How Accurate is Land Surveying?
If you hire a land surveyor, it’s essential to understand how surveying works and its accuracy.
It’s common to spot individuals on the street wearing hard hats and peering through surveying equipment. However, many don’t realize these same experts can help you buy a home.
More specifically, these surveyors are taking exact measurements of land, and mapping the area using specialized technology.
The measurements and mapping provide accurate, reliable information to determine property lines and the location of features in a plot of land.
Accuracy and Precision
Thanks to improved technology in the last decade, land surveying has become more accurate than ever before.
However, before we can dive into the idiosyncrasies of land surveying it’s vital to understand the difference between accuracy and precision.
- Accuracy – How close a measurement comes to the correct value or standard.
- Precision – How close a measurement can be repeated accurately, with no relation to any other given value.
Let’s dive into some examples to better differentiate the two:
- Accuracy is when a surveyor has a length of rope that is 250 feet long, measures it, and records that it is 250.04 feet long. That measurement is close to accurate.
- Precision is when a surveyor measures the same line 6 times, getting measurements within .01 of each other. That is rather precise.
The difference between accuracy and precision is essential in land surveying because a surveyor strives for both when measuring, ensuring the most accurate data.
In addition, by using improved technology, surveyors can produce accurate maps and reports of any plot of land.
The main piece of equipment used to acquire measurements is called a theodolite. This telescope moves a laser pointer horizontally and vertically to align with a measuring stake to measure the distance between the two.
The minimum accuracy of new surveys varies state to state, and professional land surveyors use precision and accuracy measurements and equipment to acquire measurements that fit these standards.
State by state reports will look similar to this.
Why Do We Need Land Surveying?
Many people wonder why they may need a professional land surveyor. Generally, most people find themselves calling a land surveyor when buying a home to make sure that property lines are correct. On the other hand, others may call land surveyors to settle neighborly disputes over property boundaries based on incorrect or out-of-date land surveys. The rest may be calling to ensure they understand the property lines when adding an addition to their home.
We have needed professional land surveyors for decades, and the profession is becoming more and more popular. For instance, many farmers have sought land surveyors to understand the topography of their land better to enhance their farming practices.
Here are some other common reasons one might conduct a land survey:
- Locating utility lines
- Building on a plot of land
- Construction of new roads or highways
- Purchasing or selling of a plot of land
- Flood precautions
- Updating old surveys
- Locating property lines
- Agriculture data
The Different Types of Land Surveys
To gain the most accurate measurements when completing a land survey, surveyors must know the right type of survey the project requires.
Moreover, based on the reason the survey is requested, surveyors must use their skill and experience to decide which type of survey to use.
These reasons, as seen above, range from location property lines to understanding the topography of a field to plant crops.
Here are some examples of the different types of surveys:
- ALTA survey
- Boundary survey
- Location survey
- Subdivision survey
- Site-planning survey
- Construction survey
- Topographical survey
For more details on each of these surveys, visit Accurate Land Surveyors.
Many people frequently become overwhelmed by the number of land surveyors they can hire. Above all, they want to make sure that they are hiring someone that has the commitment and specific expertise help them complete their project.
Accurate Land Surveyors serve Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, and St. Lucie counties and are trusted since 1983 to perform accurate surveys.
So don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or if you wish to request a survey.