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Remodeling My Home: Do I Need a Land Survey? | Corona, CA

When you want to make some home improvements, there are a lot of things to think of, depending on what the changes are. If it’s a simple change of wall color, there really isn’t any reason to notify anyone. But if it is a larger project, you may need to get permits and things signed off according to city rules. And this is where things can get tricky. There are some home improvement projects that may require a land survey.

A land survey is used for all new construction, in order to notate where property lines are and structures and elements on your property. A land surveyor is required to do this, as a homeowner cannot. But not all projects require a survey to be done. If the project remains within the home’s structure is free and clear to improve whenever you’re ready:

  • Basements
  • Room remodels
  • Wall structuring, etc.

When it comes to the more major projects, it is important to know that your improvements are falling under the city’s requirements and within your property lines. The following are the parameters land surveys are required:

  • Home additions
  • Teardowns to re-build

Then there are those projects that don’t necessarily require a survey, but it could come in handy later on down the line. It isn’t going to get you into trouble, unless you have a cranky neighbor. Adding fences, sheds, patios and pools are meant to improve your home’s aesthetic, but it may infringe on your neighbor’s property. Let’s just say it’s better to be safe than sorry.

To find out more about land surveys, please contact us at (800) CALVADA or visit www.calvada.com.

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

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Common Types of Surveying | Corona, CA

When you think of land surveys, what do you think of? Property lines? Mapmaking? Believe it or not, there are plenty of businesses that utilize the art of land surveying, from construction to environmental divisions.

Surveys are broken down into four groups – ALTA, boundary, mortgage and topographic. The latter three are very different, while the ALTA survey is a combination of all three and used specifically for commercial properties. ALTA/ACSM surveys, or American Land Title Association and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, are a comprehensive type of survey guaranteed because they are so very thorough.

Boundary surveys are used to measure the property marks of a particular plot of land. Once the boundaries have been identified, markers are used to dictate where those property lines begin and end. These markers include iron rods, concrete monuments and nails placed into concrete.

Mortgage surveys focus on title companies and lending institutions that involve property matters and building locations, in order to ensure zoning and building codes have been followed on the property. An officially licensed survey is different than a mortgage survey, so it is important that you are specific when looking for a particular survey. Mortgage surveys are not necessarily reliable as they do not need to follow the same set of standards licensed surveys do.

Topographic surveys are what most people think of when they think of surveys. These are more like those used in maps, focusing on elevation composed of contour lines on a plot. They show landmarks, both man-made and natural. Things like buildings, fences, land contours, trees and streams. People use these types of surveys to design improvements and create new developments.

To find out more about land surveys, please contact us at (800) CALVADA or visit www.calvada.com.

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

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Do You Need a Land Survey? | Corona, CA

If you own land, you would think it is fairly unlikely that you will need to get a land survey done. That sort of thing generally goes hand in hand with buying property. Nothing is ever mentioned about it afterwards. Believe it or not, there are plenty of really good reasons you should make sure your land is professionally surveyed, besides just being safe than sorry. Below are a few of the more common ones:

Neighbor disputes. One thing you can never be too sure about when buying property are the neighbors. If you get along, great. If you don’t and a conflict comes up, it can be a nightmare. When it comes to fence installations, landscaping updates or any other exterior upgrades along property lines, a land survey will undoubtedly solve your neighbor dispute – it’ll tell you where those property lines are.

Tax benefits. As you may have noticed from your property taxes, they change. That can be due to inflation, new construction, remodels and various other factors. Presenting this survey when taxes are being assessed will be handy. If you protest your tax increase will certainly encourage them to keep your taxes down.

Determine land size. When researching homes, determine the price per square foot for the actual house and the property. The County Assessor Office is not always correct, so don’t consider information on their website final word.

Liability. Land surveys are conducted and guaranteed by a licensed professional surveyor. If you ever go to court over a land dispute, like with a neighbor, your professional land survey will surely be addressed.

To find out more about becoming a land survey, please contact us at (800) CALVADA or visit www.calvada.com.

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

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Why Land Surveying Is Important | Corona, CA

When new land is being divided into various developments, it is important to have the land surveyed in order to ensure the land is used beneficially. Not only do surveys help plot out the land but surveyors are used in the design and planning of said land to make room for things like roads, utilities and landscaping. It may seem to many that surveying land is a fairly new concept, but it is one of the oldest professions the world has ever known. Land surveys have dated back thousands of years to Egyptian surveyors dividing land along the Nile River and Australian surveyors trying to design their early settlements. Even famous explorers like Burke and Wills used their surveying background in their work. Yes, it may seem like a new-found industry, but we’ve needed land surveying for as long as we’ve had land to develop.

But why are they so intricate to creating our structures? Believe it or not, but it isn’t just about plotting open spaces to place buildings and other structures upon. Surveyors work with lots of other important industries like engineering, geology, architecture and planning in order to create a successful construction site. They measure the land and map it all out before anyone even steps foot on the site. These findings are given to the architects, who create a blueprint based on the needs of the client. Once complete, engineers use those plans to create a structure that will be successful based on the land available. So, as you can see, land surveys are the environmental trackers of structural design.

To find out more about land surveys, please contact us at (800) CALVADA or visit www.calvada.com.

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.