FAQ

Surveys are commonly required by homeowners for two primary reasons. First, they provide accurate information about your property's lot lines, ensuring you know the exact boundaries of your land. Second, surveys are essential when you plan to make property improvements, such as installing a fence, as they help you adhere to zoning regulations and avoid encroachments onto neighboring properties.

When you commission a survey from us, we begin by physically marking the corners of your property and can add additional stakes as per your preferences along the lot lines. During our on-site work, we meticulously gather data that we use to create a detailed survey plat drawing of your property. You'll receive both a digital PDF version of the plat, as well as hard copies delivered by mail. Our aim is to provide you with a comprehensive surveying package to meet your needs.

Selecting the right land surveyor is crucial. Start by ensuring that the surveyor is professionally licensed in the state of Wisconsin, as this attests to their qualifications and adherence to local regulations. Additionally, seek a surveyor who provides you with a comprehensive and transparent quote. A detailed quote should outline the specific services you'll receive, leaving no room for ambiguity. This ensures you have a clear understanding of what to expect. Accessibility and responsiveness are also key factors. Your surveyor should be readily available to address your questions and concerns throughout the surveying process. Effective communication fosters a smoother and more successful collaboration.

While some property owners try to locate their property corners using a metal detector, it's important to exercise caution, especially if you plan to make improvements. The corners you uncover may be disturbed or inaccurately placed, potentially leading to costly errors. Building a structure based on these findings could result in encroachments onto your neighbor's property or violations of setback lines. Correcting such mistakes later can incur significant expenses, far exceeding the initial cost of hiring a professional surveyor. For precise and reliable results, it's recommended to consult a qualified surveyor for boundary verification.

While it's a courteous gesture, there is no requirement to inform your neighbors in advance. When our surveyors arrive at your property, we will personally notify you before conducting any work on your land. If our survey work extends onto your neighbor's property, we will also follow the same procedure, ensuring that we maintain transparency and professionalism throughout the process. Rest assured that our team is committed to respectful and responsible surveying practices.

While not required, it's considerate to clear away any debris from your property corners as a courtesy. This small gesture can expedite our surveying process, allowing us to efficiently complete our work.

To precisely identify your property's lot lines, you should request a boundary survey. This survey specifically defines the boundaries of your property, providing you with crucial information for landscaping, maintenance, and property management. As part of the boundary survey, we will physically mark and stake the corners of your lot, making it easy for you to visualize and understand your property's physical boundaries.

When planning a fence installation, you'll need a survey that includes locating your house and potentially other structures. Many municipalities mandate a plat of survey as part of the building permit application process. Additionally, numerous fencing companies either request or require a survey to mark your lot accurately. This survey serves to define your lot lines and the position of your house, providing essential information for the fence installation process and ensuring compliance with local regulations.

For adding a structure to your property, you should request a survey that includes locating all your existing improvements. This comprehensive survey defines your lot lines and existing structures, offering a clear depiction of their positions relative to your property boundaries. This information is vital for accurate and compliant construction and ensures that your new structure aligns with local zoning regulations and property boundaries.

An improvement refers to any added structure on a parcel of land. Examples include a house, fence, deck, shed, retaining wall, swimming pool, driveway, or garage, among others. Essentially, it encompasses any constructed element that enhances or modifies the land's use and value.

When facing a boundary dispute, it's advisable to request a survey that includes locating all your property improvements. This comprehensive survey aims to determine the precise location of your neighbor's structure concerning your property boundaries. It provides a clear depiction of these areas, offering crucial evidence to help resolve the dispute amicably and ensure accurate property delineation.

An encroachment occurs when a neighboring property has an improvement that extends beyond your lot line. Encroachments frequently arise when property owners undertake construction without the guidance of a professional survey. While they may believe they know their property boundaries, without a survey, it's essentially guesswork. For example, an owner might use a fence to establish a boundary, but that fence could encroach onto their neighbor's lot.

Ideally, you could attempt to reach an amicable agreement with your neighbor regarding the encroachment. For example, if your neighbor's fence extends onto your property, you might request that they relocate the fence to resolve the issue. In cases where your neighbor is uncooperative, legal action may be necessary. The plat of survey drawing you receive serves as legal evidence of your property boundaries. With the assistance of an attorney, you can pursue legal measures to compel your neighbor to rectify the encroachment.

If your survey identifies an improvement that extends onto your neighbor's property, it could potentially lead to future complications. For instance, if you intend to sell your property, you may be required to provide a plat of survey, and the presence of an encroachment could impact the terms of the sale. Moreover, your neighbor may become aware of the encroachment at some point, which may necessitate addressing the situation on their terms, including potentially removing the structure from their property. It's essential to address encroachments promptly to avoid potential legal or property-related issues.

In general, the cost of a survey depends on the extent of property features the surveyor needs to locate. A basic boundary survey typically has a lower cost. However, if you require the surveyor to locate your house or other improvements, the price would increase. The complexity of a project may also affect pricing, especially for larger parcels of land or properties situated on challenging terrain. Such terrain might include heavily wooded areas, proximity to bodies of water, wetlands, or floodplains. To provide transparency, we always furnish a detailed price quote to our customers before commencing any work, ensuring clarity on costs.

Occasionally, we may encounter projects that demand more extensive work and time than initially anticipated. In our lump-sum quotes, we outline the possibility of additional compensation in such scenarios. If this situation arises, we will promptly communicate with you to explain the circumstances. We will also provide a secondary estimate detailing the cost of any extra services required. You will then have the opportunity to decide whether you wish to proceed with the project based on these terms, ensuring transparency and mutual agreement.

The scheduling timeline can vary depending on customer demand. In some cases, you may be able to secure a slot within a week, while at peak times, it could take up to eight weeks. It's important to note that our workload tends to be busiest in July, experiences a slowdown around December, and starts to pick up again in March. To secure your preferred timing, we recommend contacting us well in advance, especially for projects with specific scheduling requirements.

Yes, if you intend to obtain a building permit, you typically need to provide a copy of your survey to your local municipality. It's important to note that while our company conducts surveys, we do not handle the coordination with local municipalities to secure building permits. You would need to consult with your municipality independently for the permit application process. We can, however, provide you with the necessary survey documentation for your permit application.

Yes, you can schedule a survey throughout the winter months. It's a proactive approach if you're planning construction in the spring or summer. While winter conditions like snow, ice, and cold may present some limitations, we are still fully capable of conducting surveys during this season and ensuring the job is completed to your satisfaction.

Upon conducting the fieldwork at your property, we aim to provide you with the survey drawing within 7 business days. Occasionally, this timeline may extend if additional visits to your property are required. Such instances typically arise when one or more of your property corners are missing or have been disturbed. In such cases, we will promptly communicate with you via phone or email to inform you of any necessary extensions. Our top priority is to deliver an accurate and high-quality survey, which ensures the success and efficiency of your overall project.