How to choose the best surveyor?

You need a land surveyor, whether you’re a homeowner who wants to build a fence or you’re thinking about buying or selling a piece of property, and you don’t know how to discover the best one. When selecting a surveyor, we recommend following these key guidelines, recommendations, and suggestions.

Choose a Professional Surveyor

A licensed surveyor is required to meet both educational and experience requirements set by each state. In the state of Indiana, for example, a Professional Land Surveyor must graduate from an approved Land Surveyor curriculum and complete eight years of combined education and experience. In addition, a professional land surveyor must pass a state board exam and complete 24 hours of continuing education credits every two years. A listing of licensed surveyors can be found by state on most state licensing board websites. The Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors has a Find a Surveyor feature intended to assist the public in searching for a professional surveyor in their local area. Local governments may also provide a listing of licensed surveyors. The local Evansville government provides a listing of licensed surveyors that serve the Evansville, Indiana metropolitan area along with their contact information and firm name.

Searching “Surveyors Near Me” is actually important

A surveyor must travel to your piece of property to find your property corners and mark their locations. Since most surveying companies bill by the hour including travel time, choosing a surveyor over an hour away will impact your price. While you don’t need to choose a surveyor next door, choosing a surveyor in your general vicinity will help keep your costs down. Hiring a local surveyor also ensures they are familiar with your state and local municipalities property law, codes, and ordinances.

Check out the company reviews

As with any business, the best advertising is from customer referrals. Don’t just read the company reviews listed on the company website but check out the reviews listed on Google and find the Better Business Bureau rating for the company. Google reviews cannot be removed by the company and the BBB rating is based on complaint history, years in business, and competency.

One-Man Shop vs. Surveying Company

Not all land surveyors are created equal, and it is important to understand the differences in services when hiring a “one-man shop” vs. a professional land surveying company. Quality surveyors can be found in a one-man shop and at a surveying company. A surveying company typically has more years of experience and a higher probability of having worked in your area. A surveying company is also more likely to carry professional liability insurance which helps protect and cover the validity of their work. Make sure you understand these differences and ask the right questions before just selecting the lowest cost surveyor in your area.

Experience Matters

While surveying may not seem like rocket science, there is significant skill involved in interpretation of property deed descriptions and historical property markers. This skill is honed over time with experience and exposure to a wide variety of property surveys and descriptions. A surveyor must understand the law, mathematics, and engineering. It is important to hire a surveyor with several years of experience to ensure your survey is completed with the attention to detail and accuracy that are developed over many years in the field.

Consider Your Budget

There is no simple answer to how much a survey will cost. The cost can vary significantly depending on the type of survey needed, the purpose of the survey, the historical information available about the property, and the accuracy level desired. A reputable surveyor will gather this information and present you with some options depending on your piece of property and your budget. Before hiring a surveyor make sure to get a quote with a written description of what is included in the fee.

Consider Your Schedule

Sometimes, a property owner does not plan to have a survey completed prior to purchasing a new home or building a new structure on an existing piece of property. Once a property owner decides a survey is recommended or required, they expect it to be completed quickly. Surveyors are in high demand, and survey lead times can range from 2-8 weeks, depending on the status of the economy and whether there is a shortage of surveyors in your area. To determine if the surveyor can achieve your intended completion date, make sure you understand the lead time and the time to finish your survey work.

Get it done right the first time

More than likely, you will only need to have your property surveyed once. We are under the mindset “why do something twice, when you can get it done right the first time.” We recommend hiring a reputable surveying company in your local area with at least one professional licensed surveyor on staff. If you reside in the Evansville (IN), Newburgh (IN), Boonville(IN), Princeton (IN), Henderson (KY), Owensboro (KY), Nashville (TN), Murfreesboro (TN), Franklin (TN), and Hendersonville (TN) areas and are in need of surveying services then please give us a call or fill out our contact form, and we would be happy to help.