This is garage-related in the sense that it is an addition to a house that will include a walkout basement extension that will be a 2 car garage. This is in southwest, CT and property is 1.3 acres with exisiting house. Town has no site plan on record for the house (built in 1956) and a building permit will require a survey/site plan. The property boundaries are pretty clear as there are old stone walls on 2 sides and google maps seems pretty accurtate. The first estimate came in today and I almost had a heart attack... $2500 ! I think this is the "I'm so busy, I don't need the work" estimate. I asked for a survey/site plan suitable for a building permit to an existing structure. So, I need property boundaries and setbacks to existing house. What would you expect to pay for this? I understand this is an expensive area to get anything done but this seems ludicrous...
Estaimte to survey property
- Thread starter MikeC55
- Start date
southalabama
Well-known member
Property boundaries clear? Based on walls?
Surveyors find a known section corner and work towards your property. Unless your deed and your neighbors deeds say the old stone wall they may or may not be the boundary. He’s gonna have to convert it to feet or meters. The city doesn’t want a description that says go to the rock wall down to the tree.
Price seems reasonable to me.
Surveyors find a known section corner and work towards your property. Unless your deed and your neighbors deeds say the old stone wall they may or may not be the boundary. He’s gonna have to convert it to feet or meters. The city doesn’t want a description that says go to the rock wall down to the tree.
Price seems reasonable to me.
cvairwerks
Well-known member
Going to also depend on what platting and legal descriptions are available. The farther back the surveyor has to go to find reliable marks, the more it's going to cost. At one of our places, they had to back up to a mark over a thousand feet down the street to get a known location, as the county had wiped out the closer ones during some road work about 20 years prior.
Jim greengo
Well-known member
Register of deeds office might have some pictures,if your city has 1.
rancherbill
Well-known member
Just show him the survey you had done when you bought the house as a basis to start. If it's a 1956 property the monuments should be easy to find, and your survey should go quickly.
For the last 20-30+ years the mortgage companies have required a Real Property Report that shows all structures, wells etc and the property line and side yards. A RPR does not cost that much.
For the last 20-30+ years the mortgage companies have required a Real Property Report that shows all structures, wells etc and the property line and side yards. A RPR does not cost that much.
I used to own a survey company. There are a lot of variables in determining the price. There is research, crew package prep, field work, compilation of field data, survey production and then the product is given out. Many counties require surveys to be recorded and reviewed by the local agency the work was done in. There is usually requirements for field monumentation As well. Then there are liability insurance costs…blah blah.
2500 is reasonable based upon what you have posted.
2500 is reasonable based upon what you have posted.
Bob Peach
Well-known member
I`m in MA. I have a half acre, w25x 36 ft house with attached 28 x 24 shop. I just got a quote to survey and mark a 12 x 28 addition for $ 950.00.
Mike65
Well-known member
Prior to us having the garage/shop built I wanted a survey company to find the l/s property line so I knew where the garage/shop would have to be in relation to the property line. I was charged $500.00 for the survey of only the l/s property line. He found the old marker in the lawn to the left of the driveway & then marked the l/s property line every 20' all the way to the back property line.
bassbone52
Well-known member
No section corners in Connecticut
bassbone52
Well-known member
30-year surveyor here in Indiana. Some of the hardest surveys are those done in old, platted subdivisions. There is no horizontal control to speak of. The plats may (usually) contain errors and any monumentation you do find may be of little value. Anyone can measure from here to there, it’s knowing what to measure is where the art comes in.
There is a reason people rely on the finished product and why the Surveyor must be licensed. Most folks really do not understand how complicated some sites can be to establish good control and monumentation to rely on. Out here, most field crews are union as well so that they can enter any site…that adds to costs as well.
hans109h
Well-known member
$300 to $3000 is a reasonable estimate for the reasons others have stated. I would strongly suggest talking to your permitting agency to find out if they will require a "plat of survey" that is stamped by a surveyor or if they would accept a "site plan" that you draw yourself.
On 1.3 acres you might be far enough from all required setbacks that they simply want to see it on paper.
Also ask if you need to submit an as-built survey when the project is complete, as you'll want to let your surveyor know that upfront so they include it in there quote.
If you're not capable of reading the legal description on your deed and drawing a map to reflect it, then $2500 sounds cheap.
Hans
On 1.3 acres you might be far enough from all required setbacks that they simply want to see it on paper.
Also ask if you need to submit an as-built survey when the project is complete, as you'll want to let your surveyor know that upfront so they include it in there quote.
If you're not capable of reading the legal description on your deed and drawing a map to reflect it, then $2500 sounds cheap.
Hans
I'll gefnitely get more estimates. The house was built in 1956 and my aunt is the original owner. I've talked to the town clerk and the building dept. and no one has any records (nor does the satiarian for septic system). Were the house built in 1856, I could undderstand...
The property description on deed is attached. It would seem that the town should have Map 385 on record somewhere.. I think I'll need to take a ride over to town cleark and see if I can bribe someone into looking harder (coffee and donuts?). Maybe I can get some answer on what is the minimum they need for a permit.
The property description on deed is attached. It would seem that the town should have Map 385 on record somewhere.. I think I'll need to take a ride over to town cleark and see if I can bribe someone into looking harder (coffee and donuts?). Maybe I can get some answer on what is the minimum they need for a permit.
Attachments
TRWham
Well-known member
I paid $695 in the Atlanta area in January 2021 for a 28,000 sq ft (0.656 acre) suburban lot. Everything needed for a permit (except possibly impervious surface calculation), but we elected not to move forward with the project.
dcg9381
Well-known member
Same as others - where I go when "shopping" for surveyors is a local Realtor or better yet the local Title company. In many cases, they'll be able to tell you what to expect. 2 acres here, was around 1k... I imagine it varies depending on geography.
Agree with others also, it's likely you have an existing survey from when this property closed. If you do have one (again, ask at the title office where the closing occurred, they'll have the record if you dont) - you can take that survey and I simply re-draw it in CAD and then adapt it as the "site plan" for permitting. I usually submit the original and my site plan.
Here's an example of how I used that survey to develop a site plan:
Here, we're required to have a "post foundation" survey. I assume to make sure I didn't pour a foundation on someone else's property. The original company that did the land survey offers successive surveys at a discount.
Agree with others also, it's likely you have an existing survey from when this property closed. If you do have one (again, ask at the title office where the closing occurred, they'll have the record if you dont) - you can take that survey and I simply re-draw it in CAD and then adapt it as the "site plan" for permitting. I usually submit the original and my site plan.
Here's an example of how I used that survey to develop a site plan:
Here, we're required to have a "post foundation" survey. I assume to make sure I didn't pour a foundation on someone else's property. The original company that did the land survey offers successive surveys at a discount.
WisJim
Well-known member
A few years ago we had a parcel of about 3 acres including our house and barn surveyed so we could sell it separately, and that cost between $1500 and $2000. Not especially difficult terrain but brushy and wooded in parts and I think markers were kind of hard to find. Our next door neighbors at that place had their 20+ acre parcel surveyed for over $3000 this year, and part of their property description includes a line that is "bottom of the ravine". We're having the same surveying figure out some parcels on our remaining property and he is spending time with the city figuring out what we can do and what the city wants us to do. City engineer thinks we need to do streets etc, but the potential buyers are interested specifically so they don't have multiple neighbors, they want to keep the land vacant. So the surveyor is doing what I consider extra work, and I expect it to cost us $5000 or so. It's 75+ acres in the city, wooded ravines, creek, and hayfields. (I used to tell people that we had one of the bigger lots in town, when we still lived on the place.)
PBCampbell
Well-known member
I paid $500 about 30 years ago for .5 acre plot in a semi rural area. There were no surveys on record to go from and they spent a full week. I thought that was a bargain, $2500 doesn't seem out of line to me.
driftpin
Well-known member
I am retired, but worked as a planner, and was a licensed plans examiner, also working in zoning (P & Z) in south Florida.
GIS maps online at your local AHJ are an approximation of where your boundaries are. I doubt your local Building Dept. will accept their own GIS map for permitting.
A professional surveyor and mapper will establish your property boundaries for less $ than some of the options which may be added onto the survey when you order it. Things like an elevation survey, or what the local insurance requirements are here in So. FL, for a threshold (height measurement) survey. A difference of a few inches may now cost you thousands of $ in additional insurance costs. That's the same way strapping on both sides of your trusses will now save you many thousands of $ for insurance.
We had a civic improvements municipal contractor do a civil engineering project at a couple of parcels we own. Every day I would come home from work, and I'd inspect the progress. Imagine my surprise when they removed my parcel boundaries iron pins! The city surveying contractor replaced them, and I requested registered pins which was done.
The survey for your parcel sounds reasonable for what you need. Ask the office what it will cover, and see what they charge for different data added. Your Building Dept. should be able to inform you just what they need, and what you don't. If your parcel is platted, the plat map is something good to have a copy of, and a copy from your jurisdiction shouldn't be expensive. It will show boundaries, easements, rights-of-way, monuments (markers of reference), and more.
The legal description that you posted is a very rough determination of the property boundaries. What paperwork was in the abstract when you bought the property?
GIS maps online at your local AHJ are an approximation of where your boundaries are. I doubt your local Building Dept. will accept their own GIS map for permitting.
A professional surveyor and mapper will establish your property boundaries for less $ than some of the options which may be added onto the survey when you order it. Things like an elevation survey, or what the local insurance requirements are here in So. FL, for a threshold (height measurement) survey. A difference of a few inches may now cost you thousands of $ in additional insurance costs. That's the same way strapping on both sides of your trusses will now save you many thousands of $ for insurance.
We had a civic improvements municipal contractor do a civil engineering project at a couple of parcels we own. Every day I would come home from work, and I'd inspect the progress. Imagine my surprise when they removed my parcel boundaries iron pins! The city surveying contractor replaced them, and I requested registered pins which was done.
The survey for your parcel sounds reasonable for what you need. Ask the office what it will cover, and see what they charge for different data added. Your Building Dept. should be able to inform you just what they need, and what you don't. If your parcel is platted, the plat map is something good to have a copy of, and a copy from your jurisdiction shouldn't be expensive. It will show boundaries, easements, rights-of-way, monuments (markers of reference), and more.
The legal description that you posted is a very rough determination of the property boundaries. What paperwork was in the abstract when you bought the property?
Zeke
Well-known member
I would visit the county land office or whatever you have in CT and look at plots all around your land. Take note of who filed the work and if you see the same name a few times, they likely have a head start. Hope that they are still around or sold their business with all the files.
Around here hard in the city there are monuments at every intersection and on many curbs and sidewalks. Anyone could start from scratch and get the job done as quickly as the next.
Around here hard in the city there are monuments at every intersection and on many curbs and sidewalks. Anyone could start from scratch and get the job done as quickly as the next.
Unfortunately, my aunt who lives there (she's 94) doesn't remeber any of the details but we know she and her husband bought the property and had the house constructed in 1956. They did have a mortgage (paid off in 1976), so I doubt the bank will have much in the way of records. I do have a leeter from a local atty regarding the property title search, so I could try and contact their office on the off chance they have any old records. I wonder if I'd have better luck searching on a county basis. But the local towns all do seem to have their own offices these days, but maybe back then? A realtor might be a good idea...
Jeff C
Well-known member
With so many unknowns for the surveyor $2500 doesn’t sound unreasonable to me. What’s the going rate for professional services in your area? At $150/hr that’s only about 16 hours or two days of work.
When we were getting a new survey done on family land that was purchased in the 1940’s the surveyor ended up half a mile away trying to find a good starting point. None of us knew where any of the existing pins/monuments were located and neither did our only set of neighbors. The deed referenced a nail in a wooden bridge a mile down the road that was replaced 25 years ago. It took the surveyor several days of hunting/digging/looking before he even really got started.
I have a feeling he’s thinking it will take a lot more time than you think it will take.
When we were getting a new survey done on family land that was purchased in the 1940’s the surveyor ended up half a mile away trying to find a good starting point. None of us knew where any of the existing pins/monuments were located and neither did our only set of neighbors. The deed referenced a nail in a wooden bridge a mile down the road that was replaced 25 years ago. It took the surveyor several days of hunting/digging/looking before he even really got started.
I have a feeling he’s thinking it will take a lot more time than you think it will take.
I had something interesting pop up on my property information listing with the property appraiser. I was looking up my property to see if it had a link to the building permits so I could figure out when my roof was replaced. Along with all the normal information it has any "records" like sales and deed transfers that are recorded at the county. I happened to notice that there was something from January of this year. Clicked the links to the pages and found that it was my neighbor who had put his property in a living trust as he is getting older. I thought it was a simple mistake so I contacted the county to get it fixed. They checked on it and got back with me. Seems the attorney for my neighbor somehow copied our property description into the legal documents. The county said since it legally described our property it had to be attached to our account. Its been over a month trying to get the attorney to straighten things out. So those simple easy things may not be. I would rather pay somebody that knows what there doing and gets it right the first time.
walta
Well-known member
Ask around and see of any neighbors have had a recent survey, a lot of that work may apply to your property.
When my neighbor got a survey his surveyor was from out of the area and made a few mistakes.
Walta
When my neighbor got a survey his surveyor was from out of the area and made a few mistakes.
Walta
nadogail
Well-known member
Perhaps your neighbor knows where some of the monuments are.
In my neighborhood there are pins driven in the sidewalks and down the centerline of the alley. A few are missing but with a string and a steel tape we are “close enough”.
In my neighborhood there are pins driven in the sidewalks and down the centerline of the alley. A few are missing but with a string and a steel tape we are “close enough”.
DBArt&Design
Member
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- 24
I don't know, from the incy bit of experience I have (one quote 3 years ago on an acre in south-central Montana) that's the same number I was quoted. I know the surveyor is hanging their hat on their work and legalities apply, but holy sh*t.
35 years ago I wanted to build a house in CT. The Town wanted me to have my plot plan drawn/ certified to A-2 survey standards. Problem, a Land Surveyor can only make an A-2 survey that shows what is currently existing on the lot. A Professional Engineer can draw a house on a plan, but can't certify it to A-2 standards. I know some people are Professional engineers /Land Surveyors but that is not the point. The Town was asking for something that can't be done by a surveyor. We went to court and the Town had to change their regulations. Also check as this may have changed, but a single family house was exempt from requiring professioal services. It doesn't matter what the Town wants if it is against CT State statues.
zak77
Well-known member
$2,500 is not out of line especially in today's world of lesser and lesser survey/engineer companies out there. I've talk to people recently who said surveyors were booking over 6 months out. If the local building dept requires a survey/site plan then you need to get one done, no way around it, it's the local bylaws. Trying to find ways around it simply will NOT work. It doesnt matter if it's been in your family for 300 hundred years or 2 months, the town wants a plan of your property to show where things are and where things will be in order to meet zoning requirements. Without the required docs, your application does not get approved.
Old Moparz
Well-known member
Since the property has been in the family there probably won't be much info filed away at home or in the town from 1956. One thing that may help though is a long shot. If anyone in the family has refinanced at any point, or when the property exchanged hands with you, there may be a basic survey already done. It would have been required by the bank or finance company.
It probably won't be good enough to do layout of the new addition, but it could save you time & money if the land surveyor is still in business. It should have the property lines, the existing building footprint & any other structures on the land. If it was done & the surveyor is still around he could use this info as a start & not have to do it all over again.
It probably won't be good enough to do layout of the new addition, but it could save you time & money if the land surveyor is still in business. It should have the property lines, the existing building footprint & any other structures on the land. If it was done & the surveyor is still around he could use this info as a start & not have to do it all over again.
Blueshound_GJ
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2022
- Messages
- 421
You're on the right track. I would confirm what the town really needs from you, especially if your project is way inside any setbacks. My planning dept accepted "back of the napkin" sketches for a fire escape stairs, and a driveway relocation (same curb cut). If you do end up needing the survey, $2,500 is about right here in CT. I do commercial work and even the smallest property ends up being $3-4,000 for a title (ALTA) survey.
Also, definitely bring the doughnuts!
Debcrow
Well-known member
Get estimates from several surveyors.
About 15-20 years ago I wanted to split a piece of property I had. Ten acres with a house and well on the front edge. I decided to split it evenly five acres in each piece, front and back half. Went and walked the fence line and found a USGS marker right on the line. Did not split it an even five acres, but close. I decided to make it an easy survey, just cut a straight line across the property from the USGS marker.
I live in the county seat, but a very underpopulated county. Two surveyors in town. I went to the much older guy I had used several times before. He said that he was no longer working because of health/age problems. I told him about the USGS marker that he could drive straight to and the straight line across the property. He agreed to do it for $450. He did it and gave me the plat.
About a week later I took it to the county office to get it registered. After a month, with nothing getting done by the county office, I finally asked to see the office manager. He told me the problem was the line the surveyor put on the plat was dashed, it needed to be a solid line drawn on the plat and they would not accept it. I thought, great! How stupid, why didn't they tell me right away? I went back to the surveyor and found out he had passed on. Felt bad, he was a great guy.
Went to the other surveyor in town. Asked how much it would be to change the plat. On the property, now there was the USGS marker and the marker on the other side that the first surveyor had put in. Minimum, $3000. His prices went through the roof when he became the only surveyor in town. Did not ever have it changed, when I sold the property later it was still the full ten acres.
Get estimates of survey cost, even if you have to get someone from farther away and it takes longer.
About 15-20 years ago I wanted to split a piece of property I had. Ten acres with a house and well on the front edge. I decided to split it evenly five acres in each piece, front and back half. Went and walked the fence line and found a USGS marker right on the line. Did not split it an even five acres, but close. I decided to make it an easy survey, just cut a straight line across the property from the USGS marker.
I live in the county seat, but a very underpopulated county. Two surveyors in town. I went to the much older guy I had used several times before. He said that he was no longer working because of health/age problems. I told him about the USGS marker that he could drive straight to and the straight line across the property. He agreed to do it for $450. He did it and gave me the plat.
About a week later I took it to the county office to get it registered. After a month, with nothing getting done by the county office, I finally asked to see the office manager. He told me the problem was the line the surveyor put on the plat was dashed, it needed to be a solid line drawn on the plat and they would not accept it. I thought, great! How stupid, why didn't they tell me right away? I went back to the surveyor and found out he had passed on. Felt bad, he was a great guy.
Went to the other surveyor in town. Asked how much it would be to change the plat. On the property, now there was the USGS marker and the marker on the other side that the first surveyor had put in. Minimum, $3000. His prices went through the roof when he became the only surveyor in town. Did not ever have it changed, when I sold the property later it was still the full ten acres.
Get estimates of survey cost, even if you have to get someone from farther away and it takes longer.
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NORTON'S SHOP
Well-known member
I purchased 3 1/2 acres in 2012. I had it surveyed, pins placed in the corners, and had it registered with the county. Cost was $1800.00. The surveyor took care of the registration. $2500.00; to me; seems like a bargain.
we purchasing 10 acres in 2015 IIRC and a pin and post survey (four corner pins) of the wooded property was $1800.. After we purchased the property we had the same surveyor do a property line survey where they dropped a pin every 100ft and that was $700 and they waited until late fall early winter so all the leaves had fallen. Agree that $2500 is not too bad...
crazylunker
Well-known member
I'm in Trumbull and recently had a neighbor claim they paid 3900 for a survey just to have a 10X14 shed placed in their yard.
snorvet
Well-known member
I was a surveyor for 40 years, part owner of the company for 20. A lot of variables go into survey price, some mentioned in this thread. $2500 could be a good price, or it may be too high or too low. I've seen $100 surveys. I've seen surveys over $1m. Depends on how much work is involved.
Best thing to do is to get more quotes.
Best thing to do is to get more quotes.
Steve W.
Well-known member
Had a survey done on my 1/2 acre lot in town before building my garage about 8 years ago. All straight lines, but no right-angle corners. Basically just needed the corners marked and a few extra pins placed where the garage was getting close to the line.
Not sure what all happened in their office, but one guy showed up with his super-duper GPS locator, consulted a few maps that he brought along, referred to the drawing that I got when we bought the house and placed some pins. The charge was $450, which I thought was reasonable.
I chatted with him for a bit about his GPS locators. Asked about accuracy. He replied that they were within about 1cm horizontally and 4cm vertically.
.
Not sure what all happened in their office, but one guy showed up with his super-duper GPS locator, consulted a few maps that he brought along, referred to the drawing that I got when we bought the house and placed some pins. The charge was $450, which I thought was reasonable.
I chatted with him for a bit about his GPS locators. Asked about accuracy. He replied that they were within about 1cm horizontally and 4cm vertically.
.
mrbill55
Well-known member
We purchased another home earlier this year, two previous surveys laid out the property lines, but only one corner was ever spiked so as to have a starting point for the surrounding properties. Our new survey $1,200, I gladly spent the additional $300 to have each corner properly spiked and flagged. Only one neighbor questioned the validity of one corner, until he realized that was the corner that was initially surveyed and spiked back in the 60's when the larger parcel was broken down to 1+ acres lots. Our survey confirmed this, and the rest now set in place per measurements, also include GPS coordinates. $2,500 for a property survey when there is no previous site plan seems quite reasonable to me.
Bill S.
Jawn
Well-known member
FWIW, I had my 1ac suburban lot done when I bought it in 2013. I think it was around $500 to have it surveyed.
I bought what turned up to be a bit over 18 acres of mountain land in NC, initial estimate was $4000 and the final bill was $5300 (surveyor claimed the terrain was more difficult than expected). That also included referencing the survey to a mountaintop benchmark a few hundred yards away. It also took quite a while due to weather. Well past closing.
I bought what turned up to be a bit over 18 acres of mountain land in NC, initial estimate was $4000 and the final bill was $5300 (surveyor claimed the terrain was more difficult than expected). That also included referencing the survey to a mountaintop benchmark a few hundred yards away. It also took quite a while due to weather. Well past closing.
driftpin
Well-known member
Bottom line is, you need a boundary survey at a minimum to get done what you want to do. You have bids. Choose the one you feel best about as far as getting done what you need done. After it's done, walk the boundary perimeter, locate the pins (the crew may have stuck metal wire w/pennants-colorful plastic flags-in the ground at them) and see if the survey you received matches what you find. Check the legal description on the survey against whatever paperwork you have. Hopefully the boundaries marked are where you suspected they are, and the legal description matches what the survey shows. Check with your planning/zoning dept. about the assigned zoning category. An AG (agricultural) district usually provides much latitude in what you're allowed to do.
ASAP is the 'time to correct any errors or omissions' which you believe there may be. Hopefully, that is not the case. If you have a neighbor whose 'parcel' is suddenly smaller than he expected, because your survey shows the contiguous boundary line for your and his parcels 'gives you his property' make sure that you take pictures of the pins and maybe use a Pythagorean theorem triangle to place some additional below-grade pins of your own, photographed and then buried, so if your pins are removed, replaced, or otherwise tampered with, you know where they were.
We had an urban lot where we did a whole-house renovation at the same time as one of our adjoining neighbors did. One day, a backhoe showed up and began excavating on our property. That would be great if it was someone doing work we contracted, but it was the neighbor's hired excavation contractor. I grabbed our recent sealed survey and a tape measure, and flagged down the excavator equipment operator. I told him he was excavating on our property, and I did not want him to continue. I asked him to show me the approved set of plans which he was supposed to be working off-of. He got them and either he was incompetent at reading them, or he was setting up a case of adverse possession. The structure was a CBS wall for which he was digging the foundation. My attempt to reason with the equipment operator was useless. He put the plans away and resumed his work. On our property.
I went inside and called the building dept. All I got was voicemail. I requested an inspector to come deal with the excavator. About a half-hour later, a city employee from the Building Dept. arrived. He got the excavator to shut-down his equipment. I stayed away, but within earshot. After a short time, the Building Dept. employee red-tagged the job, ordering all trades off the job. Our neighbor was not happy!
The Building Dept. required the neighbor to get a boundary survey along the contiguous line between us. That was done, but not right-away. Meanwhile, all work was suspended. The surveyor retained by the property owner placed their pins next to the pins from our surveyor. Excavation work continued.
When the excavation work was completed, the formwork was put in the trench, again, on our property. Another call to the Building Dept., another stop-work order, and relocation of the formwork to be on their property. By this time, our neighbor wasn't having much conversation with us. But we avoided encroachment of real property improvements by a neighbor, and we kept our land, ours. When the neighbor's property was nearly finished, work again stopped, and the parcel went to foreclosure. After nearly a year of vacancy, and without a c/o, it sold for over $2.2 million. The buyers had to close-out all the permits, and complete the unfinished work, including a complete landscaping site plan, to code. The city loves its trees. And we never saw her (the prior landowner) again.
ASAP is the 'time to correct any errors or omissions' which you believe there may be. Hopefully, that is not the case. If you have a neighbor whose 'parcel' is suddenly smaller than he expected, because your survey shows the contiguous boundary line for your and his parcels 'gives you his property' make sure that you take pictures of the pins and maybe use a Pythagorean theorem triangle to place some additional below-grade pins of your own, photographed and then buried, so if your pins are removed, replaced, or otherwise tampered with, you know where they were.
We had an urban lot where we did a whole-house renovation at the same time as one of our adjoining neighbors did. One day, a backhoe showed up and began excavating on our property. That would be great if it was someone doing work we contracted, but it was the neighbor's hired excavation contractor. I grabbed our recent sealed survey and a tape measure, and flagged down the excavator equipment operator. I told him he was excavating on our property, and I did not want him to continue. I asked him to show me the approved set of plans which he was supposed to be working off-of. He got them and either he was incompetent at reading them, or he was setting up a case of adverse possession. The structure was a CBS wall for which he was digging the foundation. My attempt to reason with the equipment operator was useless. He put the plans away and resumed his work. On our property.
I went inside and called the building dept. All I got was voicemail. I requested an inspector to come deal with the excavator. About a half-hour later, a city employee from the Building Dept. arrived. He got the excavator to shut-down his equipment. I stayed away, but within earshot. After a short time, the Building Dept. employee red-tagged the job, ordering all trades off the job. Our neighbor was not happy!
The Building Dept. required the neighbor to get a boundary survey along the contiguous line between us. That was done, but not right-away. Meanwhile, all work was suspended. The surveyor retained by the property owner placed their pins next to the pins from our surveyor. Excavation work continued.
When the excavation work was completed, the formwork was put in the trench, again, on our property. Another call to the Building Dept., another stop-work order, and relocation of the formwork to be on their property. By this time, our neighbor wasn't having much conversation with us. But we avoided encroachment of real property improvements by a neighbor, and we kept our land, ours. When the neighbor's property was nearly finished, work again stopped, and the parcel went to foreclosure. After nearly a year of vacancy, and without a c/o, it sold for over $2.2 million. The buyers had to close-out all the permits, and complete the unfinished work, including a complete landscaping site plan, to code. The city loves its trees. And we never saw her (the prior landowner) again.
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