Do I Need a Land Survey to Build a House?

by | Oct 4, 2021 | Land Survey

It may not seem like such a big deal for most people, but when building a house, a land survey can potentially save you from making an extremely costly mistake, such as building a house on somebody else’s land.

 

Benefits of Land Surveys

  1. They prepare your land for construction

Getting a land survey helps you prepare for construction; it’s similar to consulting an interior designer before moving your furniture.

Most structural engineers will request land surveying for a house even before they design it. They look for a construction surveying professional to help with this.

  1. It gives you the exact measurements of your land

You may not know the exact measurements of your new plot of land without land surveying. This avoids inappropriate land measurements, and a proper surveyor will clearly state where the boundaries are.

The surveyor can also manage your teams for the construction plan, which saves you plenty of time in disputes and trouble with your neighbors.

  1. It accurately values your land

If you have been wondering how much your land is worth, land surveying for a house helps with this. It will ensure that you do not overvalue or undervalue the property. A proper survey is necessary when you wish to understand the full worth of the land you are constructing your home.

  1. It helps you understand the topographical features of your property

Before constructing a home, you should try and understand all topographical details. This means detecting any structural issues, soil and determining whether the area you wish to settle is prone to floods and other natural disasters.

Therefore, a land survey to build a house is necessary and can also report on any visible surface areas, including wetlands and underground waters. You would save yourself a lot of heartache if you found out before construction that the land is covered in water, which would be a disaster.

Still, on this point – another benefit of a construction survey is that it can clearly show any joint driveways, rights-of-support, party walls, overhangs, encroachments, and projections.

  1. It separates you from anyone else using the land

If you wish to start a plot parceling, proper property division can be done through land surveying. You could also opt to sell part of your parcel to others once you clearly understand all the boundaries and divisions of the land.

Additionally, if you wish to occupy part of the land and rent out the rest, a proper land survey is recommended.