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What an ALTA Survey Reveals Beyond Property Lines

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Aerial view comparing vacant land with a detailed site development plan showing lot layouts, roads, drainage features, and property improvements identified during an ALTA survey

A property can look perfect on paper. The lot appears large enough. The location works. The price makes sense. Then a survey reveals a utility easement running through the middle of the planned building site. Suddenly, the project needs a redesign.

This is why developers pay close attention to ALTA Survey.

Many people think an ALTA Survey only confirms property boundaries. It does much more than that. It can reveal rights, restrictions, improvements, and site conditions that may affect how a property can be used.

For developers, these details can help avoid delays, redesigns, legal disputes, and unexpected costs. Before purchasing land or moving forward with a project, understanding what an ALTA Survey reveals can make a big difference.

Property Lines Are Only the Starting Point

Property boundaries are important, but they only tell part of the story.

A parcel may have clear boundary lines and still contain issues that affect development. An ALTA Survey combines field measurements with title records and other documents to provide a more complete picture of the property.

This extra information helps developers identify risks before construction begins.

Unlike a basic boundary survey, an ALTA focuses on matters that may impact ownership, access, financing, and development plans.

Easements That Affect Future Development

One of the most valuable parts of an ALTA Survey is the identification of easements.

An easement gives another party certain rights to use part of the property. These rights can limit where structures may be built.

Utility Easements

Utility companies often have easements for power lines, water lines, sewer systems, gas lines, and communication infrastructure.

A building, parking lot, or retaining wall may not be allowed within these areas.

Discovering a utility easement after design work has started can create expensive changes.

Access Easements

Some properties rely on shared driveways or access routes.

An ALTA Survey can show where these access easements exist and who has the right to use them.

This information helps developers understand how vehicles and pedestrians can legally enter and leave the site.

Drainage Easements

Drainage easements allow water to move through designated areas.

Building within these areas can create permit problems and drainage concerns.

An ALTA Survey helps identify these restrictions before construction plans are finalized.

Encroachments That Create Risk

Encroachments are another issue that often appears during an ALTA Survey.

An encroachment occurs when a structure crosses a property line or enters an easement area.

Examples include:

  • Fences
  • Retaining walls
  • Driveways
  • Buildings
  • Parking areas

Sometimes the encroachment belongs to a neighboring property. Other times it originates from the property being surveyed.

Either situation can create legal and financial concerns.

A developer who discovers an encroachment before closing has more options than one who discovers it after construction starts.

ALTA survey being performed on a residential property while homeowners observe the survey process

Recorded Rights and Restrictions

An ALTA Survey may also reveal rights and restrictions that affect the property’s future use.

These items are often found within title documents and public records.

Rights-of-Way

A right-of-way allows specific parties to travel across part of a property.

This right may belong to utility companies, government agencies, neighboring owners, or others.

The location and size of a right-of-way can affect site design.

Building Restrictions

Some properties have recorded restrictions that limit certain activities or improvements.

These restrictions may affect building placement, access points, parking layouts, or future expansion plans.

Understanding these limitations early can prevent costly revisions later.

Access Concerns

Legal access is not always as straightforward as it appears.

An ALTA Survey can help identify situations where access rights may be limited or unclear.

For developers, legal access is often a critical part of project planning and financing.

Improvements Located on the Property

An ALTA Survey documents many visible improvements located on the site.

This information helps developers understand existing conditions before making investment decisions.

Existing Buildings

The survey shows where buildings are located in relation to property boundaries and easements.

This information helps identify potential conflicts.

Parking Areas and Site Features

Parking lots, sidewalks, signs, utility structures, and other improvements are commonly shown on an ALTA Survey.

These features can affect redevelopment plans and site layout options.

Setback Concerns

Local regulations often require structures to remain a certain distance from property lines.

Survey information helps identify situations where improvements may be too close to those boundaries.

Finding these issues early allows developers to address them before they become larger problems.

ALTA Survey Information That Helps Lenders

Lenders frequently request ALTA Surveys during commercial real estate transactions.

They want to understand any conditions that could affect the property’s value or future use.

A lender evaluating a development site needs more information than simple boundary locations.

Easements, encroachments, access rights, and restrictions can all influence lending decisions.

An ALTA Survey helps provide that information.

It also reduces uncertainty during the due diligence process.

Why Hidden Issues Cost More Than Survey Costs

Many development problems begin with information that was not discovered early enough.

An easement may force a building redesign.

An encroachment may require legal action.

An access issue may delay permits or financing.

The cost of correcting these problems often exceeds the cost of obtaining an ALTA Survey.

Identifying potential concerns before closing gives developers more time to evaluate options and make informed decisions.

When an ALTA Survey Makes the Most Sense

An ALTA Survey is often used for:

  • Commercial property purchases
  • Development projects
  • Refinancing transactions
  • Large land acquisitions
  • Properties with complex title histories
  • Sites requiring lender review

In these situations, a basic understanding of property boundaries is rarely enough.

Developers need a broader view of the property and the issues that may affect future plans.

The Value of Knowing More Before You Build 

Property lines are only one part of the story.

An ALTA Survey can reveal easements, encroachments, access rights, improvements, rights-of-way, and recorded restrictions that may affect a property’s future use.

For developers, this information helps support better decisions before purchasing land, securing financing, or beginning construction.

Finding issues early is usually easier and less expensive than dealing with them after a project is underway.

Topo Surveyors Make Topographic Maps

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Topo Surveying and Topo Surveyor

topo surveyorA Topographic Surveyor also known as a Topo Surveyor collects the survey data to locate man-made and natural marks and its elevations on a particular portion of land. The topo surveyor normally includes any man-made underground marks such as utility lines, if they are marked in advance. It will also illustrate ground level installations such as utility poles, buildings, walls, and many other significant improvements.

The utilization of standard topographic surveying procedures (not those shown in this image) are commonly employed to provide a precisely measured plan of the terrain. This method also includes the mapping and drawing phases of projects to document the locations and layout of the improvements, road, buildings, and many other engineering and architectural projects in the construction industry.

Why Hire a Topo Surveyor?

The purpose of getting a Topo Surveyor to do a topographic survey is to obtain an accurate map and documentation of the present state of a parcel of land that will be constructed on; either a building, a wall, or any other construction activity. The design engineers make use of the topo survey as they plan the design and then the proposed final surface.

It is important to have this plan as this allows the Engineer to compute, analyze, and estimate the amount of earthwork that might be required. The Engineer will also be able to balance the amount of earth work to minimize the dirt to be taken off or onto the construction site. An architect may also make use of the topo survey the same way as the Engineer.

Additionally, the architect may plot the surface in 3D to picture the finished look with the improvements he might add. This plot may be presented to the contractor, building owner, or the land owner before the actual construction takes place. An accurate topo survey is a big help to ensure the installations and improvements fit within the site boundaries.

Common Methods that a Topo Surveyor use

topo surveyorThe two common methods of doing a topographic survey are Aerial Topo Survey and Ground Based Topo Survey. How the topographic survey is done would vary depending on the size of the project and the contour interval desired. It is important that a topo surveyor understand how to carry out both in any circumstances. Choosing the proper method, based on the project requirements is an important decision that the topo surveyor should be able to help with. Having been involved in both types of topo surveys will allow the topo surveyor to make use of the most appropriate method.

An Aerial Topographic Survey is done from a point above the ground surface using either a plane, helicopter, un-manned aerial vehicle, or a crane to get the aerial camera above the ground.  The distance above the ground is determined by the precision needed for the topo survey. Aerial photos of the ground surface are then taken and examined by a photogrammetrists who does the mapping from these stereo pairs of photos. By looking at the two overlapping aerial photos, the improvements and breaklines are gathered.

A Ground Based or Conventional Topographic Survey is done when there is a need to get more precise contours and spot elevations or if the site is small.  The Aerial Topographic Survey is limited in the precise vertical and horizontal point location on the ground surface. This a somewhat simplified discussion of the two methods of completing a topographic survey. While this is an overview, you should read and research more if you desire to learn in depth about topographic surveys. Or, just talk to a topo surveyor.

If you need a Topo Survey completed, please call Montgomery Land Surveying today at (334) 625-9540  or fill out a contact form request for more information concerning your land surveying needs.

The Importance of Land Surveying in the Modern World

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land surveyinngMost of you have probably never thought about land surveying until you needed it at some point. Many of us hear about land surveying all the time but never really give it much thought.

Since an investment in land and/or a home will likely be the largest investment you will ever make in your lifetime, knowing where your property lines are becomes very important indeed.

The art of land surveying was developed centuries ago. In fact, it’s one of the oldest professions in the world. The fact that it was used by man at such an early time and is still being used now shows how important surveying is to our survival.

Surveying land has many uses. Boundary surveying, for instance, allows you to know where your property corners or property lines are. This is especially helpful when disputes with a neighbour or with other people arise in terms of where your property ends.

If your family wants to divide a tract of land and transfer ownership to other family members, a boundary survey is the first step to do so. If you’re having a building constructed, it is very important that you have the land surveyed to make sure that you are not encroaching onto other peoples’ property.

A mistaken building location is very expensive to fix so you might as well invest in a boundary survey to prevent this.

"Land Surveying saves money, time, lives, and properties''.

A topographic survey, or topo survey for short, is another important type of land surveying. A topo survey is done to locate natural and man-made features on a particular parcel of land.

A topographic survey is different in that the elevation of the land is surveyed which means it can show man-made underground features, retaining walls, utility lines and etc.

Before you start any kind of construction activity, it’s important to have a topo survey done in the area so they’ll have an accurate record of the land’s existing conditions. Yes, that spot with the new mall in the neighbourhood had to have a topo survey done first.

Now, a flood survey or flood determination – this is very important too. It isn’t evident just looking at a property whether you are at risk of flooding or not. And, in some cases, even looking at the flood maps doesn’t give you an accurate answer.

The flood survey determines the elevation of the home and compares that to the base flood elevation. This is the only way to be sure you’re not in a flood hazard zone. If you’ve just been told that you live in a flood-prone area, having that confirmed by a professional land surveyor would let you know how to best proceed.

When getting flood insurance, insurance companies would require an elevation certificate from you. A land surveyor would be able to assist you with this.

If a company wants to invest in another state, or if there is a national lender on a commercial project, they will likely need an ALTA Land Title Survey done before anything is constructed. An ALTA Land Title Survey is a lot like a regular boundary survey except that nationally accepted ALTA Standards are used to guide the surveying effort.

Land surveying standards vary widely from state to state and an ALTA Land Title Survey is used to cut down on this variation. Also, an ALTA Land Title Survey typically is more involved than the state standards variety.

Because of this, an ALTA survey can be more anywhere from 50% to 200% more expensive than using the state standards only. If you need this type of survey, I suggest seeking an experienced land surveying company who is familiar with these additional requirements.

In summary, there are many uses for a land survey and for seeking the services of a land surveyor. If you’re unsure of your situation, consult Enterprise Land Surveying at (888)-936-8426 today or go to the Contact page and send us an email.