When you purchase a new home, it’s important to have an accurate survey for your records. This survey provides you with legal documentation that shows you exactly where the boundary lines for your property lie. They clearly show the structure of your house, as well as the location of other structures on your property and directly adjacent to your property.
Here are just a few reasons why these surveys are so important to have and how you can go about arranging for residential land surveying in Idaho:
- It helps you determine your property boundaries: Boundary lines are important to know when you’re a homeowner. This will help you know where you can construct a fence, the limits for where you can put an addition or where you can place a pool and a surrounding deck. Without a survey, you are left with nothing but your best guess as to what is and is not allowed.
- It helps you resolve disputes that arise with neighbors: If you’ve been of the opinion that some sort of structure of your neighbor’s is encroaching on your property, having a residential land survey done might be the best way to end those disputes once and for all. In many cases, the neighbor is not actually doing this on purpose—they simply do not actually know where their property line ends. In other cases, there might be disputes over who has responsibility for certain fences or vegetation. You can get a survey of your property done and give a copy to the neighbor so there will not be any disputes in the future.
- Figure out what regulations apply to your property: There are always regulations and guidelines coming into effect in various neighborhoods that could affect your ability to build a structure on that property. For example, a survey of your property might reveal that you are actually in a floodplain area, which means you would not be allowed to extend a room or add a new structure in that area. In addition, required building permits often cannot be issued without the assistance of a land surveyor, meaning that if you have any intent to build an addition or remodel your home, you’ll probably need to have a survey done.
- Determine easements and rights of way: There are several property rights that allow limited use of another person’s property. For example, determining the right of way will allow you to use a path to travel over another neighbor’s property. Drainage easements also are affected by these rights—structures should not prevent the free flow of water via drainage. This means your ability to install a fence or plant a garden might be impacted if it is in an easement area. A surveyor will help you determine these limitations and rights.
For more information about the importance of working with a skilled surveyor, contact Mason & Associates to discuss the particulars of land surveying in Idaho and we will happily answer any questions you have.