Richard Anderson - Professional Quad Cities Land Surveyor

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What services does a residential land surveyor offer?

What Services Does a Residential Land Surveyor Offer?

When you’re dealing with property, whether buying a home, putting up a fence, or planning a new addition, understanding where your property boundaries lie is critical.

That’s where Anderson Land Surveying comes into play.

Owned and operated by Richard Anderson, a licensed professional surveyor with over thirty years of experience, the firm specializes in providing a variety of residential land surveying services to homeowners, developers, farmers, and real estate professionals in the area.

In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the different services a residential land surveyor, like Anderson Land Surveying, can offer, and why they are important for anyone owning or developing property.


Boundary Surveys: Establishing Property Lines

One of the most common and essential services Anderson Land Surveying offers is the boundary survey. This service helps homeowners accurately determine the legal boundaries of their property. Whether you’re planning to build a fence, expand your house, or even just understand where your property ends and the neighbor’s begins, a boundary survey is critical.

Why Are Boundary Surveys Important?

  1. Avoiding Disputes: One of the major reasons people request boundary surveys is to avoid disputes with neighbors. Richard has seen countless cases over the years where homeowners mistakenly encroach on a neighbor’s land, which can lead to legal battles.
  2. Accurate Property Records: A boundary survey helps ensure that the legal description of your property is accurate. This becomes crucial when selling your property or dealing with municipal zoning requirements.
  3. Construction and Renovation: If you’re planning any home improvement projects like a garage addition or a new deck, you’ll need to know where your property lines are to comply with local setback requirements.

ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys: For Real Estate Transactions

If you’re purchasing property, you may be required to obtain an ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey. This is a more detailed survey designed to meet standards set by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). It’s often required by title insurance companies and lenders, especially for commercial property purchases, but residential buyers can benefit from it as well.

Why Would You Need an ALTA Survey?

  • Mortgage Requirements: Lenders often require an ALTA survey before approving a loan, especially if there are questions about property boundaries or easements.
  • Understanding Easements: An ALTA survey will show any easements or encroachments on the property. For example, if there’s a shared driveway or utility access on your land, an ALTA survey will bring this to light.

Richard Anderson’s team at Anderson Land Surveying has years of experience performing these detailed surveys, helping buyers and sellers alike navigate the complexities of real estate transactions with confidence.


Topographic Surveys: Understanding Your Land’s Terrain

For homeowners looking to develop their property further, whether by adding a pool, a new garden layout, or constructing a new building, topographic surveys are essential. A topographic survey shows the lay of the land, including the elevation of the ground, slopes, and any natural or man-made features like trees, buildings, or utility poles.

What Makes Topographic Surveys Important?

  • Accurate Design: Architects and contractors rely on topographic surveys to create accurate plans for construction projects. Without an accurate understanding of the land’s features, it’s impossible to ensure that designs will fit properly on the property.
  • Drainage and Grading: Topographic surveys help identify potential drainage issues. If your land has uneven elevations, water may pool in certain areas. Knowing the topography helps with proper grading, ensuring that water flows away from your home, which can prevent flooding and foundation issues.
  • Landscaping Projects: Whether you’re planning to plant trees, install a garden, or put in a retaining wall, knowing the precise contours of your land is crucial for long-term success.

Construction Staking: Ensuring Accuracy During Building

Once construction plans are set, the next step is ensuring everything is built in the right place. This is where construction staking comes into play. Anderson Land Surveying offers construction staking services to ensure that everything from homes and garages to fences and driveways is positioned precisely according to the plans.

How Does Construction Staking Work?

Richard and his team will physically mark the locations of key features on the property before construction begins. This could include marking the corners of a building foundation, the centerline of a road, or the exact location of a utility trench. Construction staking ensures that builders have clear, accurate reference points as they work, helping to prevent costly mistakes or delays.

Benefits of Construction Staking

  • Avoiding Errors: Properly staked construction sites help prevent issues like a house being built too close to the property line or a driveway being installed at the wrong angle.
  • Saving Time and Money: By eliminating errors early on, construction staking can save both time and money by preventing rework down the line.

Subdivision Surveys: Dividing and Developing Land

If you own a larger plot of land and are interested in subdividing it for development or sale, Anderson Land Surveying can help with subdivision surveys. This involves dividing a large parcel of land into smaller lots, which can be sold or developed individually.

Why Hire a Professional for Subdivision Surveys?

  • Zoning and Regulations: Every municipality has its own zoning regulations and subdivision requirements. Richard Anderson’s extensive experience ensures that any proposed subdivision complies with local rules, minimizing delays and legal complications.
  • Utility Planning: When subdividing land, it’s not just about drawing new boundaries. Subdivision surveys also consider how utilities like water, gas, and electricity will reach each new lot. Anderson Land Surveying works closely with local utility companies and city planners to make sure everything is properly coordinated.

FEMA Elevation Certificates: For Flood Insurance

If your property is located in a flood zone, you may need a FEMA Elevation Certificate to get flood insurance or to reduce your insurance premiums. Anderson Land Surveying provides this service to homeowners, helping them determine the elevation of their property relative to the base flood elevation.

How Can an Elevation Certificate Help?

  • Insurance Premium Reduction: In some cases, obtaining an elevation certificate can demonstrate that your home is at a lower risk for flooding than previously thought, potentially reducing your flood insurance premiums.
  • Compliance with Regulations: Many local governments require an elevation certificate before they issue building permits in flood-prone areas.

Richard’s deep understanding of local floodplain management and FEMA regulations makes him an invaluable resource for homeowners in flood-prone regions.


Final Thoughts: Why Anderson Land Surveying?

With over thirty years of experience, Richard Anderson and his team at Anderson Land Surveying provide a wide range of essential services for homeowners, developers, and real estate professionals. Whether you’re dealing with property boundaries, planning new construction, or trying to navigate local regulations, having a professional land surveyor on your side is critical to ensuring the success of your project.

At Anderson Land Surveying, Richard’s expertise and commitment to accuracy ensure that each survey is completed to the highest standards, giving clients the peace of mind they need when making important property decisions.

If you’re in need of any residential land surveying services, don’t hesitate to reach out to Anderson Land Surveying for expert guidance and reliable results.

(Also consider reading our last article: Richard Anderson Land Surveying Welcomes New Clients in the Illinois Quad Cities Area)