Helpful Info

The cost of a survey depends on many different factors. As such, a “ballpark” cost cannot be easily defined. A survey cost for any property is dependent upon how recently other properties have been surveyed in the area, what monuments are expected to be present, how wooded the property is, what the terrain is like and other items. The type of survey requested is also a factor on the cost. Due to the survey requirements, an ALTA (American Land Title Association) survey may cost several thousand dollars, where just verifying the existing corners may only cost a few hundred dollars. Additional items can add to the cost of the survey, such as whether or not monuments are required to be set or if lines are requested to be marked. A surveyor will need to do research on your property to determine a realistic cost.

In order to do the research needed to determine a realistic cost for a survey, the surveyor will need the following items from the prospective client: A copy of the deed or Parcel Number (the Parcel Number is located on the Property Tax Statement); type of survey needed; and if the client would like the property lines marked and if the client would like the existing improvements shown or if only the corner monuments are to be located.

At Consolidated Land Services, Inc., we typically mark property lines in two different ways. The least costly and least accurate method is what is called “Cut and Flag”: the survey crew will start on one or both ends of the line and cut out the approximate line and hang surveyor’s flagging in multiple locations along the line. The “Cut and Flag” method will yield an accuracy of +/- a few feet. The second method is to “Post” or “Stake” the line: the survey crew will set steel T-Posts or wooden stakes on line, at line of sight locations. The “Post” or “Stake” method is the most expensive as it requires the most amount of effort, but yields an accuracy of +/-0.10 feet.

For a “Find and Flag” survey, the surveyor will find and uncover each of the corner monuments and will mark them with surveyor’s flagging to be easily visible. There is typically no plat provided for a “Find and Flag” survey, unless requested. If not all of the corner monuments are in place, a “Find and Flag” survey may become a full survey if requested by the client. A full Boundary Survey of the property will consist of finding or setting all corner monuments and marking the property lines, if requested. Consolidated Land Services will mark corner monuments with a yellow T-Post or wooden stake approximately 1 foot from the actual monument. Upon completion of a full Boundary Survey, a plat will be created showing all monuments found or set and the monuments used to determine the placement of the set monuments. The plat will also show any other items requested by the client (marked lines, improvements, etc.) and should depict visible encroachments onto or off the property, such as fences, driveways, landscaping, etc. This plat will be filed with the County Clerk (optional) and the State Land Surveyor’s Office.

Even a relatively small survey can be expensive due to lack of monumentation in the area. Unless the area to be surveyed is in a subdivision, the property is referenced to the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) which is a system of east to west and south to north grid lines originally ran in the early to mid 1800’s, with monuments (typically) wooden stakes set every half mile along the exterior of the Sections (1 mile by 1 mile square blocks). In the ensuing years, surveyors have re-monumented those positions and expanded the original monumentation to bring us to the modern day. But, as the original monuments are nearly all missing, some of the subsequent monuments are also missing. A small, 2-acre survey may involve locating monuments a mile away from the property location. As this requires additional effort, the cost will be greater as well. There are also many subdivisions in the area that are very old and were not fully monumented, which may require determining the original boundary of the entire subdivision before your lot can be located. These are reasons why a surveyor will do research and create an estimate for the project.

As a Professional Surveyor, we are required to be a “disinterested 3rd party”. In other words, we are required to do our job without favoritism to one landowner or the other. We are required to meet certain minimum standards as set forth by the state in which we are licensed and the survey is being performed. Those minimum standards cover items such as how accurate the survey needs to be and when and where we are required to file a plat. Surveyors are also subject to continuing education requirements, rules of the board of registration and state statutes governing the surveying profession. Surveyors are granted the right of trespass by state statute in Arkansas, while in performance of their duties.