Sometimes, you buy land to build a family home. Other times, you want to grow a lot into a thriving commercial center. Either way, significant construction can require a land survey by law. You’ll need to know how the ebb and flow of your land can influence your ambitions.
This is a little easier to do with a land surveyor on your side. Scalice Land Surveying’s land surveys in North Carolina let you establish a more comprehensive understanding of your property’s characteristics.
Our surveyors can identify your specific boundaries and any problematic or protected areas. When you work with our team, you can more effectively transform the value of the land you’ve purchased.
What It Means to Get a Land Survey
Land surveys let you more effectively visualize a plot of land. These surveys tend to outline a lot’s boundaries, giving you the dimensions in which you can place new buildings. When you have ready access to a map of your topography and utility placements, there’ll be fewer opportunities for you to misplace your new construction.
Surveys can also help you identify any environmental elements that you need to modify, as well as those you shouldn’t. Parts of your property may qualify as easements. These segments may make up part of your property, but other parties have the right to modify and protect them. A land survey can help you avoid the fines that might otherwise come with easement violations.
After our team finishes assessing your property, we can offer you both a physical and digital copy of your land survey. This way, you can access information about your land’s boundaries, topography, utilities, and other features at your leisure. You can also work with local officials to store copies of your land survey for future reference.
Different Types of Land Surveys
There’s more than one kind of land survey available to area landowners. Before you schedule an assessment of your land, ask questions about the land surveys in North Carolina that might best suit your needs. Your options can include:
- Construction staking
- Boundary surveys
- ALTA/NSPS land title surveys
- Mortgage surveys
- Topographical surveys
Our team also offers subdivision surveys for larger swathes of land. We can discuss which of these available surveys best aligns with your needs after an initial case consultation.
How Long a Land Survey Takes
The amount of time it takes to survey a lot varies from location to location. Your survey schedule will be based on the acreage and environmental complexity of your land. When we have a basic understanding of your property’s size, environmental quirks, and your own ambitions, we can more accurately predict how long our team will need to visualize your lot.
At most, surveys of larger properties take up to two weeks. If you want to get a more specific idea of how long a land survey may take, speak with one of our representatives.
How Long a Survey Is Good for
The average North Carolina land survey tends to reflect the lay of the land for several decades. Unless your land undergoes dramatic change, it’s unlikely that you’ll need another survey within the next ten years.
That said, if you re-landscape a property, add new structures, or otherwise transform your lot, you can schedule a land reassessment. Our team is ready and willing to help you track the value of your property over time.
Accessing Old Land Surveys
It is possible for you to access surveys of a lot that you’ve bought off of another person or institution. You can request a land survey from your local building department. Alternatively, you can request a certified copy from your land recorder’s office.
Some owners choose to share land surveys with tax attorneys and authorities. When in doubt, contact your area tax assessor, and you can compare an older land survey against an updated version.
How to Choose a Land Surveyor in North Carolina
When you’re getting someone to evaluate your land for you, you want to make sure that they are reliable, honest, and, perhaps most importantly, licensed. If your surveyor does not have an official license from the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCBELS), the survey that they draft will not be accepted by most parties.
You should always make sure that your land surveyor is certified and works for a reputable company. A good way to vet a land surveying company is to get a free consultation with them. By talking to someone who works there, you can get a good idea of who they are and how well they’ll work for you.
North Carolina Land Survey FAQs
How Much Does a Land Survey Cost in North Carolina?
Does North Carolina Require a Land Survey?
How Much does a Land Survey Cost in North Carolina?
Not everyone has the same budget for land modification. As a team, we don’t want to add any financial stress to your plate. What is the average cost to survey your land, then?
Generally, you can expect a land survey in North Carolina to cost under $1,000. That said, larger lots with more unique features are going to be more expensive to assess. The more survey specifications you request, too, the more our professionals may charge.
No matter what your ambitions for your property look like, we’ll help you meet your goals. You can meet with one of our team members during an initial consultation to hammer out your survey’s overall cost.
How Do I Use a Land Survey?
The ease with which land surveys can identify easements and help you plan out your future construction saves you money in the long run. You can fit your new buildings to your lot’s available utilities without compromising another person’s space.
You can use these visualizations for other purposes, too. If you need to contest or defend your mortgage, a land survey can help you clarify the scope of your property to a representative at the bank.
Does North Carolina Require a Land Survey?
There technically isn’t any requirement for a survey in any sale, mortgage, or construction project—at least not legally. However, in many cases, there is some party involved that will require a land survey. Buyers want to know what they’re getting into and lenders want to know about any insurance risks or legal issues.
So, no, North Carolina doesn’t require a land survey. There are many other people who do, though. Check with anyone involved in your deal or your project and see if they need your land assessed. If you’re not sure whether you need to get a survey, one of the experts from our company may be able to look at your situation and tell you what the best course of action is.
Who Pays for a Land Survey?
In the case of a property sale, the buyer is usually the party expected to pay for the survey. Even if you’re selling and you are the one finding a surveyor, you may be able to get the buyer to foot the bill. In general, if someone requests a survey, they are the one that has to pay for it.
If you’re getting a survey for a construction project or something similar, however, the situation could be different. If your local municipality requires one, check with them to see if you can get assistance paying for your survey. Thankfully, an assessment won’t usually cost more than $1,000.
How to Find Your Property Lines
You can usually find your property lines by checking with your local county clerk, recorder, or assessor. They may have records of your property’s boundaries and past surveys. If you know what company performed your property’s latest survey, they may also still have your records on file.
In some cases, the last surveyor may have left monuments or other markers that show the corners of your property. You can look for those, but it’s best to have official records that show your boundaries. In some cases, monuments can shift and it can be difficult to find the exact lines.
The History of Surveying in North Carolina
There have been land surveyors in North Carolina since the 1700s. Throughout the history of the state, properties have been remapped and land has been reallocated. Early statehood and reconstruction have made it necessary to survey every inch of the state.
Where past surveyors have used rudimentary tools, our technicians today have laser technology, drones, and satellite mapping systems. Present surveying techniques are advanced, and allow land surveyors in North Carolina to thoroughly and accurately assess land in a fraction of the time it used to take.
Get a Free Quote on Your Next Land Survey in North Carolina
Whether you want to invest in new construction or avoid built-in easements, you can call Scalice Land Surveying. Our 75 years of experience makes it easy for us to help you visualize your upcoming projects. You can learn more and find out how much it may cost you with one of our free estimates.
To schedule a North Carolina land survey, contact us today. We’ll elaborate on your goals and our matching services during an initial consultation.