Several factors can affect survey costs
Frequent client questions
Why does a land survey cost what it does?
The time you see our field crews in the field is the tip of the iceberg. Every survey requires pre-feld courthouse, deed, and legal research. We then go to the field to find boundary information, collect that field information then bring it into our office computer systems for analysis. Finally, we can finally draft your survey map. It’s an exhaustive process and we love our work, but it takes time to get it right!
Why am I being quoted a different price than my neighbor paid for their survey?
Our firm gets more detail than some survey firms. Their work is not incorrect, but we’ve found that more detail at the beginning of your project means no return trips for more survey data, and fewer questions from architects or city or county officials later on.
Why is your price different from another land surveyor for the same project?
We all have different costs of doing business & differing business models. Getting more data and doing redundant back-of-house work pays off for our clients. It means a faster plan approval for your project. And 10 or 20 years from now, when you make changes (or sell your property), you’ll already have much of that field data in hand, making your NEXT project go smoother, too.
Why does it take so long?
Our boundary retracement work is exhaustive; we get more boundary evidence than some firms. This takes more time, but means our surveys will stand up to any scrutiny.
I already know where my corners are. Can't you just come out and verify them for me?
Yes, but to verify your corners, we have to survey all of your parcel lines PLUS the adjacent parcels. No boundary is an isolated entity, even though you may only need to know where one corner or one lot line is for your project. You share your boundary with other landowners. We are ethically bound to honor where the boundary is on the ground. Our exhaustive boundary retracement model makes us confident that we can both help you achieve your goal, while not throwing the neighborhood into disarray.
If I ask for the same survey 6 months from now, why is the price different?
Costs continually change. In the recent economy, costs of doing business have exploded.