Have you ever done a puzzle? Where did you start – with the edge pieces or with the middle?
If you’re like the majority of people, you always start with the edges. Surveying is similar in practice in that in order to know how the middle piece of the puzzle fits, you have to know where all the outside pieces go first. Otherwise, the results are an incomplete land survey.
We can’t survey just one line for many reasons:
- Mathematically you can’t prove the corner is in the correct spot. Unless you locate a minimum of 3 property corners, you cannot determine if a monument is in the correct place or if there is an error with the monuments. But most surveyors will want five or six survey monuments before they make any conclusions.
- It’s against state law. Statutes require that we find sufficient evidence to justify our results, and locating one line (in most cases) is not deemed to be sufficient evidence.
- We have to do the extra work anyway. So you might ask me “can you locate just one line”. I can tell you yes, but the fee might be the same as if I did a boundary on the entire lot. If I have to do all the work, I would prefer to give you all my findings regarding the property.
You can’t solve a puzzle using only a few pieces. You have to utilize all the pieces and performing a boundary survey is no different. Licensed land surveyors have to find multiple property corners in order to be able to prove what you do and don’t own.
Information provided should not be considered legal advice and all buyers, agents and title companies should consult their attorneys for legal advice.