Surveyors today face increasing legal complexities. Understanding property rights and accurately defining boundaries are fundamental for both surveyors and landowners. GPS technology provides accuracy and the tools needed so property rights are respected and disputes are avoided.
Property rights define the legal authority a landowner has over their land. This includes the rights to use, manage, lease, or sell the property. These rights typically extend below the surface (such as for mineral extraction) and above into the airspace, subject to specific local and state regulations.
While property owners have significant control over their land, this control is influenced by zoning laws, environmental regulations, and local ordinances that dictate how the land can be used.
Understanding these rights is essential for land surveyors since they impact the scope and legality of any GPS survey work. When you’re hired to survey a property, it’s critical to know the owner's rights and any restrictions that could affect the project.
Whether you're confirming the layout of a residential lot or mapping out large commercial tracts, property rights provide the foundation for your work.
Property surveys are essential in establishing and protecting legal property rights. When GPS data is used in these surveys, it provides precise, verifiable coordinates that can be legally recognized in boundary disputes or during property transfers.
Courts often rely on professional surveys to resolve these disputes. GPS technology's accuracy ensures property lines are clearly defined and enforceable, making it a critical tool in legal property transactions.
However, keep in mind that property laws vary by state, and some regions have specific regulations governing property boundaries. Always verify your survey complies with local laws and standards to avoid legal complications.
Property boundaries are the specific legal lines that define where one property ends and another begins. Historically, boundaries were marked using physical landmarks like rivers or trees.
But today, GPS technology offers precision that was once unimaginable. GPS surveying now allows surveyors to define property lines with pinpoint accuracy, eliminating confusion over where a property’s limits lie.
For instance, if a landowner wants to install a new fence or build an addition, an accurate GPS survey keeps the project within their legal property limits. This helps avoid costly legal corrections or boundary disputes with neighbors.
Accurate boundary knowledge is even more critical for developers. Large-scale projects require precise planning, and even a slight misstep in property lines will lead to costly legal battles, delays, and potentially halting the entire project. A well-executed GPS land survey can give developers the confidence that they’re working within the exact limits of their property.
By utilizing satellite signals, GPS land surveying allows surveyors to capture the exact coordinates of a property's boundaries. These coordinates are mapped electronically to provide a highly detailed and accurate layout of the land.
The ability to pinpoint property edges within inches – even in difficult terrain or where natural landmarks have shifted – gives surveyors a significant advantage in producing reliable results.
The benefits of GPS technology in boundary surveying are numerous.
Read Understanding the Different Types of GPS Equipment, How to Choose the Right GPS Survey Equipment, and Different GPS Models for Every Level of Surveying for more about GPS technology.
GPS surveys are highly accurate, often providing results within a few inches or centimeters. The level of precision depends on the quality of the GPS equipment used and environmental factors such as terrain and satellite visibility.
Professional-grade GPS tools, like those offered by Baseline Equipment Company, provide the highest accuracy and are ideal for precise boundary surveys.
Boundary markers can include natural landmarks like rivers and trees or man-made objects such as fences, stakes, or metal pins (property pins).
However, GPS technology provides an additional layer of precision by accurately marking property lines with digital coordinates that can be confirmed and documented.
The best tool to locate property pins is a metal detector in combination with GPS equipment. A GPS can guide you to the general location of the pin based on previous survey data, while a metal detector can help you pinpoint the exact spot if the pin is buried or hard to locate.
The four common types of boundary disputes include:
Defining property rights and boundaries is critical to protecting landowners' interests and providing smooth legal transactions. With the precision and adaptability of GPS technology, surveyors can offer detailed, reliable results that help prevent boundary disputes and streamline property developments.
Invest in high-quality GPS surveying tools from Baseline Equipment Company to have the accuracy needed to navigate the complexities of property boundaries.
