Other Surveying Services:


• “Record of Survey” Plan:
Can be prepared to a lesser drafting standard than required for recording at the county registries of deeds, but still contain certified content. Can be a plan of an entire property, or of only a line. Typical examples would be a plan to be submitted with a building permit application, to a zoning board with a variance application or for a land owner’s personal information and use where there is no intent or need for recording. An advantage is some savings in cost over a standard boundary survey, disadvantage is unsuitability for recording at the county registries.

• “Field Inspection Report”:
A lower cost option when you have questions about your property but don't have the legal need for a Standard Boundary Survey is a Field Inspection Report: essentially an opinion report based on limited review of records and field measurements on a property, such as a comparison of found corner marker locations to a subdivision plan of record. The measurement standard may be more or less precise depending on the precision of the written record to which comparison will be made. The deliverables will generally consist of a letter style written report along with simple scale drawing. Often the drawing will simply be annotations made to scale on a copy of an existing plan of record.

As with most surveying services, the detail and complexity (and hence the cost) is dictated by the nature of the records and conditions of the particular site, and there are some situations where only very limited conclusions can be drawn without increasing the scope of at least the reasearch standards to that of a Standard Boundary Survey. However, for many sites, this service, with a typical cost of about one quarter to one third of a Standard Boundary Survey, is a relatively inexpensive way to determine the location of improvements or features relative to an accepted or apparent boundary, assess whether there is the likelihood of an encroachment, to memorialize a marked line or replaced corner marker, document the exisitence of corner markers along with a preliminary opinion as to their agreement with the record, or to provide a preliminary opinion related to a potential dispute. While this service is typically not certified, nor does it carry much legal standing, it does provide valuable information on your property which can be used for general evaluation, decision making, marketing if trying to sell, or as a written record of existing evidence at a given point in time.


• Monument replacement:
In instances where sufficiently precise surveys exist with a record of a missing corner marker’s location in relation to other nearby identifiable points, a new marker can sometimes be set as a replacement without a full standard boundary survey of the subject property. Preparation of a new  map is generally not necessary. but it is recommended that a simple Record of Survey or Field Inspection Report be prepared to leave a record of the work performed. As with many surveying services, it becomes a judgement call on the part of the surveyor as to whether existing information is sufficient. If record data is too imprecise, or if nearby markers do not agree ("fit") well with record plans, more in depth research and/or field survey may be necessary to monument a point, or line.

• Line Staking:
Straight lines between two accepted property corners can be marked (with stakes, iron rods, blazes and paint, etc.), when not inter-visible. Usually documented with a simple worksheet or sketch. Note that this does not inherently constitute validation of a boundary unless accompianied by the applicable research and field survey work.

• Construction staking:  Residential or commercial, site development sometimes requires precisely locating design elements on the ground.

• Compass and tape surveys:  
Although no longer widely prepared, these can still be suitable for large remote parcels under certain circumstances. The research standards are identical to a standard boundary survey, but the measurements are far less precise, resulting in some cost savings. They can be suitable for recording at the registries of deeds provided certain conditions are met, but are not suitable for any type of intense site subdivision or development.

• GPS Control Surveys:
Utilizes survey-grade Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to provide precise measurement petween points that are not intervisible, and as far apart as around 12 miles. Often used to provide control points for aerial photogrametric mapping, Geographic Information Systems, determine precise latitude and longitude, determine points on line between monuments which are far apart (town lines, for example) or to relate noncontiguous surveys to one another. GPS surveys are suitable for establishment of elevations for many applications except where extremely high-level precision is required. This technology does, however, have its limitations, and cannot be used for survey-grade precision under tree canopy, or without a significant area of open sky/horizon at a given site.

• FEMA Elevation Certificates:
Flood insurance is required by banks providing mortgages on properties in flood-prone areas. The default insurance rates generally assume that the entire structure, or structures are subject to flooding, and the flood hazard zones themselves as determined by FEMA are often less than accurate. Elevation documentation, certifiied by a licensed land surveyor can be prepared, submitted and used to determine a more realistic risk of damage. The work includes establishment of elevations to the datum defined on flood insurance rate maps (FIRMs) on a property and gathering elevation data at specific points of the structure(s) and of the ground on the property, and filling in the appropriate forms provided  by FEMA. These will typically cost between $250 and $500 to prepare (although some sites will require more in-depth study and analysis), but can result in significantly lower annual insurance rates or elimination of the flood insurance requirement altogether if part or all of the structure is not located within the defined flood hazard zone.

• Land Use Consultation and Planning: 
A useful first step if you have a property you wish to develop or subdivide. Generally includes gathering general soil and contour data, making a "cruise" of the property to roughly locate areas restrictive to development such as wetlands, shallow soils and bedrock or steep slopes, evaluating access, and usually culminates in making a "composite drawing" which can be used for preliminary assesment of development options, preliminary subdivision or development layouts, cost estimating and conceptual discussions with regulatory agencies.

• Other Miscellaneous Services:  
In addition to all of the above, occasionally more unique services are requested, and can be provided by Cardigan Mountain Land Surveys. These types of projects - many of which CMLS has experience providing - include "forensic surveys" such as accident or crime scene mapping, detailed mapping of failed structures (buildings, bridges), utility surveys, right-of-way surveys, deformation monitoring of structures such as dams, bridges, roads, foundations or retaining walls, trail mapping, archeological mapping and more. CMLS welcomes unique surveying and mapping challenges and has a widely varied background of experiences to rely upon in determining appropriate methods, procedures and deliverables for nearly any conceivable mapping project.