FAQs (frequently asked questions)

How much?

Land surveying can be extremely complex, and every project is unique. Surveyors therefore rarely quote a “per linear foot” or “per acre” fee. Most survey projects involve too many unknowns for us to quote a lump sum fee and will therefore usually be billed at hourly rates/ cost of materials. However, we will normally quote a “should not exceed” fee in our initial proposal. If a lump sum fee quote is required we can usually provide one but we will have to do some preliminary (and billable) work first.

Can’t I save a lot of money by just getting a Mortgage Loan Inspection? I don’t care about a foot or two here or there.

An M.L.I. is not a “cheap survey” or a “rough survey;” it is a completely different product from a boundary survey.  It is not suitable for most of the purposes a survey serves.

Once the survey is done does that mean it’s official and that my lines are where the plan says they are?

No. A boundary survey indicates the land surveyor’s professional opinion as to where your boundaries lie. In complex situations the opinions of two qualified surveyors may differ, just as two doctors may disagree on a diagnosis or treatment.

Once the plan is recorded, does that mean it’s official and that my lines are where the plan says they are?

No. Recording simply preserves the plan and puts the public on notice as to its content.

Well, how DO I make it “official,” then?

If uncertainty or disagreement exists an attorney should be consulted. Ultimately only a court of law has the authority to say where, as a matter of law, boundaries lie (though the surveyor’s opinion and testimony will normally have great weight in the court’s decision). Alternatively, it is often possible for abutting landowners to reach an agreement and execute such documents as an attorney may recommend (i.e. boundary agreements) to resolve such questions amicably, more quickly, and much less expensively. Such agreements can be reached informally or perhaps, more formally, through alternative dispute resolution (mediation).

Why can’t I just go by the tax maps?

Tax maps, like Mortgage Loan Inspections, are usually based on the most recent deed description. If it is vague or ambiguous the boundaries shown on the tax maps may vary from the true boundaries, sometimes substantially.

How much is “more or less?”

There is no “rule of thumb.” Generally (though not always) “more or less” indicates that some other call in the deed is intended to control things. For example, “200 feet more or less to an iron pin” usually runs to the pin even if it is 201 feet.

“More or less” calls are often “close enough” but can sometimes vary dramatically from the true acreage or measurement that a survey would reveal. The land surveyor will often determine that, legally, some other call or some evidence not found in the deed will “trump” over a “more or less” figure.

What does “PLS” stand for?

“Professional Land Surveyor.” This designation was adopted by the Maine Board of Licensure for Professional Land Surveyors in the early ‘90’s. Licensees had previously been known as Registered Land Surveyors (RLS). Prior to about 1967 land surveyors in Maine were not licensed.

Your Mortgage Loan Inspection sketch claims I’m in a flood zone but there’s no way. I was here in the flood of 1987 and we didn’t even get wet then.

If the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maps show that the structure is in a flood zone then so will our M.L.I. sketch, irrespective of the true elevation. This reflects the rule under federal flood insurance requirements. Unfortunately the FEMA maps are sometimes less accurate than we’d like them to be. If the structure is in fact sufficiently well-elevated, a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) from FEMA may be required to lift the insurance requirement.