Challenges Land Surveyors Face on the Job

Land surveyors in Guadalupe County, TX have a tough job, and you may not be aware of the extent of the challenges they face. Every day, there are different and new obstacles to overcome, requiring creative problem-solving and ingenuity before the issue is corrected. Take a look at this list of tough challenges that land surveyors in Guadalupe County, TX may run into on a daily basis:

• Incomplete laws: Land surveying laws vary by state and county and encompass everything involved with mapping, including natural as well as manmade features that could define a property. Some model laws include even more documentation, such as secondary maps and other post-survey documents. However, some model laws have a narrower definition, and do not include underground surveying or other natural features, which can lead to misunderstanding between professionals working in different areas.
• Weather: Weather can affect land surveying in ways you wouldn’t think about. While the land surveyor in Guadalupe County, TX may prefer a clear sunny day with bare trees, this is not usually how it goes. Working in the elements presents its own challenges, but snow, rain, leaves and even shadows can obscure features and make it difficult for electronic tools to work properly.
• Historic properties: The amount of time a family has owned the property is another issue for land surveyors. A property that has been in a family for generations may have undergone changes that are not reflected in the initial documentation of the property, such as riverbeds, streams and vanished markers.
• GIS and traditional surveys: Older, traditional survey frameworks do not account for modern GIS surveying. The mismatch can create problems, because the geographical information system may not be recognized by the established legal framework.
• Adverse possession: Sometimes, plans are submitted for a property before construction permits are received, resulting in the creation of “paper streets,” which is a term that refers to planned streets that were never built. Unused property that wasn’t executed is often absorbed into homeowners’ properties without their knowledge. Later, if the city decides to use the property that was originally planned as a street, property owners can claim adverse possession of these spaces, which allows deeds to be altered to encompass these debated spaces.
• As-builts: Many contractors will disregard initial as-builts, which are drawings that initially establish the layout of the property before building. These contractors will sometimes modify plans without incorporating surveyors’ final drawings into a new as-built because they don’t understand the importance of doing so. This leads to many boundary disputes and other violations.

If you’re in need of land surveyors in Guadalupe County, TX, Bettersworth & Associates, Inc. can help you with these and other issues that are commonly encountered by land surveyors. We make sure you get off on the right foot and proceed without any setbacks. We have expertise in land surveys, land planning, commercial development, civil engineering and more. We have developed long-term relationships through our creative and responsive advocacy and would love to work with you. Contact us today!

Categorised in: Land Surveyor