Land Surveys: Your reliable local land surveyors.