Residential Surveying

Most homeowners who need a land survey are looking for either a lot line staking, a certified plot plan, or a combination of both. Read more about each below.

Lot Line Staking (also known as property line staking)

A lot line staking is also known as a property line staking. It’s one of the most common surveying services that homeowners request and with good reason. A lot line staking allows us to define the boundaries of your property by marking property corners and lines on the ground.

If any major corners on your property are missing a monument (a permanent marker that tells us the location of your property), we’ll set a new monument using an iron rod, or you can upgrade the monument to concrete or stone, which are considered more visually appealing and sturdy options.

When we mark the lines on your property, we set wooden stakes to clearly label and delineate the boundaries of your property. A lot line staking is typically what you need if you’re:

• Building a fence (check with local building department to verify a plot plan is not needed)
• Performing landscaping
• Settling boundary or property disputes
• Looking for peace of mind and clarity on where, exactly, your property boundaries are

After completing the lot staking, we provide you with a sketch that shows the perimeter boundary, monuments found (or set) at the corners, and what we used to mark the lines. The sketch won’t show the level of detail or any improvements (modifications, new structures, or additions you’ve made to your property) that are typically shown on plot plans.

Certified Plot Plan

A certified plot plan gives you a detailed map of your property. It includes boundaries, square footage, structures (houses, sheds, pools, garages, etc.) in relation to the boundaries, and any other pertinent information (such as wetlands and floodplains).

Plot plans are usually required by your local municipality if you need a construction or building permit. Homeowners will also request a plot plan to get a more accurate depiction of their property than what they would get from a Mortage Inspection Plan.

There are three types of plot plans, and the type you may need typically depends on the phase of your project. The types include:

• Existing Plot Plans
• Proposed Plot Plans
• As-Built Plot Plans

Here’s a breakdown of the typical project and how each type of plot plan is used:

• A project starts with an Existing Plot Plan to show current improvements to the property
• A designer (typically an architect, engineer, wetland scientist, and/or contractor) takes the Existing Plot Plan and designs the proposed changes to the structures or property.
• Once a design is finalized, a surveyor takes the design plans and creates a Proposed Plot Plan that shows both the existing and proposed features.
• The Proposed Plot Plan, along with a set of the design plans, allow you to request a permit for your project with the local municipality.
• At the completion of the work, some municipalities may require a final As-Built Plot Plan showing the new existing features to close out the permitting process.

This is a general overview, but permitting processes and requirements can vary greatly depending on the specific project details, environmental impacts, and municipal regulations. For example, designers sometimes need partial or full topographic surveys, especially if there are environmental impacts, that are not usually required on a standard plot plan. No matter what your situation is, we can tailor the level of detail on a plot plan to fit your needs.

There’s a lot that goes into this process, but we can help guide you to determine what services you need and what the process will look like based on your specific project. If you have questions or don’t know what you need, let’s talk about your project and we’ll advise you on the next steps.