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Eight common scenarios where a professional survey is recommended or required.
Many Georgia property owners are unsure whether their situation calls for a professional land survey. The answer depends on what you are doing with your property. Below are eight of the most common scenarios where a survey is either recommended or required, along with the type of survey that fits each situation.
At S&S Land Surveying in Cedartown, GA, we handle all of these survey types across the entire state. With over 40 years of experience, we can help you determine exactly what you need.
A boundary survey is one of the most important steps in any real estate transaction. While Georgia does not legally require a survey to close on a home, most title companies and real estate attorneys strongly recommend one. The survey confirms that what the deed describes matches what is actually on the ground, and it reveals any encroachments, easements, or boundary discrepancies that could affect the value or usability of the property.
Survey type: Boundary Survey ($300 -- $800)
Before you can pull a building permit in most Georgia counties, you need a site plan showing the proposed structure's location relative to your property lines and required setbacks. After the permit is issued, a building staking survey marks the exact corners of the structure on the ground so the contractor builds in the right place.
Survey type: Site Plan ($400 -- $1,000) + Building Staking
As we cover in detail in our article on whether you need a survey before building a fence, the cost of a boundary survey is a fraction of the cost of removing and rebuilding a fence that was placed on a neighbor's property. A survey and property line marking give your fence contractor clear reference points.
Survey type: Boundary Survey + Property Line Marking ($300 -- $800)
If you and a neighbor disagree about where the property line falls, a professional survey is the definitive way to settle the question. Our article on property line disputes in Georgia covers the full process, including when a surveyor alone can resolve the issue and when you might also need an attorney.
Survey type: Boundary Survey ($300 -- $800)
If you want to split one parcel into two or more lots, Georgia law requires a subdivision plat prepared by a licensed surveyor and approved by the local planning authority. A parcel split survey creates the new legal descriptions and the plat that gets recorded with the county.
Survey type: Parcel Split / Subdivision Survey ($800 -- $2,000+)
Some lenders require a current survey when you refinance your mortgage, particularly if the existing survey is old or if there have been improvements to the property since the last survey. The lender wants to confirm that no new encroachments or boundary issues exist.
Survey type: Boundary Survey ($300 -- $800)
If your property is near a flood zone boundary, a survey can help determine whether your improvements fall inside or outside the FEMA-designated flood zone. This determination directly affects your flood insurance requirements. In some cases, a surveyor can provide an elevation certificate that may help you reduce or eliminate mandatory flood insurance.
Survey type: Flood Certificate / Elevation Certificate ($400 -- $800)
If you need to know exactly where a utility easement, access easement, or drainage easement crosses your property, a boundary survey can locate it on the ground and show it on the plat. This is especially important before building near an easement, since structures typically cannot be placed within easement areas.
Survey type: Boundary Survey ($300 -- $800)
If your situation does not fit neatly into one of the categories above, or if you are not sure which type of survey is right for your project, the easiest thing to do is call us. S&S Land Surveying provides free estimates and can recommend the right survey type based on your specific situation. We serve property owners throughout Georgia from our office in Cedartown.
Call us today at 678-873-3119 or request a free estimate online.