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Are Satellite-Based Correction Services the “Next Utility”? | Corona, CA

By Robert L. Green, PS | 06.20.2021

In the summer of 1978, I worked as a rodman/chainman for Boston Survey Consultant (now the BSC Group). My crew partnered with the engineering staff to conduct soil percolation tests for septic system design. At one point, our boss informed us he had just attended a meeting at our corporate office in Boston on the status of the GPS satellite constellation. Little was known about this technology as the first GPS satellite (NAVSTAR 1) had only been launched months earlier. He told us that within a few years you would be able to put a “magic black box” on the surface of the earth and obtain XYZ coordinates. As an 18-year-old kid, it was impossible for me to comprehend as we were in the process of locating the percolation test holes with a turn of the century K&E transit, a handheld magnifying glass to read the vernier, a Philly stadia rod for distance interpolation, and a machete for cutting line. As I reflect on this story, I realize how lucky I am to have witnessed all these measurement technology enhancements over the last four decades.

Entrepreneurs and innovators like Charlie Trimble, Javad Ashjaee and Dr. Benjamin Remondi (the father of GPS kinematic principals) capitalized on this technology. The cost for one GPS receiver when they hit the market in the late 1980s was about $100,000. Three GPS receivers, software and state-of-the-art computers were needed since most of the survey applications required GPS static survey methodology, creating a half million-dollar investment on equipment alone and resulting in only a handful of companies adopting this emerging technology. But those who did became pioneers and industry leaders.

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To find out more about GPS, 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 Know Famous Land Surveyors? | Corona, CA

You’re watching Jeopardy and the topic is infrastructure – ‘These are famous land surveyors throughout history.’ Do you have an answer? Are there ANY famous land surveyors? Yes, there are famous land surveyors, and their names might surprise you (at least three U.S. presidents). Let’s take a look at a few of the more notable surveyors through history, just in case you ever make it on the show:

George Washington. In 1749, at the age of 17, young Washington was appointed as the Surveyor General in Virginia. Washington wasn’t just our first President; he became the first Registered County Surveyor in America.

Benjamin Banneker. Benjamin Banneker, a self-taught African-American mathematician and surveyor, was appointed in 1789 by President George Washington to survey the area which would become Washington D.C., a project completed between 1791 and 1793.

Thomas Jefferson. Another Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson, was appointed County Surveyor for Albermarle County in Virginia in 1773. One of Jefferson’s most famous presidential acts was to organize the Lewis & Clark Expedition to explore and survey the vast expanse of land known as the Louisiana Purchase.

Other famous land surveyors. Daniel Boone, another historical figure famed for his pioneering and exploration, was a land surveyor who resolved settlers’ claims to land titles. British explorer Captain James Cook not only sailed into every ocean, but he also surveyed the lands he found along the way. The surveying efforts of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon survive in the “Mason-Dixon Line”, is still identified today as the unofficial boundary between the South from the North. Abraham Lincoln was working as a land surveyor when he was first elected to the Illinois legislature—making him the third presidential land surveyor.

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

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

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Hiring a Land Surveyor | Corona, CA

When you need to have a land survey done, it can be a daunting task to someone who has no idea what it entails. Its time to hire a professional to ensure that it is done with accuracy and skill. Here are some of the more common questions to ask when hiring a land surveyor.

Can I do my own property survey?

You can complete your own surveys when you measure how much space you have to build a deck or patio. There’s certainly no law against checking how much space you have within your own property. What you can’t do is measure your own property and use those findings as legal documents. Since property is an expensive asset, only licensed professionals can conduct legal surveys to determine legal boundaries that affect property value. Professional surveyors are also skilled and trained at evaluating difficult terrain for construction projects as requested by engineers and lenders.

What does a land survey include?

It depends on the kind of land survey you choose. Most homeowners need a boundary survey that identifies the exact locations of their boundaries with a legal description. They’ll also include any right-of-way access or other easements. More extensive surveys like topography or ALTA surveys assess the terrain, ground stability, natural and manufactured features, and property rights. Do your research and ask questions.

Is a land survey more expensive for a bigger plot of land?

In general, yes. It costs anywhere from $50 to $500 per acre to conduct a survey, but that’s also dependent on how complex the terrain is. Some surveyors may charge a flat fee for a home in a standard-size subdivision, but any unusual or large properties will cost more to survey.

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

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

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Why We Need to Survey Land | Corona, CA

We all know that in order to develop land, you need to know the boundary lines in which you can expand and what kind of land you are trying to develop. This is when a land survey comes in handy. 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 like a new concept, but surveys have been needed since the beginning of civilization.

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, the tools and equipment may have changed over the years, 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? 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 considering 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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Land Surveyors and Boundary Lines | Corona, CA

When you purchase land, you are given the size of the plot, but you may not get exact measurements. To get that measurement down to the inch, they need to enlist the services of land surveying companies. When a land surveyor comes to your home, they’ll perform the following tasks:

  • Acquire initial survey from county municipalities. A survey is required for the original plotting of land and will have dimensions pulled from landmarks or stakes around your home, some of which still exist.
  • Use special equipment to pull exact dimensions from different points around the house. Map those points with spray paint or stakes.
  • Sign and file the survey and update it with county authorities and financial institutions.

If a property owner were to make changes on closely approximated land, like mistakenly erecting a fence on a neighbor’s property could lead to trespassing charges and the complete loss of your investment if a neighbor wants to destroy the fence. In order to alleviate any neighborhood headaches, a professional boundary survey would be the ideal solution. A professional boundary survey lays out the exact perimeter of land and is documented and certified by a state accredited surveyor, so there is no discrepancy about where your property ends and theirs begins. Regardless of your intentions on expanding on your land, it’s always a good idea to know exactly how large it is.

In closing, here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Professional land surveyors can determine the exact boundaries of your property.
  • Banks require documentation of boundary lines in order to refinance a home.
  • Before taking on a project, homeowners should know the specifications of their property lines to avoid encroachments.

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

Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.