Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers! Why hire Our Firm?
It’s in your interest to contact a Land Surveyor if:
You may have to provide your buyer with an up-to-date survey of your property in order to:
- Give your buyer confidence in the purchase
- Allow your buyer to register the transaction at the County Clerk’s office
- Enable your buyer to make mortgage arrangements
- Verify to your buyer the size and extent of the property
- Avoid later legal disputes arising from inadequate or inaccurate property description.
You need to know what you’re getting. Only a map of the survey made by a licensed land surveyor can define what you’ve purchased. Your surveyor will undertake the necessary research, survey the property and prepare a survey map that will reveal:
- Whether other people are entitled to partial use of your property through easements for utilities or rights-of-way.
- Whether fences, trees, buildings, gardens, embankments, driveways, walkways, swimming pools, house additions are on the property
- Whether your deed describes your property accurately
- Your survey thus gives you a form of protection in addition to clarifying what you’ve bought, since it will reveal any encroachments or other irregularities that might be the cause of later legal disputes.
In addition, your surveyor can mark the exact corners of your site with survey monuments.
You need to protect your investment by making sure you are building on your own property. A mislocated fence, driveway or carport can cause legal problems and extra construction costs. Before you build, let a licensed land surveyor determine your property boundaries, replacing missing stakes if necessary.
Allowing a surveyor to mark the location of your building on site before construction begins will also ensure that you meet setback requirements and other restrictions enforced by the municipality in their zoning laws. Failure to comply with zoning By-Laws could result in the loss of a future sale if the purchasers have an up-to-date survey done. Mortgage lenders generally do not advance money until zoning law infringements are cleared up.
A licensed professional surveyor will:
Check and ensure extent of title, and note planning restrictions, easements and other legalities
- Survey the site
- Engage other consultants to carry out preliminary studies, Engineering, Planning & Environmental issues to submit with draft plan
- Draft a proposed subdivision plan
- Prepare final plans.
A mortgage company, whether it be a bank, trust company or others, usually requires a survey before they will lend money. Why is this a necessity and why are you often asked for an up-to-date survey?
Do the lot size, building set backs, pool and fence locations meet with local Zoning Laws?
The mortgage company will require the survey to protect their investment. They want to be sure that the land and buildings on which they are lending money are as described in the documents which accompany the transaction. They also wish to know that if they have to foreclose there will be no problems in re-selling the property.
According to New York State law, only surveys made by licensed and registered New York Land Surveyors are legal. Only registered Land Surveyors have completed the academic requirements and practical training before licensing. Only registered Land Surveyors are required to maintain the necessary theoretical, practical and ethical standards set by legislation.
Depending on the nature and extent of the work, anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Fees for surveys are determined on an individual basis, depending mainly on the amount of time required for the research and the survey. Prior to engaging your surveyor, you may wish to inquire of the likely estimate of the fees that the survey will entail, along with the expected completion date. Click here to get a quote
In cases of dispute, your surveyor is an expert witness in court and assumes full professional responsibility for the accuracy of your survey. The cost of the survey as a percentage of your total investment is small and a reasonable price to pay for peace of mind.
Protect Your Investment!
Typically your house and land represent your largest assets. If you are contemplating purchasing property, you should know as much as possible about the piece of land in which you are going to invest. Obtaining a survey may be the most important thing you do before you close the deal on any purchase. Without a survey, you do not know the extent of your property, as only a licensed surveyor can provide you with this information. Without the survey, there is too much you do not know and you are risking both friendly neighbors and your investment.
It pays to know the boundaries of your land. A small distance can make a big difference. The erection of a fence can be the source of expensive litigation and ill will between neighbors. Your licensed land surveyor can help you avoid disputes.
Types of Surveys
A survey made for the purpose of supplying a title company and lender with survey and location data necessary for the issuing of title and/or mortgage insurance. A detailed map is required to be done to “ALTA” specifications. The acronym “ALTA” stands for American Land Title Association. Specifications of this type of Survey include (but are not limited to) determining property lines, location of improvements, identifying all easements, utilities and other conditions affecting the property. ALTA surveys are very comprehensive surveys and typically cost thousands of dollars and take weeks to complete. Any ALTA Land Survey must meet the “Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys” as adopted by the American Land Title Association, the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, and the National Society of Professional Surveyors. The Alta Survey is most often performed on commercial properties.
A boundary survey establishes the true property corners and property lines of a parcel of land. Boundary surveys are typically performed CONVEY LAND, to resolve property disputes, and for getting a mortgage.
When you are buying new property You need to know what you’re getting. Only the survey made by a licensed land surveyor can describe and clarify what you have purchased. When you hire a surveyor he will undertake the necessary research, perform measurements on the ground and prepare survey map that will reveal:
- Location of fences, buildings, gardens, driveways, walkways, swimming pools, house additions in relation of the property lines
- Survey will reveal any encroachments or other irregularities that might be the cause of later legal disputes.
- Whether your deed describes your property accurately
- Show if other people are entitled to partial use of your property through easements for utilities or rights-of-way.
TITLE SURVEY
Typically your house and land represent your largest assets. If you are contemplating purchasing property, you should know as much as possible about the piece of land in which you are going to invest. Obtaining a survey may be the most important thing you do before you close the deal on any purchase. Without a survey, you do not know the extent of your property, as only a licensed surveyor can provide you with this information. Without the survey, there is too much you do not know and you are risking both friendly neighbors and your investment
Survey measurements made prior to or while construction is in progress to control elevation, horizontal position, dimensions, and configuration, i.e. stakeout of line and grade for buildings, fences, roads, etc. CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
Preconstruction surveys (architectural surveys)
Proposed building layouts
Piles layouts and location
Axis lines layouts
Foundation location surveys
Final surveys for department of buildings and C.O.
CONSTRUCTION STAKE OUT Performed when a surveyor takes information from approved set of plans, typically provided by an engineer, planner or architect, and marks the information on the ground, usually with wooden stakes, nails to show contractors where to build or excavate. Vertical control points such as BENCHMARKS are also provided at the same time. We perform stake out surveys for new foundation, piles, utility and many others.
A Land Survey providing precise locations of horizontal and vertical positions of points for use in boundary determination, mapping for aerial photographs, construction staking, or other needs.
Analysis of various legal descriptions and survey maps; field locating of record, existing monuments, and physical features; and mapping showing this information for the purpose of presenting a visual exhibit to be used in a courtroom.
Elevation surveys determine the elevation of various sections of a building or land. Typically these are used to aid in building plans and to determine if a property is in a flood zone.
FLOOD ELEVATION CERTIFICATE
The Flood Elevation Certificate is an important tool of the National Flood Insurance Program .It is used to certify building elevations if the building is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area in order to determine the proper flood insurance premium rate for the building or support a request of a Letter of Map Amendment LOMA or Letter of Map Revision based on fill LOMR-F.
The elevation information must be submitted on the Elevation Certificate (FEMA Form 81-31) in effect at the time that the Elevation Certificate was completed and signed. Elevation Certificates can only be completed by a licensed land surveyor, engineer, or architect who is licensed by the State to perform such functions.
An Elevation Certificate is required by the National Flood Insurance Program to certify the reference level of a building for INSURANCE RATING PURPOSES. Without the data provided by an Elevation Certificate the property can not be properly rated for flood insurance purposes
You might benefit from a lower flood insurance premium by ordering ELEVATION CERTIFICATE.
A Land Survey which is affected by and takes into account the curvature of the earth and astronomic observations.
Geographic Information Systems and Land Information Systems.
Collect data relating to bodies of water, and may include the water depth, bottom contours and configuration, directions and velocity of current, heights and water stages, and the location of fixed objects for navigational purposes.
Are needed when you may need to divide an existing parcel of land into two or more parcels. All surveys for lot splits include a plat of the new parcels and the required legal description to record the split. It is important to note the size of the original parcel as well as the size of the proposed new parcel(s) in the comments section of the request form in order to receive accurate quotes.
A combination of boundary and topographic surveys for preparation of a site plan to be used for designing improvements or developments, and obtaining government building permits.
A survey that determines the location and dimensions of underground parts of a mine, including the natural and artificial features of the mine, both above and below ground. These surveys are done with both vertical and horizontal control, locating the features in a three dimensional manner.
Are not used for consistent purposes in all States. They are often a product that is provided on residential loans. A drawing may or may not be provided. Be aware that many of these “Mortgage Inspection” surveys are NOT BOUNDARY SURVEYS. Often they are required by lending institutions. Fences and other improvements should not be constructed based on a mortgage inspection. This is because boundary lines are not determined on many “Mortgage Inspection” surveys. Look for the “Certification” of the Land Surveyor, which usually includes the signature with the Land Surveyor’s license number, and State of Practice.
These surveys are typically used by title companies and mortgage lenders to obtain proof that the major improvements on the property are free of encroachments onto neighboring properties or into recorded easements. Mortgage surveys do not establish property corners or property lines and may not be used for building purposes.
A combination of boundary and topographic surveys for preparation of a site plan to be used for designing improvements or developments, and obtaining government building permits.
Obtains measurements of quantities, usually in conjunction with a construction process, earthwork, etc. Often times the Land Surveyor works closely with a Civil Engineer, Architect, or Landscape Architect.
A survey performed to obtain horizontal and or vertical dimensional data so that a constructed facility may be delineated, i.e. foundation survey, or as-built of improvements. Specifically, an As-Built Survey is a survey to physically locate structures and improvements on a parcel of land, generally for mortgage purposes. This does not always include boundary monumentation.
Also known as a “Subdivision Plat”, it is the subdivision of a tract of land into smaller parcels, showing monumentation and mathematical survey data on a map, conforming to local municipality (usually County) ordinances.
SUBDIVISION SURVEYS
The subdivision process ensures that a project is on a legally subdivided lot that has proper space for certain kinds of development and the required utility easements and roadways.
Specific subdivision considerations include the shape of a site, lot and/or tract size, circulation, street layout, drainage and grading, and floodplain concerns.
In addition, subdivision projects are reviewed to address any environmental concerns that may arise. These include water quality, tree, vegetation and habitat maintenance and the protection of critical environmental features.
Also utilities are planned for in the subdivision process. These considerations include the extension of transmission lines, distribution of water and wastewater lines or on-site service
Reconnaissance, preliminary survey and location survey for an alignment or linear type feature such as a road, railroad, canal, pipeline or utility line.
A Land Survey locating natural and man made features such as buildings, improvements, fences, elevations, land contours, trees, streams, etc. This type of survey may be required by a town or village , or may be used by Engineers and/or Architects for the design of improvements or developments on a site.
ARCHITECTURAL a/k/a TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY
PROPERTY LINES with dimensions, angles with the distance to nearest intersection (as per legal description if submitted) included area in square feet and acres, tax block, lots and buildings numbers. Recorded easements and right of ways will be shown if descriptions submitted by the client or his representative before delivering finished drawings.
SITE ELEMENTS: existing buildings with dimensions to the 0.01 foot, sheds, steps, curbs, retaining walls, fences, drains and other appurtenances on the subject property with all encroachments across property line (if any) with dimensions to the 0.1 of foot. Spot elevations on a 50 feet grid covering the property and first floor elevation of the building with accuracy to the 0.01 foot All trees of 4” and more caliper will be located and depicted on the survey as to location and size only. Adjacent properties in 10’ radius will be shown.
STREET ELEMENTS: sidewalks (incl. width), streets (incl. width) and surface elements (street lights, traffic lights, hydrants, utility poles, parking meters, etc.). Indicate centerline of street, opposite curb and legal width of streets. Adjacent 50 feet of street and sidewalks on both sides of subject property. Spot elevation at top and bottom of curb, sidewalk, center line of the street and lot line at 50 feet intervals will be shown. Existing legal grades will be depicted (if available from City Agencies).
STREET INFORMATION: as to names, width, type and condition of pavement, and existing widening lines.
FLOOD INFORMATION: based on FEMA Federal Flood Insurance Rate Maps for community in question.
UTILITY INFORMATION: location of all utility hardware in the street and sidewalks such as water, gas, electric and sewer manholes and valves, fire hydrants with dimensions to the property lines, show rim and invert elevation of sewer manholes. Utility lines will be shown based on record maps received from utility companies.
A combination of boundary and topographic surveys for preparation of a site plan to be used for designing improvements or developments, and obtaining government building permits.
Types of Plans
SHALL INCLUDE
- SITE ALIGNMENT PLAN:
- PROVIDING GENERAL NOTES, GUIDELINES,SIGNAGE , COMPLIANCE WITH ZONING, WASTE, GENERAL LAYOUT, PARKING AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
- DRAINAGE-SANITARY-GRADING PLAN:
- PROVIDING DRAINAGE CALCULATIONS , DESIGN AND LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING INSPECTION
- PROVIDE SANITARY SYSTEM CALCULATIONS , DESIGN AND LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING INSPECTION
- PROVIDE EXISTING AND PROPOSED GRADING AND FLOW FOR ONSITE RAINFALL RUNOFF INTO DRAINS, BASINS , INVERTS AND DIFFUSION DRYWELLS
- UTILITY PLAN :
- PROVIDE LAYOUT AND DESIGN REQUIREMENTS OF ONSITE UTILITIES AND ACCOMPANIED MANHOLES AND VALVES TO MAIN CONNECTION.
- PARKING -PAVEMENT PLAN:
- PROVIDE DESIGN , CALCULATION AND COMPLIANCE TO TOWN OF HUNTINGTON AND D.A PARKING,ACCESS AND SPACING REQUIREMENTS.
- PROVIDE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON DETAILS FOR ONSITE CURBING ,SIDEWALKS, PARKING BUMPER OVERHANG, STRIPING AND SIGNAGE.
- LIGHTING (PHOTOMETRIC) PLAN:
- PROVIDE LIGHTING FIXTURE AND POST DETAILS, POSITION, AND LAYOUT .
- COORDINATE PHOTOMETRIC CALCULATIONS FROM MANUFACTURER IN ACCORDANCE WITH TOWN OF HUNTINGTON LIGHTING CODE AND LIGHT TRESPASS REGULATIONS.
- LANDSCAPE PLAN:
- PROVIDE LANDSCAPE PLAN SIGNED AND SEALED FROM REGISTERED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT ALONG WITH PLANTING SCHEDULE AND DETAILS.
- EROSION CONTROL MITIGATION PLAN:
- PROVIDE DESIGN AND DETAILS OF EROSION AND DRAINAGE PROTECTION DEVICES, CONSTRUCTION ENTRANCE , SILT FENCE.
- MPT PLAN:
- PROVIDE MAINTENCE AND PROTECTION TRAFFIC PLAN DURING WORKING AND NON-WORKING
- PROVIDE NECESSARY DOT SIGN ,ENTRANCE ,CURBING AND SIDEWALK DETAILS
- REVIEW OF NECESSARY APPROACH SPEEDS FOR DETERMING ENTRANCE SIZE AND TYP
Building Permits
- All houses and building
- All additions to house and buildings
- Any interior alternations
- Change or rearrangement in the structural parts or in the exit facilities of any building
- Any above or below ground swimming pool of a depth or 18″ or great
- Swimming pool cabanas
- Swimming Pool heaters
- Hot tubs
- Any fence more than four feet in heights
- Demolition of nay structure
- Any raised deck more than eight inches in height above grade
- All patio roofs except canvas
- Vestibule covers and enclosures
- Any shed more than 100 square feet in area
- All fireplaces and chimneys, including prefabricated
- Freestanding air condition units
- Retaining walls two feet high or higher
- Sewers, drywells and cesspools
- Plumbing fixtures
- Oil and gas tanks
- Oil and gas heating units
- Tennis courts
- Garages and accessory structures
- Tents
- Trailers
- Greenhouse and passive solar structures
- solar collectors and systems
- Conversion of garage to habitable space
- Fire damage repair
- Cellar entrances
- RPZ Valves
- Signs
Miscellaneous
Babylon Town | 100 | Huntington Town | 400 | Smithtown Town | 800 |
Amityville | 101 | ASHAROKEN | 401 | Head of the Harbor | 801 |
Babylon Village | 102 | Huntington Bay | 402 | Nissequogue | 802 |
Lindenhurst | 103 | Lloyd Harbor | 403 | The Branch | 803 |
Northport | 404 | ||||
Brookhaven Town | 200 | Islip Town | 500 | Southampton Town | 900 |
Belle Terre | 201 | Brightwaters | 501 | North Haven | 901 |
Bellport | 202 | Ocean Beach | 502 | Quogue | 902 |
Old Field | 203 | Saltaire | 503 | Sag Harbor | 903 |
Patchogue | 204 | Islandia | 504 | Southampton | 904 |
Poquott | 205 | Westhampton Beach | 905 | ||
Port Jefferson | 206 | Westhampton Dunes | 907 | ||
Shoreham | 207 | Riverhead Town | 600 | ||
Lake Grove | 208 | ||||
East Hampton Town | 300 | Shelter Is Town | 700 | Southold Town | 1000 |
East Hampton Village | 301 | Dering Harbor | 701 | Greenport | 1001 |
Sag Harbor | 302 |
SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICTS
TOWNS & CITIES IN NASSAU COUNTY
Town of Oyster Bay:
Unincorporated Communities within the Town of Oyster Bay include: Bethpage; East Norwich; Glen Head; Hicksville; Jericho; Locust Grove; Locust Valley; Massapequa; Old Bethpage; Oyster Bay; Plainedge; Plainview; South Farmingdale; Syosset and Woodbury.
Incorporated Villages using Town of Oyster Bay Registrar: Brookville; Centre Island; Cove Neck; Lattingtown; Laurel Hollow; Matinecock; Mill Neck; Muttontown; Old Brookville; Oyster Bay Cove and Upper Brookville.
Town of Hempstead (516)489-5000
Unincorporated Communities within the Town of Hempstead include: Baldwin; Barnum Island; Bay Park; Bellmore; East Meadow; Elmont; Franklin Square; Garden City Park; Garden City South; Gibson; Green Acres; Harbor Island; Hewlett; Inwood; Lakeview; Levittown; Lido Beach; Meadowmere Park; Merrick; North Bellmore; North Lynbrook; North Merrick, North Valley Stream; North Woodmere; Oceanside; Point Lookout; Roosevelt; Salisbury; Seaford; South Hempstead; South Valley Stream; Uniondale; Wantagh; West Hempstead and Woodmere.
Incorporated Villages using Town of Hempstead Registrar: Hewlett Harbor.
Town of North Hempstead (516)627-0590
Unincorporated Communities within the Town of North Hempstead include: Albertson; Carle Place; Glenwood Landing; Great Neck Gardens; Greenvale; Harbor Hills; Herricks; Manhasset; Manhasset Hills; New Cassel; North New Hyde Park; Port Washington; Roslyn Heights; Saddle Rock Estates; Searington; Strathmore; University Gardens and Williston Park.
Incorporated Villages using Town of North Hempstead Registrar: Baxter Estates; Great Neck; Great Neck Estates; Kensington; Kings Point; Manorhaven; North Hills; Port Washington North; Roslyn Estates; Russell Gardens; Saddle Rock;
Glen Cove, City of (516) 676-2000
Glen Cove City Hall
9 Glen Street, Glen Cove, NY 11542
Long Beach, City of (516) 431-1000
1 West Chester Street City Hall, Room 304
Long Beach, NY 11561
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Hempstead, Town of (516) 489-5000
Atlantic Beach, Village of (516) 371-4600
Bellerose, Village of (516) 354-1000
Cedarhurst, Village of (516) 295-5770
East Rockaway, Village of (516) 887-6300
Floral Park, Village of (516) 326-6300
Freeport, Village of (516) 377-2200
Garden City, Village of (516) 742-5800
Hempstead, Village of (516) 489-3400
Hewlett Bay Park, Village of (516) 295-1400
Hewlett Harbor, Village of (516) 374-3806
Hewlett Neck, Village of (516) 295-1400
Island Park, Village of (516) 431-0600
Lawrence, Village of (516) 239-4600
Lynbrook, Village of (516) 599-8300
Malverne, Village of (516) 599-1200
Mineola, Village of (516) 746-0750
New Hyde Park, Village of (516) 354-0022
Rockville Centre, Village of (516) 678-9300
South Floral Park, Village of (516) 352-8047
Stewart Manor, Village of (516) 354-1800
Valley Stream, Village of (516) 825-4200
Woodsburgh, Village of (516) 295-1400
North Hempstead, Town of (516) 627-0590
Baxter Estates, Village of (516) 767-0096
East Hills, Village of (516) 621-4251
East Williston, Village of (516) 746-0782
Flower Hill, Village of (516) 627-2253
Great Neck, Village of (516) 482-0019
Great Neck Estates, Village of (516) 482-8283
Great Neck Plaza, Village of (516) 482-4500
Kensington, Village of (516) 482-4409
Kings Point, Village of (516) 482-7872
Lake Success, Village of (516) 482-4411
Manorhaven, Village of (516) 883-7000
Munsey Park, Village of (516) 365-7790
North Hills, Village of (516) 627-3451
Old Westbury, Village of (516) 626-0800
Plandome, Village of (516) 627-1748
Plandome Heights, Village of (516) 627-1136
Plandome Manor, Village of (516) 627-3701
Port Washington North, Village of (516) 883-5900
Roslyn, Village of (516) 621-1961
Roslyn Estates, Village of (516) 621-3541
Roslyn Harbor, Village of (516) 621-0368
Russell Gardens, Village of (516) 482-8246
Saddle Rock, Village of (516) 482-9400
Sands Point, Village of (516) 883-3044
Thomaston, Village of (516) 482-3110
Westbury, Village of (516) 334-1700
Williston Park, Village of (516) 746-2193
Oyster Bay, Town of (516) 624-6100
Bayville, Village of (516) 628-1439
Brookville, Village of (516) 626-1792
Centre Island, Village of (516) 922-0606
Cove Neck, Village of (516) 922-1885
Farmingdale, Village of (516) 249-0093
Lattingtown, Village of (516) 676-6920
Laurel Hollow, Village of (516) 692-8826
Massapequa Park, Village of (516) 798-0244
Matinecock, Village of (516) 671-7790
Mill Neck, Village of (516) 922-6722
Muttontown, Village of (516) 364-3476
Old Brookville, Village of (516) 671-4664
Oyster Bay Cove, Village of (516) 922-1016
Sea Cliff, Village of (516) 671-0080
Upper Brookville, Village of (516) 624-7715