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James T. Herron, PLS
Professional.Land.Surveyor
Sylvia E. Higdon, PLS
Professional Land Surveyor
Jeffrey L. Herron, PE
Professional Engineer
Phone: 828-488-8949
Toll-Free:.888-475-7300
Fax: 828-488-8758
721 Main Street
PO Box 1265
Bryson City, NC 28713






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Facts You Should Know
About Having Your Land Surveyed
| When is a Survey Usually Required? Before title to
land is conveyed, it is desirable to have adequate description of the property for the
deed, including an accurate determination of the acreage. It is also important to know if
there are any physical features or title overlaps which might constitutes encroachments
or. on some other way adversely affect the title to the land. Only an up-to-date survey,
by a Professional Land Surveyor, can give you this information.
Most North Carolina cities and counties have subdivision ordinance procedures which
must be followed. For any subdivision, the Professional Land Surveyor can work with you to
prepare the required maps. This may be a simple procedure, but may, depending on the
situation, involve: a boundary survey, a topographical survey, site analysis, road and lot
layout, road grade design, and the calculations for the necessary erosion control
features. The Professional Land Surveyor can also prepare, for review, the subdivision
plat for recording, the road plan & profile maps, and the erosion control plans.
The Professional Land Surveyor can explain the requirements of the local Subdivision
Ordinance and assist you in getting the necessary approvals for your development.
Before land is partitioned by will or by Court Order, a survey of the land is needed.
In the case of a will, the boundary of the property as well as the improvements, such as
buildings, roads and drives, on the property need to be located. When the land is divided,
the heirs can easily decide on the location of the new dividing lines. Also, before the
Court can establish a disputed boundary line it needs an accurate survey of the land. The
Professional Land survey can provide the necessary maps.
When a question arises as to the location of a boundary line between you and your
neighbor, the first thing you need to do is get an accurate boundary survey. When the
survey is completed, The Professional Land Surveyor can explain the location of the
boundary line. In some cases, the surveyor can help solve the problem between you and your
neighbor; at other times, the surveyor will appear in court as an expert witness on your
behalf.
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| What the Professional Land Surveyor Needs From You? The
Professional Land Surveyor needs: Your name, current address & phone number, and the
name of the current owner of the land, the Parcel Identification Number (PIN) of the
property, and the Deed Book and Page Number of the current deed. Any other
information you have, such as deeds, wills, or maps, may be of help.
It is not necessary for you to search for or get copies of the neighbors' deeds. The
Professional Land Surveyor is an expert at their research and is required to do so by the
Standards of Practice.
The information you submit to the Professional Land Surveyor can be mailed. This is
preferred because it gives written authorization to proceed. A retainer may be required
for certain surveys before the land surveyor will begin your survey.
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| Why Survey Costs Vary? The Professional Land
Surveyor's fee will include the time to search for deeds or court records, locate the
physical boundary evidence at the property, make the necessary computations to check the
boundary, place appropriate markers on the property, and prepare the survey map.
The cost of the survey will vary because of missing corner evidence, disputed boundary
lines, rough terrain, heavy underbrush, poor land descriptions in the deeds, and travel
time to and from the property.
Because of these varying conditions, it is difficult for the Professional Land Surveyor
to predict an exact cost. The same conditions and the number of jobs pending will affect
when your survey can be completed. This time can vary from days to months.
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| Additional Information. A survey is a highly technical
and complex service utilizing the art of measuring, mathematics, and the proper
interpretation of real property law.
A Title Insurance policy is generally issued when property is purchased. This covers:
the title of the property, protecting the owner, or the loan, protecting the leader. It
can also cover the survey if specified. Discuss the provisions of title insurance with
your lawyer.
The Professional Land Surveyor and survey your land ONLY according to the deeds and
other available information. The location of the boundary lines marked by the surveyor is
ONLY a professional opinion based on the evidence found in the records and on the ground.
However, the accuracy by which the Professional Land Surveyor accomplishes this service is
backed by his professional integrity.
In today's business world, lawyers, engineers, and architects rely heavily on the
Professional Land Surveyor's integrity and accuracy.
In the case of litigation, the Professional Land Surveyor will appear in court as an
expert witness. The surveyor's testimony is accepted by the court as professional
evidence.
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| Selecting a Professional Land Surveyor. When it is
determined that a land survey is needed, only a Professional Land Surveyor, licensed by
the North Carolina State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land
Surveyors, is legally permitted to survey the land in North Carolina.
Every Professional Land Surveyor MUST follow the requirements listed in the
"Standards of Practice for Land Surveying in North Carolina." The State Board
publishes these standards and the Professional Land Surveyor you hire can provide a copy
upon request. The Standards of Practice lists everything the land surveyor MUST do during
a survey and what MUST appear on the final survey map.
It is best to select a Professional Land Surveyor by qualifications. A well-qualified
land surveyor will take the time to ask you about your needs for the survey. The surveyor
will then explain what is required to complete your survey, and will answer all of your
survey, and will answer all of your questions in a helpful manner so that you understand
the process.
The Professional Land Surveyor constantly updates field equipment and office computers
in order to provide you with the best service.
If you needed heart surgery, would you select the cheapest or the best surgeon? The
same principle applies when selecting a Professional Land Surveyor. Remember, many times,
the "cheapest" survey has cost the most in additional surveying and
legal fees. |
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