Why a boundary survey should NOT cost less than $500.

I’ve noticed recently when people call me to ask about a boundary survey that they are surprised when I tell them how much it costs. Often they say something like “I thought it would only cost $500.” It took me a while to figure out where they were getting this number. It turns out Google is giving quotes right on the search results page. If you search Google for “boundary survey cost” up pops a “featured snippet” that shows the national average cost of a survey is between $367 and $490. This result is pulled automatically from a website that Google guesses is an authority. Well, Google is wrong.

boundary survey cost should not be less than $500The website that posted this information is not from a land surveyor or land surveying firm. It’s a home improvement directory that connects homeowners with contractors in their area and offers free quotes for services. When you try to find a quote from a land surveyor, it comes back with “we are unable to find available Land Surveyors in your area.” So much for authority.

At least the site got this part right: “Several factors shape the final bill of a land survey. The cost of hiring a professional surveyor is not so straightforward as paying for routine repair work or other general home services. The price varies widely not only by locality and surveyor, but also by dozens of project-specific details. Even after analyzing over 2,000 land survey projects, the average price above may not be accurate for your parcel or area. That’s because there are plenty of factors that can increase or decrease your property survey cost”.

This is true, especially here in California. Here’s a general guideline I like to tell my clients:

If your property is valued at $700,000, a professional boundary survey that will result in a legal document describing the boundary of your property will generally cost less than 1% of the value of your asset.

Is that more than $500? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely. A boundary survey protects the value of your home and property. (See: How much does a boundary survey cost?)

Google is a great tool and I love how it can empower consumers to do their own research to make better buying decisions. It’s unfortunate the information isn’t always accurate. Your best bet is to talk to a professional land surveyor in your area. They should ask questions about your property and your project before quoting you a price. Here are some resources that can help you:

What is a boundary survey and why do I need one?

A Boundary Survey is often needed in order to build an addition or develop a residential property. There are essentially two types of Boundary Surveys. The type you need for your project depends largely on the requirements set by the municipality in your area.

A Topographic and Record Boundary Survey is a survey showing the improvements on your property related to the record boundary. The record boundary is what is on record as described in the deed of your property. Essentially, a survey team goes out to your property and looks for sufficient survey monumentation that supports the record legal description in your deed. They also measure topographic features such as structures, utilities, curbs, sidewalks, driveways, adjacent streets, etc. A map is then compiled with this data and given to the homeowner (which is usually submitted with the house plans to the city by the architect). This generally satisfies the requirements of most, but not all municipalities to allow you to build or modify your home.

In some cases, the municipality requires a full Boundary Survey and Record of Survey Map to be filed and recorded with the county surveyor’s office. A Boundary Survey is a much more detailed, in depth survey. It requires surveying the whole block your lot is located in, finding any and all survey monuments in your block, locating & documenting occupation (ie fence lines, walls, improvements, etc.) and analyzing how it all fits together with the record information. A record of survey map is then prepared showing all the evidence found during the field boundary survey portion to justify the locations of your property lines. The County Surveyor’s office then reviews the map, comments on what they would like to see corrected and determines if any additional field work and analysis is necessary to complete the record of survey map for approval and recordation. The amount of field and office work required to produce the Record of Survey Map and the rigorous approval process make this type of survey more costly and usually takes several months to complete.

For more information about which type of survey is right for you, see How to get the right boundary survey to help you build the home of your dreams.

Specializing in Orange County and Coastal Surveys

Borchard Surveying and Mapping is a professional land surveying and mapping company that provides high quality, professional services to Architects, Individual Land Owners, Title Companies, Builders, Civil Engineering Firms, Water Districts and Cellular Phone Companies in Orange County and surrounding areas. Our unique business structure allows us to employ inventive techniques using state of the art instrumentation to provide our customers with the highest quality product. Borchard Surveying and Mapping is located in San Clemente, California and serves Orange County and its surrounding areas. Services include:

  • Final Mapping services
  • Boundary Surveying & Analysis
  • Topographic Surveys
  • Legal Descriptions
  • ALTA/ACSM Surveys
  • Plan Certifications
  • Floodplain Certifications
  • Construction Survey Staking
  • Cell Site Surveys
  • GPS Horizontal Control Surveys
  • Vertical Control Surveys
  • Photogrametric Control Surveys
  • Condominium Plans
  • Expert Witness Testimony

How to get the right boundary survey to help you build the home of your dreams.

People often call me because they are building or remodeling their home and they have been told they need a Topographic or Boundary Survey. Depending upon the municipality, some cities require a full Boundary Survey to be completed in order for any permitted work to be done on a property. Other cities only require what’s called a Topographic and Record Boundary Survey. These two surveys are very different but homeowners are often confused between the two. Both surveys require the services of a Professional Land Surveyor (like me). Both require a team of trained professionals to go to the property and measure around the boundary using specialized equipment. Both require research of recorded documents and office time to process and analyze the data collected from the survey. And both require the stamp and signature of a licensed Professional Land Surveyor. This, by the way, is not something you can do with a tape measure or by hiring a few people off the corner. In the same way you would hire a lawyer if you need legal services, you will want to hire a Professional Land Surveyor if you need surveying services. Just like lawyers, Land Surveyors complete years of schooling (many have degrees in Civil Engineering), focusing on mathematics (geometry and trigonometry), physics, engineering and law, and have to pass rigorous exams to become licensed to practice in any given state. The deliverables from these surveys are important legal documents that reflect the boundaries of your property.  You will want to make sure they are created by someone who knows what they are doing.

So what’s the difference between a Topographic and Record Boundary Survey and a Boundary Survey and Record of Survey Map?

A Topographic and Record Boundary Survey is a survey showing the improvements on your property related to the record boundary. The record boundary is what is on record as described in the deed of your property. Essentially, a survey team goes out to your property and looks for sufficient survey monumentation that supports the record legal description in your deed. They also measure topographic features such as structures, utilities, curbs, sidewalks, driveways, adjacent streets, etc. A map is then compiled with this data and given to the homeowner (which is usually submitted with the house plans to the city by the architect). This generally satisfies the requirements of most, but not all municipalities to allow you to build or modify your home.

In some cases, the municipality requires a full Boundary Survey and Record of Survey Map to be filed and recorded with the county surveyor’s office. A Boundary Survey is a much more detailed, in depth survey. It requires surveying the whole block your lot is located in, finding any and all survey monuments in your block, locating & documenting occupation (ie fence lines, walls, improvements, etc.) and analyzing how it all fits together with the record information. A record of survey map is then prepared showing all the evidence found during the field boundary survey portion to justify the locations of your property lines. The County Surveyor’s office then reviews the map, comments on what they would like to see corrected and determines if any additional field work and analysis is necessary to complete the record of survey map for approval and recordation. The amount of field and office work required to produce the Record of Survey Map and the rigorous approval process make this type of survey more costly and usually takes several months to complete.

The benefit of having a full Boundary Survey and Record of Survey Map recorded with the county is that this document provides a high level of certainty of your property boundary line location and is often used as evidence in boundary disputes. One way to look at it is to consider what your house is worth. The cost of a full Boundary Survey and Record of Survey Map is generally less than 1% of your home value.

Why else might I need a Boundary Survey and Record of Survey Map?

As I already mentioned, the Record of Survey Map is often required to prove property lines in the event of a boundary dispute with a neighbor. If the findings of a Record Boundary Survey show a “material discrepancy” between what the record shows and what was found during the course of the field survey, a full Boundary Survey should be completed and a Record of Survey Map should be recorded with the county surveyor’s office. If your property was created from a deed description but is not shown on any record map, then pursuant to California State Business and Professions Code the surveyor is obligated to file a Record of Survey with the county.

Building or adding on to your home requires a number of specialized services. It is easy to get overwhelmed by all of the contractors and professionals required to build your project. Generally speaking, it’s up to your local municipality to determine the extent of what is required from each professional segment. Taking the time to find the right professional  in each area–one who knows the industry and the law and will help guide you through the maze–will ensure your project is a success.

Greg Borchard, PLS

Greg Borchard, PLS has over 25 years experience in the Civil Engineering Mapping Field. He graduated from Cal Poly University, Pomona in 1992 and received his Professional Land Surveying License in 2000.  Greg began his career in Land Surveying working for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) where he worked on projects like the Diamond Valley Lake Reservoir Project.  In 1995, he worked on the Eastern Transportation Corridor project at Robert Bein William Frost and Associates (RBF) in Irvine, CA. In 1997, he became the Surveying and Mapping Manager at Douglas Bender and Associates working on projects for clients such as The Irvine Community Development Company, Irvine Apartment Communities and Sares Regis Development. Greg founded Borchard Surveying and Mapping, Inc in 2003.  As a Registered Professional Land Surveyor, his responsibilities include everything from hands on project management to expert witness testimony. He also provides map checking services and acts as City Surveyor for the City of Lake Elsinore.

Greg’s business philosophy is what sets BSM apart from other companies. He strongly believes in providing the highest quality product while maintaining the highest professional standards in the industry. He is an active member in the Land Surveying community and is currently a sustaining member of the Orange County chapter of the California Land Surveyors Association (CLSA). He is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Greg is a fifth generation native Californian whose family was one of the first to settle in the Oxnard Plain. He was born and raised in Southern California and has been living in San Clemente for over 20 years.

Contact Greg

Phone: (949) 439-4682
Email: gborchard@borchardsurveying.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gborchard