Although sometimes unappreciated, a professional surveyor is an important contributor to the successful outcome of your new home or existing home expansion and remodeling project.

Among a surveyor’s  responsibilities, establishing lot lines and flood protection grades, drawing plot plans and staking buildings on the site are but a few of the crucial functions they perform. Although some of this work can be provided by someone less qualified, the penalty for even a seemingly minor  infraction can be severe and take a lot of time and money to remedy.

Many times there is no choice but to position a new home or room addition very close to the minimum distance from a property line allowed by a plat or ordinance. This very small margin for error is very common on lake side properties where land is at a premium but it is not rare in other areas as well.

With the tight tolerances in mind, it just makes common sense to contract with a professional to position your home to be in compliance with the requirements. Cutting edge equipment allows for precision by the surveyor that is not possible with older, less reliable technology.

No less important is making certain that the home is being constructed out of any flood plain to prevent the owner a lifetime of paying for flood insurance. The margin for this can be very slim and like set-backs, a violation no matter how small will be the source of much grief. There is really no distinction made between a 1” error and a 10’ error, a violation is a violation.

Our experience of building lake and vacation homes over the years has proven that it is very common to encounter disputed property lines around the lakes. To have the assistance of an experienced surveyor to work through those issues has been invaluable.

Most banks and building departments require that they are provided with an as-built survey performed by a certified surveyor prior to closing on a loan or issuing a Certificate of Occupancy. Since this is normally the case we include a survey allowance in any bid that we provide for a project. Although this cost may not be accounted for in other’s bids we prefer you not be surprised by additional expenses at closing for things like the required surveying work.