We get a lot of questions about surveys. Why does it take so long? Why does it cost so much? What’s included? So we developed a flow chart with a description going through each step (with more detail of each step below) to show you the steps that could potentially be involved in your survey.

 

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1. Signed survey agreement – which will include, cost, timeframe, who we are surveying for, and what we are giving them for deliverables.
2. Internal office research – looking for surveys in or around the subject property from our own private records. 
3. External research 

a. Courthouse – recorders office and auditor offices 

i. Subject property deeds 

ii. Neighbors’ deeds – checking for gap or gores 

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Checking for gaps between deeds or overlaps
               2. Senior / junior rights issues  

iii. Surveys – in the area that may affect the property.  This may include modern surveys or very old surveys. 

iv. Right of way

v. Section corner certs – if required 

b. County Engineers office 

i. Current and historical Road plans 

ii. Right of way information 

iii. Railroad information if needed 

iv. Section corner information 

c. Contact other surveyors in the local area for unrecorded survey information. 

4. Physically do the survey

a. The land surveyor may or may not have to meet the client to determine what property/specific area needs to be surveyed 

b. Use sub-centimeter GPS equipment and or robotic total station to conduct survey

c. Look for block corners or other lot corners within the block to help with the survey. 

d. Excavate looking for at least 2 section corners – per Iowa code. 

e. May have to locate and shoot: 

i. River/creek or waterway 

ii. Railroad tracks or locate old railroad right of way 

iii. Non-standard road (curvy or not straight) 

f. Locate the subject property’s corner 

i. When found, mark with 4-foot wooden lath and pink flagging 

ii. Set  

1. Set monumentation – iron rebar with a plastic cap that is embossed with the surveyors last name and License # 

a. Flush so that they can mow over it without hurting the mower or the monument. 

b. Raised up a few inches, usually set in fence lines so that people can see them. 

c. Buried 12” – 16” underground, usually in farm ground to try and keep the monument from being ripped out during planting and safe from a field ripper.  

2. Mark with 4-foot wooden lath and pink flagging 

g. Shoot any encroachments (in real estate, an encroachment occurs when something is on or overhanging the property that is your neighbor’s).

i. Fences 

ii. Retaining walls 

iii. Building  

iv. Trees – if in dispute  

5. Draft up the plat of survey, which is a graphical depiction of the property with: 

a. What we found or set for monuments 

b. Distance and bearing between said monumentation. 

c. Who was the survey for? 

d. What was surveyed 

e. Current legal description or new legal description 

6. Invoice along with a preliminary plat of survey 

a. Review for errors; edit if needed.

b. Call with any questions, we will gladly answer them.  

c. Once paid we record the plat of survey along with any corresponding corner certificates. 

7. The recorded one will be provided to: 

a. Abstractor

b. Attorney

c. Bank/Lender

d. City 

e. County 

 

Request a property survey by filling out the form here.