Definition of "What does a land surveyor do?"

Kim Bergland real estate agent

Written by

Kim Berglandelite badge icon

Red Horse Real Estate

Any structure that was ever built on land had to first be evaluated by a land surveyor through a survey. If you are wondering, what is surveying, then you should know that surveying is a technique used to record characteristics of a land area.

Surveying is also a profession and the person certified to do a land survey is called a land surveyor. While the overall idea of a survey is to provide information regarding the land area that is going to be relevant for builders or setting boundaries, you may be wondering what does a land surveyor do?

There are multiple types of surveys, some more common than others, but overall a land surveyor is making the same measurements. A land surveyor is determining the position of objects by measuring angles and distances and factors that might affect the measurements that are also taken into account.

The data collected is then used to create bearings, coordinates, vectors, elevations, areas, volumes, maps, and planes. Land surveyors used different tools for the job and some of the main tools are theodolite, total station, 3D scanners, measuring tape, GPS/GNSS, level and rod. Most of these tools screw on a tripod so they are easy to use.

Land surveyors help determine the placement for railways, roads, reservoirs, pipelines, bridges, buildings, and many more. They also help establish boundaries of political divisions and legal descriptions. To become a licensed surveyor you have to receive a degree in surveying, and this is followed by an examination of their knowledge along with some on-the-job training that would build up their portfolio until they are awarded a license to practice.

Some of the best communities in the USA have undergone land surveying and if you want to be part of one you can start by finding a real estate agent to help you pinpoint those locations. 

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Questions

Popular Real Estate Glossary Terms

Right to substantive real or personal property having tangible body and form. For example, a corporeal right to a house, property, furniture, or fixtures. ...

To have a debt is to owe someone something. A debt may be a service, may be money or goods. May even be of gratitude. In the finance world, however, it usually is a way that institutions ...

Insurance protection for the replacement cost of damaged property. Thus, the accumulated depreciation is not subtracted in determining the amount of reimbursement. ...

The term apartment is used when referring to a type of residential unit that is self-contained and occupies only a part of the building. Through self-contained, we understand that the ...

lender who charges an exorbitant interest rate, which is typically illegal because it exceeds the interest rate allowed in the state. A borrower may go to a loan shark if he cannot obtain ...

Lien which is over and above a first lien. A second lien is subordinate to the first lien and can be satisfied only after the initial lien is satisfied. ...

Functional utility in real estate typically defines a property’s usefulness to the homeowner or lessee. The more purposes it can fulfill, the better. For instance, you can call a ...

Litigation undertaken to obtain or maintain possession of real property. ...

Municipal ordinance stating the distance from a curb or property line where the building of a structure is prohibited. Also states the distances from a boundary line where construction is ...