Survey

At Landmark, our Survey department can provide a broad scope of survey services including:

• Subdivision and annexation platting
• ALTA land title surveys
• Improvement and topographic surveys
• Boundary surveys
• Title review
• Right-of-Way and routing surveys
• Legal descriptions and exhibits

In addition, our field survey crews, along with in-office survey support, can furnish our clients with field survey staking during the construction phase of work.  Landmark's use of G.P.S. and conventional survey equipment and techniques can assist builders and contractors in the precise vertical and horizontal layout required by today's more complicated and demanding residential, commercial, recreational and institutional projects.

The following is a brief explanation of selected surveying products and services provided by Landmark Engineering:

Land Survey Plat:  This type of survey is what is commonly called a "boundary survey".  After being provided with a current legal description of the subject property, a professional land surveyor reviews deed information and adjoining properties.  A thorough effort is made to recover monuments in the field, oftentimes including public land monuments (e.g. "section corners", "quarter corners") not necessarily adjacent to the subject property.  Precise field measurements are made, field data calculated, and property corner positions determined by careful analysis.  A legal description of the subject and adjacent properties are sometimes in conflict with these field measurements and require the professional land surveyor to document these conflicts and prepare a detailed plat of the property boundary, setting the necessary property corner monuments in the field.  If the land surveyor has been provided with the appropriate title information, the Land Survey Plat may also show the position of easements, rights-of-way and other encumbrances affecting the subject property.  A Land Survey Plat does not document improvements on the subject property.

Improvement Survey Plat: This type of survey is similar to a Land Survey Plat, but, in addition, documents the improvements upon the subject property, such as structures, fences and above ground utilities.  Improvements on adjacent properties that encroach into the subject property are also documented.  In most cases, Land Survey Plats and Improvement Survey Plats are recorded at the Office of the Clerk and Recorder.

Improvement Location Certificate:  An Improvement Location Certificate ("ILC") is primarily used by mortgage and/or title companies to assist in residential transactions.  This certificate typically documents the location of improvements upon a parcel of land and graphically shows the location of easements affecting the property as disclosed in information provided by the client.  Typically, the surveying methods used in the preparation of an "ILC" are not sufficient to precisely determine the location and dimensions of property lines, or the exact location of improvements upon or adjacent to the subject property.  Therefore, an "ILC" should not be construed to be a Land Survey Plat or an Improvement Survey Plat. By State law the professional land surveyor who prepares an "ILC" must use a mandated certification that includes the following phrase:"....that it is not to be relied upon for the establishment of fence, building or other future improvement lines..."

ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys: This type of survey has to meet very specific requirements as defined by the American Land Title Association and the American Congress of Surveying and Mapping.  The certification included in the "ALTA Survey" requires the professional land surveyors to meticulously review title documents and perform a rigorous improvement and boundary survey of the subject property.  The resulting map documents boundary lines, easement and other encumbrances, and details all improvements on a property.  An "ALTA Survey" is often required in the purchase of commercial properties.

Topographic Surveys: This type of survey typically determines the "lay of the land", its slopes, contours, etc.  Typically these maps document existing improvements, significant trees and plants, and patterns of drainage.  Often architects and/or planners use topographic maps to plan future projects.  Topographic maps may or may not contain boundary line and easement information.