Land surveying is the process of mapping or creating schematic representations on or under the surface of the earth. Boundaries can include man-made boundaries and can also refer to boundaries that result from natural boundaries.
Survey Laws and Frameworks Vary by Jurisdiction
There are many survey laws and frameworks used and these will sometimes conflict with each other and can lead to misunderstandings across different jurisdictions. For this reason, you will want to work with a land surveyor who will be aware of these challenges.
There are some states that have surveying frameworks that are narrowly defined. For these states, the surveying may leave out important activities such as underground surveying and feature mapping.
Not All Jurisdictions Take Into Consideration GIS
Some states do not use modern surveying frameworks. For instance, GIS has become ubiquitous, but not every state framework takes into consideration GIS-enhanced surveying. When a state does not consider these activities, you may forgo protection and recognition.
GIS refers to the collection of computer data and information that is used for managing and displaying geographic information. Those using GIS are able to search for information about certain geographic areas.
With the use of GIS, land surveyors are able to make better decisions because they will have accurate and detailed information. Departments will have an easier time communicating. GIS makes record-keeping much easier because changes in geography are recorded automatically. It will be much easier to plan a course of action by knowing what will occur within a geographic space. For land surveyors, the form of GIS that is most useful is physical geography because this is used to study the geosphere.
As-Builts Might Be Missing
Another issue for property owners and land surveyors to deal with are as-builts. These are drawings that play a key role in the mapping, alteration, and establishment of property boundaries. They offer a pre-construction record of the shape, size, and placement of structures and other improvements. When these are not taken into consideration, this may lead to errors that the land surveyors are then responsible for.
Including the final drawings into the as-builts is the responsibility of the contractor. However, they will sometimes fail to take this step. They may not know how to create the as-built or they might not think that the as-built is worth their time. When these are not included, they may lead to code violations, boundary disputes, and other problems.
