Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to get a survey to install a fence?
In most towns and cities it is not required but you should check with your local planning and/or zoning official to be sure. The fact of the matter is you will be spending a significant amount of money to have a fence installed. Should a mistake be made, that mistake could cost you significantly more than the cost of a survey. You are always better safe than sorry!
Can’t you just survey one line?
The answer is no. There is no way for a surveyor to just survey one line of a property. We can, however, mark just one line as part of our survey efforts.
I thought you were surveying my property why are you over at my neighbors down the street?
Similar to the fact that we can’t survey just one property line we can’t survey one property without also considering the other properties around it. When we come out to a property we have already performed the land records research for the subject parcel and looked at maps and deeds for the neighboring properties as well. When you see us up and down your street we are simply looking for evidence (iron pins, concrete monuments, old fence posts, trees with barb wire, etc.) of where property boundaries might be. We are doing all of this to ensure that when we determine where your property boundaries are located we are certain that we have not infringed on the property owned by your neighbors.
I have the fence company coming in two days can you do the survey by then?
The answer is no. To properly do the research, calculations, investigation and field survey it takes time. The actual amount of time varies from property to property depending on any number of factors. Your best course of action is to always plan ahead.
So how long will the survey take?
As mentioned above, the time it takes to perform a survey varies upon a number of factors; however, we make every attempt to work with the homeowners to accommodate all reasonable schedules. In general, from start to finish, it takes five to ten business days to complete a Boundary Stakeout Survey and ten to fifteen business days for an Improvement Location Survey.
So how much will the survey cost?
Much like the time it takes to do a survey the cost associated with a residential survey also varies. Our typical survey prices vary from $1,500 to $3,500 depending on the type of survey, the size of the property, etc. Please note that this is a range to provide you, the homeowner, with a general idea of the cost. Whenever a property owner contacts us for a price we always provide a no cost written estimate in the form of a proposal so that the services we are going to provide and the associated costs are clearly spelled out.
I got a price that is much less than your price why is that?
There are a number of reasons why another surveyor’s price could be lower. Maybe they have already surveyed your property or one of your neighbor’s properties. They might not be insured or even licensed. Maybe they “low balled” their price and are counting on “extras”, such as, the setting of property corners or furnishing a map to make up the difference for their lower price. They also might cut corners or not follow the Standards required by the State of Connecticut and the Connecticut Association of Land Surveyors. Finally, they may not hold their work to the same quality standards that we do.
Make sure that the price quote you get is always in writing and that when comparing prices between various survey companies you are comparing similar services. You should always be skeptical and ask questions when prices vary significantly.
I have decided to get a survey before I get my fence installed. What is my next step?
Quite simply contact us by telephone or email. Provide us with your contact information and the property address. We will perform some limited research into our extensive records and any online records available. We will get back to you with a written proposal all at no cost to you.
If you have further questions please feel free to contact us by phone or by email. We would be happy to determine how we can help you.
