Avg. cost of a land survey - Less than 1 acre.

May be a tough one, as not all land is "the same". Neither are local cost.
But I have 2 pieces of property that are adjacent to each other. I need to make the 2 lots into 1 large lot. I have a current survey of BOTH lots. And both properties are stacked. One lot is level and CLEAR. the Other has woods on it. But the stakes are there and visible.

Lot 1 is .26 acres
Lot 2 is .36 acres.

I finally managed to get 1 of the FIVE surveyors to get back to me.
His quote was $2,400. Is this normal price? Or does it sound like the "I don't want to do it price?"

For those wondering. No, you can not go to the register of deeds and have them combined.
I tried that, and was told to have it surveyed in to one lot. Then, and only then, will they combine the two lots.

And for why I am doing it. A Minimum lot size of 20,000 sq/ft is required to get permitted to build. Even though the lots are side by side, and I own both, it doesn't matter. Typical government stipulation....blah..blah.

I'm fine with all that...I guess?

But is $2,400 "normal"?

 

I had a similar situation, less than 3/4 acre but the guy told there is a standard fee up to a certain threshold that I can’t recall off the top of my head. It was just over $1500 and I said no thanks. I am missing one stake and wanted to get one put back in.

 

I have no useful knowledge, but that does sound steep for what I'd guess to be about a 2 hr job.

 

I think that's about what my dad paid for a survey of about 6 acres last year, I'll have to ask him.

 

I have no idea where you live but winter may be a factor for the cost? I don’t know typical costs but sounds expensive to me as well.

 

East Tennessee

 

I'd be with you if it were just over one stack.
But I'm donating money in property taxes until I get this done.
I can't move forward with anything until this is settled.

 

Reach out to the surveyor and ask him how much he charges per hour? Like others said it’s maybe a 2 hr job?

 

Surveyor has you by the short hairs!

 

It is by the job.
And he has copies of the 2 surveys.
Plus a map/survey with both lots. Coordinates, measurements and all.

I mean, if the county would just use a delete button and do basic math, This should be simple.
But government and simple don't mix.

I'm between a rock and a hard place. And it looks like I'm going to have to spend myself out of it.
WTF........That's life I guess?

 

I would think in Tennessee it would be way easier than all that headache you are going through. That stinks. I guess you gotta pay to play. Sometimes it hurts at first but I’m sure it’ll be sweet when everything is said and done.

 

If I told you it didn't used to be this way, would you believe me?
There's a reason I went to the register of deeds.
As others "before" me have been able to combine lots with no problem.

Evidently, that's not so any more.

And AFAIK, I never did anything to make the people down there mad at me.
I mean, I made a lot of people mad. But best I remember, I never did any of those 3 woman......

 

Just went back and found the estimate, $1950

 

This doesn’t sound like a matter of just getting your property surveyed. Surveyor will need to go out and do a boundary survey, prepare a new parcel map and legal description, go back and forth with the jurisdiction to get the map approved, then get it recorded.

 

Yeah. Was it a "simple" square.
Mine is a square. Nothing to hard.
4 lines and done......

But what do I know?
I'm not a surveyor.....

 

The way you describe it makes it sound more expensive.
If $2,400 is what it cost. Then it is, what it is.

I was expecting maybe $1,000-$1,500
But again, I'm not a surveyor.

I do think I'll keep calling others, just to at least compare prices.
That is, if I can get anyone to answer or call me back.

 

I'm with Troy on this one, there's more to it than finding some property pins in your yard. And even the stake part isn't as easy as it sounds: legally the surveyor has to go back to the last described benchmark in the plat document, and trace the boundaries himself instead of just following markers already placed.

Add in the legal work up front and creating a stamped drawing, and it doesn't sound bad.

I'd be more annoyed with the county than the surveyor for requiring that, but maybe they've had landowner disputes or something in the past.

 

It was more of a triangle and it was essentially a new survey.

 

Can't go wrong with that (if they answer, of course). Like all other skilled trade lavor, there seems to be a surveyor shortage.

 

I’m a civil engineer in CA so I’m not sure of the laws out there, but I’ve worked to get a map or two recorded.

My quick google search shows that a civil engineer licensed in TN can perform boundary surveys. May be worth giving some smaller firms a call to confirm or at least get some leads.