Putting up fence - Do I need a boundry survey?

[The dude]

I have been getting quotes over $2,000 for a survey.

Is this normal? Something I really need for a basic fence?

[HeyBub]

I wouldn't. Just give it your best guess.

What's the worst that could happen?

That is, if you and the folks on the other side are on friendly terms.

[DerbyDad03]

In my town I can put the fence directly on the lot line, with the proper permit in hand.

If I knew - without question - where my lot was, I wouldn't need a survey.

Save for knowing - without question - where my lot line was, it would behoove me to get a survey. If i want maximum space within the fence without encroaching on the neighboring properties, I'd better know - without question - where my lot line was.

[dpb]

... That you end up having ceded over a fraction of your lot that could be a sizable economic penalty at sale time.

Or, that the fence gets to be moved and redone on _your_ property at whatever the appropriate setback is.

Either can be far more expensive than the $2K.

Whether need it or not depends on whether there's really a question as to where the property line really is--which I gather there must be or wouldn't be considering the question here.

Isn't there a corner marker/wasn't a survey done when you closed on the house?

--

[Steve Barker DLT]

You can usually find the survey pegs with a good metal detector if your area is pegged. Otherwise, it's about $500 in our area for a survey. Find someone you know in the biz and flip him a hundred.

s

[salty]

Go to city hall and look up your plot. The surveyor who did the original survey will be identified on it. If they are still in business, it often saves you some money io have them update their original work.

I found the guy who did one of my properties when the house was built in 1952, and it cost me a LOT less in 1997 than any other quote I got.

[Steve Barker DLT]

Also, you'll want to make sure there's not any rules about having the fence ON the property line, AND that there's no utility easements. You'll also need utility locates before you start punching holes.

s

[tbasc]

In the Charleston South Carolina region, a survey is cheap insurance. I've found fences, out buildings, and primary residences that are on neighboring lots.

T

[The dude]

I have not closed on the house.

Instead of paying for 2 surveys, I want to combine the cost.

dpb wrote:

[The dude]

The only utility I have is natural gas, I can see where it goes (not where the fence is.

Steve Barker DLT wrote:

[The dude]

I just got another estimate.

$1,000 for the same thing.

This is for 3.5 acres of land

The dude wrote:

[jmeehan]

Keep in mind that just because you only have gas, does not mean your neighbors don't have more and it may run across your property. In most areas the utilities will come out and mark their lines and pipes for free.

[dpb]

...

Well, if one is done, that would seem to suffice...why would there be two?

You do need to somehow (whether it's finding existing or a new) find the actual points that define the boundary. Once you know them, you can surely manage to do a setback from there.

--

[DerbyDad03]

If you're already having a survey done prior to closing, why would you think you need a separate one for the fence?

How much time will have passed between the closing and the fence install?

[bigjimpack]

Have surveyors put markers. Then its easy

[John Grabowski]

*Sounds like a good idea. You can pay the surveyor to drive stakes or you can follow him around and put in your own stakes. If you haven't already you should contact the town about the zoning for fences. There may be a setback requirement.

[DerbyDad03]

I had to have a survey done before I closed. Apparently it was just an updated tape survey cuz the previous owner told me some guys came out, took a few measurements in the yard and left.

I thought all was well until a few months after closing I submitted a copy of the map along with the plans for the deck I was building. The town clerk said I was really close to set back limits, but that I was OK. I found that really strange since I knew where my deck would end and I knew where my lot line was and I didn't think I was even close.

I went home and measured and I was right. I then took a close look at the map and realized that they had put my house almost 20' back on the map from where it really belonged. I called the company that did the tape survey and they sent out a crew with transits and measuring wheels and tapes and spent hours crawling through back yards and up and down the street and holy sh*t you'd think they were planning some multi-billion dollar super secret government installation!

When they were done, they sent me a new map, with my house drawn exactly where I though it should have been based on my quick measurements with a 25' tape. Sure was fun to watch!

[HeyBub]

It also depends on your neighbor. I once lived in a house that backed up to a 200' wide power company transmission line property. I asked the power company if I could encroach on their property a little bit. Here's what the guy in the permit department told me:

"I can't give you permission to fence in our property. I can tell that we've never ordered anyone to take down such a fence as you describe. But, and this is a big 'but', if we have to come through there with heavy equipment to repair a downed 200,000 volt transmission line, we're not going to let a $500 fence stand in our way."

If it were me, I'd check with the neighbor and decide on a mutually agreeable line of demarcation. Put the $2,000 toward the cost of the fence.

[Steve Barker DLT]

Best to get the free locates anyway. Are your electric, phone, WATER, and cable all overhead?

s

[TH]

Depends on if its a new survey or just finding the metal rods from the original survey. I had a survey guy come out and locate all my boundary posts. Didn't charge much more than a hundred bucks to do it.

-Tom