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Updated almost 11 years ago on . Most recent reply

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Amorette Mason
  • Accountant
  • Lansdowne, PA
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Need a surveyor

Amorette Mason
  • Accountant
  • Lansdowne, PA
Posted

Hello BP Family,

I live in Delaware County (Yeadon), PA, just outside of Philadelphia. Does anyone have any recommendations for a surveyor? Mine just relocated across the country.

I have the exact details on where the property lines start and end. I guess I am just looking for a professional to come out and put the markers. Has anyone done this themselves? Were there any issues?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

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Bill Gulley#3 Guru, Book, & Course Reviews Contributor
  • Investor, Entrepreneur, Educator
  • Springfield, MO
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Bill Gulley#3 Guru, Book, & Course Reviews Contributor
  • Investor, Entrepreneur, Educator
  • Springfield, MO
Replied

If there are no monuments, markers or stakes you can't locate property lines on the ground without equipment. If your description uses the center of a road, you can't locate that either as it may not be the center of the pavement.

I've written meets and bounds descriptions for minor subdivisions but it takes a surveyor to locate property lines for improvements if set backs are questionable, don't try it yourself.

Depends too on your lot, look at the plat, if the lots are equal sizes adjacent to you and you're in a subdivision your lot line will generally be half way between the homes, if they look similar.

In some states a fence that has been erected for a certain period may establish the line, even if it is off.

Don't go by utility boxes or telephone poles, but the developer may know if poles were set on lines, they could be.

I've had legals that go from the POB westerly 196 feet to a "large oak tree" thence south to the center of the river, easterly along the center of the river 220 feet, thence northerly 246 feet to the POB (something like that). Try stepping that off! LOL Had them in links and chains as well. Now, we have GPS!

If the county has a GPS overlay or points you can get very close with a handheld consumer type, good for bearings too, for accuracy you can't get the units surveyors have, they don't let common folks play with those for security reasons, agricultural units get pretty accurate too I believe.

If I'm putting up a fence, I usually guess and use an engineer's tape and compass, never had an issue. If it's for construction anywhere near a property line, get a survey. :) .

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