Is a 10 year old survey still accurate?

[sunar27]

Virginia

I just bought a house and I want to install a privacy fence so I went to the county office to find a property survey. I didn't have a new one done at time of purchase to try and save some money. Anyway, I found one and it was done in 1997 an it shows the lot dimensions and all property lines. I find that my neighbors are maintaining about a 4' x 215' section of what looks to be my yard and the survey shows that their driveway is about a foot onto my property as well. Now I don't really like these neighbors since they were real nasty to us when my wife and I moved in but I don't want to turn this into WWW 3 either. What should I do? I want to be 100% sure before I tell the neighbor to stop mowing my grass but I also don't have a lot of money for legal purposes or an expensive resurvey.

 

[Ohiogal]

You should have had the survey done when you bought the house. Break down and buy one. It will be well worth your time and money in the long run.

 

[sunar27]

You should have had the survey done when you bought the house. Break down and buy one. It will be well worth your time and money in the long run.

We had the option to have one done but at around 1k dollars, we couldn't afford it. I called the original surveyor and he's supposed to get back to me but hasn't yet. So this survey at 10 years old is useless?

 

[danno6925]

So this survey at 10 years old is useless?

To you - Yes. No Surveyor in his right mind would re-certify a decade-old survey. Check to see if that surveyor is still in business. He might cut you a break on the price since he has already surveyed the property.

BTW: How many acres is your property? 1k sounds improbably high for a residential lot. Talk to at least three surveyors, go with the best price if the original surveyor is not willing to cut you a break.

 

[sunar27]

To you - Yes. No Surveyor in his right mind would re-certify a decade-old survey. Check to see if that surveyor is still in business. He might cut you a break on the price since he has already surveyed the property.

BTW: How many acres is your property? 1k sounds improbably high for a residential lot. Talk to at least three surveyors, go with the best price if the original surveyor is not willing to cut you a break.

My lot is .309 acres. I know this was done 10 years ago but why would the property lines be any different now? Is it possible to have the surveyor just relocate the pins and reconfirm this older survey as accurate if in fact it is?

 

[HappyHusband]

Is it possible to have the surveyor just relocate the pins and reconfirm this older survey as accurate if in fact it is?

That is what every survey of an existing property is, in fact.
Re-verifying that pins are where they are supposed to be, per the original plat on record.

 

[jimmler]

To you - Yes. No Surveyor in his right mind would re-certify a decade-old survey. Check to see if that surveyor is still in business. He might cut you a break on the price since he has already surveyed the property.

I agree

BTW: How many acres is your property? 1k sounds improbably high for a residential lot. Talk to at least three surveyors, go with the best price if the original surveyor is not willing to cut you a break.

Please do not tell people the survey price sounds high unless you are a surveyor in this posters area who has knowledge of the area, 3/4 of a day of field work could easily run 1k, and that doesn't include any office time and research. Also, with surveying, you often get what you pay for. Going with the cheapest price is not advisable, going with the most professional sounding surveyor who answers any questions you have is the best bet.

To the original poster, contact the original surveyor, they will need to come back out to the site and verify the corners, and reset any that are missing, and provide you with a new drawing. Usually this is less expensive than a new surveyor coming out and resurveying the property. Tell the surveyor the purpose of the survey when you call them, and whether you want a drawing too showing any encroachments by the neighbor (the surveyor will need to know up front about any extras that you want, usually showing improvements and encroachments are an extra)

Good luck.

jimmler
I am not a lawyer, I have been in surveying since 1989.

 

[sunar27]

Please do not tell people the survey price sounds high unless you are a surveyor in this posters area who has knowledge of the area, 3/4 of a day of field work could easily run 1k, and that doesn't include any office time and research. Also, with surveying, you often get what you pay for. Going with the cheapest price is not advisable, going with the most professional sounding surveyor who answers any questions you have is the best bet.

To the original poster, contact the original surveyor, they will need to come back out to the site and verify the corners, and reset any that are missing, and provide you with a new drawing. Usually this is less expensive than a new surveyor coming out and resurveying the property. Tell the surveyor the purpose of the survey when you call them, and whether you want a drawing too showing any encroachments by the neighbor (the surveyor will need to know up front about any extras that you want, usually showing improvements and encroachments are an extra)

Good luck.

jimmler
I am not a lawyer, I have been in surveying since 1989.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[HappyHusband]

3/4 of a day of field work

Good luck.

jimmler
I am not a lawyer, I have been in surveying since 1989.

3/4 of a day of field work? Jimmler? Come on!
Even if the .30 acre lot is an irregular shaped lot, it shouldn't take more than 2 hours, and no more than three instrument setups.

 

[sunar27]

3/4 of a day of field work? Jimmler? Come on!
Even if the .30 acre lot is an irregular shaped lot, it shouldn't take more than 2 hours, and no more than three instrument setups.

It's a rectangle shaped lot. How much can I expect an updated survey to cost me?

 

[HappyHusband]

It's a rectangle shaped lot. How much can I expect an updated survey to cost me?

I have no idea.

You'll need to call local surveyors for quotes. I was merely questioning the length of time required to do the field work.

 

[sunar27]

I have no idea.

You'll need to call local surveyors for quotes. I was merely questioning the length of time required to do the field work.

Oh definately getting quotes, just wondering if anyone with experience doing this work had a ballpark figure.

 

[jimmler]

3/4 of a day of field work? Jimmler? Come on!
Even if the .30 acre lot is an irregular shaped lot, it shouldn't take more than 2 hours, and no more than three instrument setups.

Incorrect. To do a proper survey, the surveyor must first do deed and plat research for the property and all adjoiners. Then the surveyor must not only find the lot owners corners, but also all of their neighbors, to make sure everyone gets what they are supposed to have. Then they have to locate all of them with the instrument. A minimum of 3/4 of a day for a new surveyor to come out and do all of this. Then they usually take the info back to the office, plot it up, and analyze the boundary. This also can take a few hours. Then another trip to the field to set the corners, if what was found works well together. If not, back out to look for more property evidence.

jimmler

 

[jimmler]

Oh definately getting quotes, just wondering if anyone with experience doing this work had a ballpark figure.

Your best bet is to call the original surveyor. If they are not still around, tell the surveyors you call who did the original, you can find the name on the old copy of the plat you found. Most times if a surveyor retires, they sell or give their files to another company, and it might help bring the price down if they have the benefit of their research (local surveyors will know who ended up with them).

Good luck.

jimmler
I am not a lawyer, I have been in surveying since 1989.

 

[sunar27]

Your best bet is to call the original surveyor. If they are not still around, tell the surveyors you call who did the original, you can find the name on the old copy of the plat you found. Most times if a surveyor retires, they sell or give their files to another company, and it might help bring the price down if they have the benefit of their research (local surveyors will know who ended up with them).

Good luck.

jimmler
I am not a lawyer, I have been in surveying since 1989.

Oh i've contaced the original surveyor and he's still in business. He just doesn't seem to want to call me back.