How much $ to survey land?

[WoodChuckDad]

I was asked by a friend what to expect for a survey. I know it depends on the size of the property, terrain and market. My last experience was a single property border approximately 1/3 mile long, in 2019 with some tough terrain in the middle. Price paid was approx $400
But if anyone’s had it done recently could you give answer with
Size,
Area (state),
Year performed,
Cost

 

[LittleBill21]

PA 100 acres 5 years ago, subdivided 7 lots. 28k, almost threw up.

last year boundary lines on 30 acres next door neighbor rush job 6k

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I know around me surveyors have more work than they can keep up with. So I feel like they can be choosy about what sorts of projects they take on. I know if it was me I would not want to survey my swampy overgrown property, definitely not in the warmer months. My neighbor had his property surveyed 35 acres. Not sure how much it cost him but it took them 6 months by the time they got it done.

 

[JPRambo]

My neighbor had his <2.5 acres surveyed $1700. Very easy access

 

[Roadworthy]

Prices can vary significantly. Contact a few surveyors in your area for estimates.

 

[IndyIan]

PA 100 acres 5 years ago, subdivided 7 lots. 28k, almost threw up.

last year boundary lines on 30 acres next door neighbor rush job 6k

Was that with lots of clearing trees off the sight lines? My severed property required quite a bit of cutting along the line, and they had to offset around some very big trees. I'm sure it wasn't a quick job.
In 2017, I did hire a surveyor to establish that my property/driveway did actually get to the road allowance, it was $1k for him for the day and registering the more detailed survey of my place.

 

[oosik]

Surveying can take a lot of time - can be tough in hilly terrain - clearing the lines can be labor intensive.

1939 - my father purchased the 80 acres I now have. It was part of a government homestead/land grant. The 80 acres was surveyed by a gov surveyor and written up as a meets/bounds description.

For my needs - it is more than adequate. My property is a mile west of the county road. Smack dab on the eastern edge of thousands of acres of open range land. A foot or so - here or there - means absolutely nothing to me or my two neighbors.

However - over the years all four corners have been officially surveyed and recorded. Surrounding land sales and with a bank being involved, required these surveys.

Surprisingly - my barbed wire fence ended up right on the survey lines.

 

[Bearsixty7]

$3200 for ~100 acres in southwest MO. in Aug/Sep 2024.

The survey paid for itself as it was listed as 110 but ended up measuring to only 107, so the price was adjusted and we have clearly marked property corners with stakes and Steel rods now.

 

[dodge man]

I’m a land surveyor, mostly retired but still licensed in Illinois and I used to be licensed in Iowa. Virginia is what is known as a metes and bounds state, quite a bit different than Illinois.

How much for a survey? That’s like how much money for a truck? It’s tough to pin down. I’d say the days of $400 are mostly over. I’ve done a few of those over the years but usually lots in town that I’ve done before.

The size of the property can affect the price but not always. On larger property’s, say over a few acres the terrain has more to do with it. There are places in this area, very flat, no trees, all farm ground, that I could survey 640 acres for $2000 to $3000 including a plat of survey. I live on 3 acres and it would probably cost that much to do mine if I were to be charged for it.

They charge about $150 an hour for my time and if I had a helper it could get to $200 to $250 and hour for a two man crew. You can see if you have two long days in the field and then office time, courthouse research, and then drafting time for a plat, it’s easy to get over $5k in a hurry.

 

[JeepHead]

$3600 for 20 acres thick woods and some hills 9/23 in Indiana. That included 4' stakes every 100'.

 

[kenmbz]

Had a survey done for a pool, 6 acre property.
Around $3000 with all the crawling through brush to find the markers (which I keep clear now that I know where they are).
That included the pool placement.

 

[ning]

I had one line about 600' long surveyed a few years ago. Pipe markers still in place, easy access. Guy had stopped by to bid it and grabbed his gear and just did it right then - GPS-ish, $600 for less than an hour's time and his signature on a "map". I was happy enough because two other surveyors didn't return the call and another said it would be a month and a half, and my project needed the boundary marked so I could prove setback, real soon.

 

[IXLR8]

In Virginia I had my 12 acres of wooded property surveyed 2.5 years ago. They found most of the markers from the original survey, put in some new markers as the original turn points were listed as trees, some that were now dead. Also had a 900ft straight section that was obscured by a bunch of trees and bushes, I had them put in markers every 300 ft. That one ran me $2500.
Had 100 acres in Maine, on the shore, heavily wooded. Lots of research needed to get deeds sorted out as it was 5 parcels put together over 10 years back in the '20s. $14,000.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Man, prices do fluctuate wildly. I had my 14 acres of woods and field re-surveyed (by the same crew that did at the time I bought it 20yrs ago) 10yrs ago for $300. I can see going up into the low thousands for hilly or tough terrain, but 10's of thousands is completely nut's!

 

[ponytug]

"Time is money" as they say, and complex surveys due to terrain, landscape, value, or extra research at the courthouse is all about hours.

I think that survey pricing is very local, and the only way to know is to get a number of quotes.

All the best,

Peter

 

[BleedingOrange]

I,m surprised they haven,t found a way to do surveys using drones. Or would that make them to quik, and much less profitable ? Kinda like the dentist not wanting to pull all your teeth on the first visit, since there is 5K possible to be obtained for working on each tooth, over many, many years ? LOL

 

[Joel/ak]

10 years ago we had our 100acre parcel surveyed. Cost was 5 grand. They didn't clear anything. Terrain was sketchy in some spots.

One of the metal corner markers he gave to us. The corner was located in the middle of a nasty stagnant moss covered pond. He said he wasn't going swimming and his helper told him to F off....lol

Don't blame them.

This is in SW MI

 

[dodge man]

Drones can be used for topographic surveying but not even close to be used for boundary work. How would that even work, they can’t dig for corners. I can’t remember exact numbers but I believe I’ve done a couple of surveys that were over $100,000. Obviously they were large and complicated jobs. As I recall one job I did was over 10,000 acres.

 

[caver]

I had 40 acres done maybe 10 years ago by a forum member (not dodge man). There was no survey on file at the courthouse. One pin I tried to locate but after the survey I realized I was at least 40' off so never would have found it with a metal detector. It was over 2K but I figured if life threw a curveball at me and I had to sell in a few years I would easily recoup that money in the sale price. I do recall if I wanted markers every 250'? it was an add on which I declined. That would be great if you wanted an accurate fence location between neighbors.

 

[otlski]

In Connecticut.
Surveyed a 600 foot property line dispute with neighbor. Located six out of twelve pins on 12.5 acres heavily wooded, steep rocky terrain, with swamps and a brook. Produced stamped drawing.

Took surveyor 9 months to show up (neighbor picked them). Cost $2500. They found in my favor!