WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM THIS PROCESS?
MY REALTOR/TAX ASSESSOR TOLD ME WHERE MY BOUNDARIES ARE AND HOW MUCH LAND I HAD, BUT MY SURVEY IS DIFFERENT, WHY?
CAN A PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR TELL ME WHAT I OWN?
CAN THERE BE MULTIPLE INTERPRETATIONS OF A SURVEY?
CAN MY NEIGHBOR AND I SETTLE A BOUNDARY DISPUTE BY AGREEING ON OUR PROPERTY LINES?
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM THIS PROCESS?
We'll ask you some questions about your project, then send you an estimate based on your answers, our knowledge, and some preliminary research. If you decide to move ahead, we'll e-mail you an agreement with a copy of your estimate to sign electronically. Depending on the project we require a retainer (which can be up to 100%) of the estimate to start work. Outstanding balances are due prior to final stakeout, and/or submission of stamped plans. If you're unsure of what you need, or if during the course of your project we discover that there may be an issue, whether it’s timing, or an unexpected challenge, we're happy to work with you to adjust the scope to better reflect the realities of your project or budget. You won't pay for work you didn't authorize.
HOW MUCH DOES A BOUNDARY SURVEY COST?
There's no one size fits all answer for this question, unfortunately. The final price of a survey is subject to a number of factors such as the quality of the land evidence available, monuments, size of the parcel, season, and what you need to accomplish your goal. The average Rhode Island urban residential parcel starts around $2,000.00.
HOW MUCH DOES NOT HAVING A BOUNDARY SURVEY COST?
We didn't write the best answer to this question, here it is.
IF I ONLY NEED ONE CORNER, WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR A FULL SURVEY?
The work to verify one corner or all corners is the same. Think of each piece of research we collect as part of an equation used to identify the shape of your property on the ground. You need to know all the sides of a shape to be sure of how they're related. The minimum requirements of a limited content (less rigorous) boundary survey, which are sometimes possible depending on the data available to us and the purpose of the survey, is two corners.
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WILL IT COST LESS IF MY LAND IS CLEARED?
Not necessarily. The time of year, size of the parcel, and kind of vegetation can sometimes change how a project is estimated. Every property and project is different. Other factors that can affect the price of a survey are insufficient or few legal descriptions, a lack of physical monuments, opposing land evidence, challenging topography or other natural features. Surveying as a skill lies between engineer and attorney; it relies on technical knowledge, legal knowledge, and wisdom and experience to interpret and join legal, proposed, and physical boundary information. We do our best to consider all ways we can accomplish your survey at a fair price when we create estimates.
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MY REALTOR/ASSESSOR IDENTIFIED MY BOUNDARIES AND HOW MUCH LAND I HAD, BUT MY SURVEY IS DIFFERENT, WHY?
Only licensed surveyors can provide a professional opinion on the location of property boundaries or area of a parcel. The area that appears on your tax card is (usually) roughly calculated by the city/town, or is copied from a previous deed, or plat. The boundaries and area of a property as they appear or are described by a previous owner, neighbor, real estate agent, or tax assessor can't be considered to reflect what is deeded, or occupied unless a survey is performed to verify the information.
CAN MY NEIGHBOR AND I SETTLE A BOUNDARY DISPUTE BY AGREEING ON OUR PROPERTY LINES?
​YES! Most boundary disputes stem from differing opinions on where lines are on the ground, or adverse possession. If both parties are willing to cooperate this is the quickest and most satisfying process to settle a boundary dispute, and we're happy to help.
CAN A PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR TELL ME WHAT I OWN?
CAN THERE BE MULTIPLE INTERPRETATIONS OF A SURVEY?
Most surveys, unless lots are being created, are a Professional Land Surveyor's opinion of the physical location of a parcel’s boundaries compiled using a hierarchy of land evidence available to the surveyor, applicable laws and regulations. This is not the same as a title search. If you're unsure of what you need we can provide you with a consultation, however you may still need to consult your title insurance provider or retain an attorney. Each party would retain their own Professional Land Surveyor and while in most cases two surveyors presented with the same information would agree, if they didn't, only the courts can determine ownership.
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